It’s just about summer time. Time to kick off your shoes, relax and show off those sandal-ready feet and painted toe nails. But wait! Have you been taking care of your feet? They're easy to neglect when we hide them beneath socks and shoes, but our outer body, like our inner, needs maintenance.

Our skin is the body’s largest organ and therefore needs the most moisture. While we drink bottles of water every day to keep hydrated, that is not enough for the abuse our skin suffers. Our skin needs a little more nurturing and TLC.

So, for those of us who have neglected our nurturing during winter hibernation, here are a few tips to get your feet ready for summer sandals:

For the Sexiest Feet in the Neighborhood
* Start with a little bit of pampering by pouring lukewarm water in a bathtub or basin. To increase the fun, I suggest you invite over a few of your girlfriends and add some champagne to turn this in to a real occasion!

* Add baking soda (two dashes should do the trick) and your favorite essential oil. A few bath beads can even be added.

* Indulge in your foot soak for at least 15 minutes.

* Towel dry your feet.

* While the skin is soft, you want to massage away the rough, dead skin using a large grain scrub and massaging it over your heels, soles and toes. You can use your favorite crushed walnut, almond or bamboo scrub—or better yet, make your own! Simply crush and grind half a cup of rice to a coarse thickness, add two tablespoons of honey and mix in two tablespoons apple cider vinegar.

* Rinse well.

* Massage your feet with a heavy cream, or my personal favorite, a rich Shea butter cream.

Perfect Toenails
* To avoid ingrown toenails, steer clear of rounding off and shortening the corners of your toenails completely. Aim to shape your toenails in a square fashion.

* The best way to shape your toenails is with an emery board.

* Cuticles can be trimmed by using cuticle cutters or a cuticle stick.

* Prepare toenails by smoothing away rough ridges with a buffing cream or buffing pad.

* Apply a base coat to shield your toenails from any chips or cracks.

* Polish your beautifully trimmed toenails with a nail polish color that compliments your skin tone.

For even softer summer-fit feet, here is a favorite home remedy that will eliminate cracked heals and restore baby-soft feet. Before bed, lather on a liberal amount of a heavy Shea butter cream (or have your husband do it). Put cotton socks on. You will wake up and be amazed at the difference after just one night.

Now you are ready to throw on a pair of your sexiest sandals and show off your soft feet. Summer time is the time where we want to enjoy ourselves and forget about self-consciousness. Your feet are now sandal ready! Oh yeah, if you are going out in the sun remember to apply sunblock to your feet to prevent sunburn. Happy feet are now sexy feet!

David Pollock is a global beauty expert who has formulated products for some of the most recognized names in the business. He is a published author, radio personality and was recently named one of the "20 to Know" by Global Cosmetics Industry. Today, David is empowering women to take control of their health and beauty. Subscribe to his free newsletter at www.JustAskDavid.com.