* Get together the tools you need: A small basin of warm (not hot) water, a handful of rock salt, nail polish remover, wads of cotton, a nail cutter, an emery board, an orange stick, fragrant massage oil, a small fleecy towel, foot cream and a bottle of sparkly bright nail polish.

* Remove old nail polish from your nails. Trim the nails in a straight line; curved talons on the feet look absolutely yucky.

* File your toe nails with the emery board.

* Massage oil generously into your feet.

* Dip your feet into the tub of warm water for a couple of minutes.

* Remove your feet from the tub and gently rub the salt into them, in a massaging motion.

* Immerse feet in the warm water again, this time for 10 minutes. Flex your toes and rotate your ankles while they get a good soak.

* Wash feet and dry thoroughly, especially between the toes.

* Push back cuticles ever so gently with the orange stick.

* Cream your feet, using light hand movements.

* When the cream dries, slick two coats of nail enamel on your toes, allowing 10 minutes between each application to dry well.

Voila! Your feet are now ready for action. Go slip them into those blush pink silk mules that match the nail polish so well.

* Give your feet a foot pack with a mixture of Fullers’ earth (‘Multani mitti’) and curd. Let it dry and wash off for a soft, silky effect.

*’Malai’ is another ideal foot softener; rub some on your feet, specially the heels, whenever you can skim some cream off the milk.

* Go barefoot whenever you can, it’s great for the feet. Walk on the beach, walk on lush lawns in your bare feet.

* Walk properly; use economical movements, don’t come down heavily on either your sole or heel and don’t lay your feet down flat on the ground.

* If your feet tend to get sweaty, use powder liberally and switch shoes often. Open toed sandals are best — for obvious reasons.

* Wear footwear that flatters the feet and highlights the turn of the ankle. This means, no Roman sandals for the skinny ankle, no skimpy straps for the thick ankle, not too much exposure for the podgy foot, or the sheerest of nail polishes for shabby toes.