Step Into Party Season; Follow In The Glamorous Footsteps Of Claire Sweeney & Get Your Feet Prepped & Ready!

Star of screen and stage, Claire Sweeney has been announced as Brand Ambassador for Footner’s Party Feet campaign 2022. Claire is no stranger to dancing and performing in heels so understands the importance of caring for her feet.

With party season upon us, Claire says: “I absolutely love performing, but dancing and singing on stage, together with long days filming, often means hours on your feet, usually in high heels. It’s definitely a great workout for the body (and mind), but it does take its toll on my feet. So, it’s really important to me that I take care of my body, with lots of water, a good diet and plenty of exercise, but also that I keep my feet soft and supple.

 “Christmas is such a wonderful time and I love to get glammed up. It’s the ritual of getting ready to go to a party or drinks that’s one of my favourite times. Anything goes in the festive season – sparkles, false eyelashes, leopard print, heels, diamante, red lips and matching nails– you name it!

As much as I love to party, self-care and recovery is important and I think that a “day after the night before” pamper sesh is essential! For me, pre-party prep is an invigorating shower to boost my energy and get my glow on with some dance tunes as I put on my make-up, paint my toenails etc. Then, post-party, it’s all about relaxing in a long warm bath, with bubbles and candles – and finishing off with some body lotion and a specialist good quality foot cream to revive and soften my party feet.”

Here expert podiatrist Dina Gohil BSc (Hons), MRCPod, HCPC Reg Owner of DG Podiatrist and Brand Ambassador for Footner Exfoliating Socks, shares her top tips to get your feet looking and feeling their best ready to hit the dancefloor.

Step 1 – Perfect Party Feet Prep

Start off by giving your feet a well-deserved pampering session that will leave them feeling refreshed, preened and stepping out in style. Begin by removing dry, dead skin with the perfect at-home pedicure treatment Footner Exfoliating Socks. Pop them on and relax for 60 minutes, and within just 7-10 days any hard, dead skin on your feet will have peeled away, revealing a layer of soft, smooth and rejuvenated skin beneath. So, be sure to party plan ahead though and allow adequate time for your sparkling new feet to reveal themselves.

As much as we like our feet to be warm and cosy over the Winter months, it also creates the perfect conditions for issues including fungal nails, so now is also the ideal time to pay attention to your nail care and address any concerns. Nail fungus doesn’t mean you need to hide your feet away though…Nailner Breathable Nail Polish is a healthy alternative to standard nail polishes and helps conceal damaged, discoloured and dry nails. It allows molecules of oxygen to pass through the polish and down to the nail and nail bed and can be used alongside other Nailner treatment products. Plus it’s available in the perfect party/festive shade – Rosy Red! If the problem is more serious, please seek help from a podiatrist – there is nothing to be embarrassed about.

Step 2 – Dancefloor Disco Diva Prep

To keep you dancing as long as possible, follow these simple exercises that will help prepare your feet to be the last ones on the dancefloor.

• Calf raise with splayed foot:- you may use the wall to help keep your balance, remember to keep your feet shoulders width apart. Ensure your toes are pointing outwards and then lift your heels up and down. There are many benefits to this simple exercise – some of them are; increases ankle stability and strength, helps prevent injury, improves lower body performance and helps build calves in size.
• One legged squat:- you may use the wall to help keep your balance, then stand on one foot and bend up and down by bending your knees. This exercise also helps build strength and stability to your lower body which helps your knees and ankles.
• Towel and toes:- use a towel at home, squeeze your toes to lift the towel up and then let it go, when you let go make sure to stretch your toes out as much as possible. These exercises help the flexibility and strength of your tendons in your feet. It helps improve stability, strength and can prevent injury.

Step 3 – Post-Party Pamper & Recovery

Your feet served you well last night, dancing to all the classics, but now they feel tired and ache, suffering with a ‘high-heel hangover’. Reward them for all their dancing efforts with a little post-party TLC. Try CCS Foot Cream or Heel Balm – the best kept Scandi beauty secret used by podiatrists like myself for over 40 years. The Swedish formula contains urea, a moisturiser naturally occurring in the human body which helps reinvigorate the skin and keep it soft and supple. Massage generously into your feet to help ease out any tension. If you feel the cold in Winter, there’s an exciting NEW product – CCS Warming Foot Cream (150ml) – that moisturizes and softens dry skin and cold feet with a warming sensation.  With a beautiful and fresh spa scent of lavender, juniper and fresh citrus, CCS Warming Foot Cream is a must-have addition to your essential winter wellness kit.

It’s also worth giving your feet a little stretching session post-party as with 25% of all the bones in the human body located below the ankle and there being more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments in each foot, these can get tight and tired after constant use. Wearing high heels can not only damage your feet but can also cause your calf muscles to become tight. Stretching these out can aid healing by keeping blood flowing within your legs and feet, and can help reduce excess fluid and swelling in the lower leg. You can do this by moving the foot up, down, left and right and in circular motions, repeat this for 90 seconds and then change leg. …And relax!