Growing up in Florida, every season was flip-flop season. Well, except for our one "cold" month (February in case you're curious), then we wore shoes. Ever since we moved out of the land of endless summer, though I've had to make more of an effort to get my feet summer ready.

Here are a few tips that will help you get ready to rock those sandals and enjoy your summer with beautiful feet!

Silky Foot Soak

Technically the first step in pre-flip-flop foot prep is exfoliating your feet, but I wanted to share this silky foot soak recipe first because I find that exfoliation seems to work better for me if I soften my skin a little first.

This recipe is courtesy the Young Living Blog.

Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup epsom salts
* 2 TBSP rolled oats (if you can grind fine in a coffee grinder this makes a better texture)
* 10-15 drops your favorite essential oil (Tea Tree is what I'd recommend for freshness and the appearance of healthy skin and nails)

Instructions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and use 2 TBSP of the mixture for each foot bath.
2. Combine 2 TBSP of the mixture with a basin of warm water and soak your feet until the water has cooled.
3. Gently dry and then move on to the exfoliation recipe below.

Lavender Mint Sugar Scrub

This gentle sugar scrub is a great way to smooth the rough winter skin off your feet. Combining the nourishing carrier oil with the sugar gives skin a renewing and circulation stimulating massage.

The addition of Lavender essential oil helps to relax and calm plus promotes the appearance of healthy skin.

The Peppermint essential oil cools and refreshes the feet! Just the perfect thing for a warm spring or summer day.

Ingredients:
* 1/4 cup carrier oil (like coconut, sweet almond, or V6 mixing oil)
* 3/4 cup raw sugar
* 5 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
* 8 drops Lavender Essential Oil

Instructions:
1. Combine essential oils and carrier oil in a small bowl or the jar you'd like to store the mixture in.
2. Add raw sugar and mix together until combined.
3. Use 1 TBSP of this scrub for each foot and scrub until smooth then rinse.
Be careful, this mixture could make a tub slippery!

Tea Tree Cuticle Treatment

Nothing ruins a great pedicure more than unruly cuticles. It can be difficult to push back and smooth cuticles, but this Tea Tree Cuticle Treatment helps to soften this delicate skin in preparation for toenail polishing.

Ingredients:
* 15 ml carrier oil (V6 Vegetable Oil Complex, sweet almond oil, or jojoba oil)
* 20 drops Tea Tree essential oil (Melaleuca alternifolia)

Instructions:
1. Combine ingredients in a small dropper bottle, or a recycled empty essential oil bottle.
2. Add a roller ball to the top to make it easier to apply or just simply dab and massage into cuticles.

Pedicure Perfect Foot Balm

This thick, rich foot balm is the perfect finish to your home pedicure. Some of the ingredients like the mango butter and Vitamin E oil might be easiest to find on Amazon.

But this foot balm is definitely worth making and keeping for the summer!

Here's what you need:
* 1/4 cup unrefined virgin coconut oil
* 1/4 cup mango butter
* 1 tsp Vitamin E oil
* 15 drops Tea Tree essential oil
* 5 drops Eucalyptus Radiata essential oil
* 15 drops Peppermint essential oil
* A glass storage container

Instructions:
1. Gently melt together mango butter and unrefined coconut oil.
2. Remove from heat, add essential oils and vitamin E oil.
3. Once at room temperature whip with a hand mixer or stand mixer until it becomes ivory colored and has a light buttery texture.
4. Store in an airtight glass container in a cool dark place.
Use to moisturize and refresh feet. Add socks before bedtime to enhance moisturizing.

If you have toenails that need extra attention, Tea Tree essential oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) is a very helpful oil for nails.

In order to get the best results you would apply a few drops directly to the affected nail both morning and night for several weeks or until you are happy with the appearance of your toenail.

A simple way to apply is to saturate a cotton swab and then swab on the nail, underneath the nail edge and on the surrounding cuticles.

Tea Tree essential oil is usually mild enough that it doesn't need to be diluted, but if you have particularly sensitive skin you should dilute with a carrier oil, especially if you experience any discomfort.