Feet first

She may have her own fashion line and designers falling at her feet but there's one essential accessory Victoria Beckham aka Posh is lacking in... pretty tootsies.

It's official: the Spice Girl has the worst pair of feet in the nation, a new survey by Scholl reveals.

Almost three quarters (71%) named VB as the owner of the worst celebrity feet after years of wearing skyscraper heels with a bad case of bunion hangover to show for it.

But Posh isn't alone - in fact, it's a wonder any of us ever want to take our shoes and socks off in public, since over half (52%) admitted to suffering from cracked heels and 40% confessed to being grossed out by their toes, identified as the least attractive part of feet, according to Scholl.

"Feet are the one area that's neglected - we worry about our hair, skin and hands but feet get left out of the equation," explains nail care specialist, Iris Chapple.

With over 20 years industry experience, Iris can identify how you walk, what type of shoes you wear and suss out a problem toenail from ten paces just by looking at your feet.

"I would recommends a professional pedicure every four to five weeks but if you're on a budget I always suggest one before the winter, one after the winter, and one before your holiday - three or four a year will make a lot of difference," she advises on feet 'up keep'.

"Try and think of your feet in the same way you would your face in terms of TLC and moisturising."

Here Iris offers her step-by-step guide to falling head over heels in love with your feet again. Put your best foot forward and treat your tootsies to a DIY summer pedicure.

:: Operation prep There's no point polishing your toes without putting in the groundwork.

"The most important part of a pedicure is the preperation," Iris explains. "You have to work with a dry foot initially so that you can feel the areas that need attention."

:: Cut your toenails gently straight across with a sharp pair of scissors. Don't leave them too long, or cut them too short.

:: File them after cutting, smoothing the ends of the nail.

:: Use cuticle cream to help soften the area.

:: Use a foot file to gently buff the backs of your heels and other hard patches while they're dry. You can dip the buffer in water to soften.

:: Use a foot scrub, or you could even use an exfoliating body or face scrub.

Try: Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Cuticle Cream, £7.99 (Boots); The Body Shop File A Foot Buffer, £4.50; The Sanctuary Instant Foot Callus Treatment, £14.99 (www.thesanctuary.co.uk).

:: Pedi pamper Neglect your feet no more. Show your feet some love with some moisturising massage.

"If you invest in one product, make it a feet-specific conditioning moisturiser," Iris suggests. "The formulation is a lot different to a body moisturiser and your feet get very dry so need a lot of moisture. If it's too light, or a lotion, it's not going to work - you need more of a creamy, buttery consistency for your feet."

:: Soak your feet for 10-15 minutes.

:: Pat feet dry and use a cuticle remover to loosen up any dry skin on and around the cuticle. Never cut the cuticle itself.

:: Using a moisturising cream is the most important step. Really rub and massage into your feet until well absorbed.

Try: The Body Shop Peppermint Reviving Foot Soak, £7; Mavala Cuticle Remover, £9.25 (01732 459 412); Dirty Works Best Foot Forward Foot Butter, £2.99 (Sainsbury's).

:: Pretty up Pedicure polish will outlast a manicure hands down as your toes aren't as exposed. A bright summer polish will give you flip-flop flaunting prowess.

"People who have pedicures want their feet to feel clean, fresh and comfortable - polish is a bonus," Iris says. "Pedicures have got to flatter you and look pretty and that's where the polish stage comes in."

:: Make sure the toenail is clean and completely clear of cream before applying polish. Remove any residue using a mini scrubbing brush.

:: Always wear an undercoat. Apply a protective base coat to prep the nails for polishing. If you choose a high-gloss polish it can even be worn alone if you're short of time.

:: Apply two coats of polish - you'll never see the colour properly with one coat. Follow with a glossy top coat.

:: Your polish will feel dry after an hour and a half but it takes 24 hours for the four coats to fully harden.

Try: All About Feet Mini Foot Scrubber, £2 (01277 220 842); Nails Inc Sole Patrol Collection, £25 (www.nailsinc.com).

:: Tried & tested Give your face an instant glow minus the sunshine. We put three facial self tanners to the test.

:: St. Tropez Wash Off Instant Glow Face, £10 (www.st-tropez.com) This colour looks very dark in the tube but once applied to the face it's sheer, easily absorbed and gives a just-back-from-holiday instant deep glow.

4/5 :: Caudalie Soleil Divin Self-Tanner for face, £18 (Debenhams) A light self-tanner that feels like a moisturiser on application. The results are subtle but great for building up a believable gradual tan.

3/5 :: Institut Esthederm Self-Tanning Treatment Face Cream, £25.45 (www.salonskincare.co.uk) Not as intense a colour as the bottle suggests but the creamy but light solution is easily absorbed and gave my face a convincing bronze and my skin a post-facial sheen.

4/5 :: Buy it now A personal shopper might be out of the question but a personalised pout isn't. Pucker up with Bourjois' latest Rose Exclusif Lipgloss, £6.99. The pigments react to the pH of your lips so you get a personalised shade of pink, varying from pale to bold pink. Magic! (0800 269 836).

Beauty bulletin :: Fragrance face Attention wannabe models, Lipsy is searching for the face of their first fragrance, 'In the Spotlight'. One lucky Lipsy girl will become the star of the campaign and win £2,500 of Lipsy clothing and a £2,500 cash prize. The closing date for entries is August 17, find out more at www.facebook.com/lipsylondon.

:: Recessionista alert Give your skin some undivided attention for a quid. Sk:n Clinics nationwide are offering £1 'Face-Facts' facial screening assessments to reveal existing sun damage and identify other problem areas or changes to your skin. Usually priced £25, the £1 offer is available throughout August with 100% of proceeds donated to the British Skin Foundation for skin cancer research. To book a 'Face-Facts' assessment call 0800 028 7222 or visit www.sknclinics.co.uk.