Spa For Your Shoes
by Lori Wynne
Don't you just love a day at the spa? You know how amazing your face and décolleté feel after a European facial? Your skin feels fresh, alive and brand new. You actually glow and from where you stand, your pores are perfectly clean. Think about how pretty your fingers and toes look right after a manicure and pedicure. All your digits are shiny and bright, perfectly trimmed, moisturized and looking brand new or perhaps even better than new. Now imagine slipping off the disposable foam rubber flip flops the pedicurist gives you to wear and grabbing your winter boots or shoes. Aaaack! Do they look like they have been through months of slush, salt, sand and snow without a polish? Are they scuffed on the toes and heels, showing traces of salt and wear? Ladies, your shoes need the spa treatment.
Nothing completes a great outfit like a great pair of shoes. Do they have to be new? No. Do they have to be expensive? No. However, they should be clean, without scuffs, and polished to a shine. Take a few minutes to inventory your shoe collection. Pull out those that may need some attention. It only takes a few minutes to polish away the scuffs and make them new. Use a damp toothbrush to scrub the grime off the sides and soles of your athletic shoes. Now is a great time to prepare your sandals for spring. Sort out those that are worn out and beyond repair. Use a scrub brush to clean last year's footprint off your still fashionable wedges. Use a small amount of fingernail polish remover on a cotton ball or a pencil eraser to remove the scuffs from your white leather or vinyl sandals.
Using shoe polish is a wonderful way to bring life to old leather shoes. Don't know how to shine your own shoes? Pay your local cobbler, or ask your boyfriend, husband, father, brother or son to do it for you. Shoe polish is available in practically every color of leather. Use a shoe rag or brush to apply a small amount of polish to the body of the shoe. Use small circular motions. If the sole and heel are the same color as the shoe, spread a small amount of polish on the sides of the sole and heel as well. Afterwards, use a soft clean cloth to buff your shoes to a shine. For quick fixes use the Scuff Magic product by Kiwi. Its sponge allows easy application, dries quickly and makes your shoes shine like a Marine's. I also found a product that works wonderfully for quick touch-ups. The Kiwi Leather Shine Sponge adds instant shine to all leather and vinyl shoes and accessories. It's super affordable, works on any color and best of all fits in your purse. Use it on your shoes before a meeting, interview or before a date with that special someone.
Now that the tops of the shoes look great, how do the heels look? If they are worn down, have the heels replaced, capped or built up. It's less expensive than you think and you will look great coming and going from the top of your head to the tip of your toes. Best of all you will look "well-heeled" even if you didn't spend a fortune on footwear.
Your Loving Fashionista
