The 'Retail Feet' Fixer-Upper

Unless you’ve worked retail at Christmas you’ll never know real emotional and physical exhaustion.  Okay, maybe that’s a touch dramatic (how unlike me) but if you’ve worked a retail orientated Christmas, then you know I’m not far off. The average person walks approximately four miles per day. The average person does not work in retail. 

^The amazing Lush Southampton lot, at our Christmas Staff Meal. One week before Christmas, we're trying not to look so mental.

It’s the aching feet-legs-arms-back and the feeling of being so tired that even your hair hurts. You’ve been smiling at Christmas Shoppers for the last 8 (9, 10, 11…) hours and you never want to smile again, let alone help someone who has no idea what they’re talking about, but is convinced that they do. 

I understand I’m not selling working in retail over the seasonal period very well, but there are upsides. Last year for example, a lady came into Lush with a Christmas list that her daughter had given her. But it wasn’t just your regular list, there were no product names; she’d drawn all the products she wanted and coloured them in the right colours and everything - for a seven year old, she did very well. 

Anyway - seeing as I work for Lush all year round, not just at Christmas, I’m fully aware of what retail feet feel like which is why I’ve planned out the perfect Lush based foot-fixer-upper for anyone who needs it. 

I would suggest doing this once you’ve completed your week and you don’t need to worry about getting things ready for your next day at work. 

1. Tidy up your room a little, I know this is a strange step in a foot-fixer-upper but I’m telling you - you’ll feel much better relaxing in a relatively tidy room than you will a messy one. Change your sheets as well, because climbing into fresh sheets after this routine will be the cherry on the top of a wonderful, wonderful cake. 
2. Grab yourself your warm beverage of choice; coffee, tea, hot chocolate, warm squash (or maybe something stronger, dependant on how hellish your week has been) and slip into your home clothes otherwise known as baggies, slouchies, tracks or pyjamas.
   
3. Foot Soak & Fancy Free, foot soak from Lush. Pop the whole crumbly circle into a bowl of hot-to-warm water and soak your feet in the water. The epsom salts in the water, along with the tagetes will help to soothe your aching feet, take down any hot swelling and soften the skin around your toes and heels. Irish Moss Powder is a magic ingredient when it comes to revitalising tired feet. Foot Soak also contains lavender and chamomile is not only calming and soothing for your feet, the scents will also help to chill you out, settle your mind and help you drift off to sleep tonight. You can do this for as long as you like, I like to do it until all the salt has dissolved or until the water is room temperature; stick Netflix on - you deserve to take your time!
   
4. Once you’re done with your soak, put your water aside for a minute, and reach for your Pumice Power bar. Zesty Orange Oils and pumice will help to boost circulation in your feet, as well as refresh and cleanse the skin. Whilst your feet are still wet, work the Pumice Power in gentle circles around your heels and the balls of your feet - the soak will have helped to soften all that tough skin caused by standing on your feet all day and the Pumice Power will help to slough some of it away. Once you’re done, rinse your feet in your left over Foot Soak Water.
   
5. Once you’ve soothed, softened and scrubbed your feet it’s time to really bring them back to life. Lightly dry them on a clean, fluffy towel and then it’s time for Christingle. Christingle is new to the Lush Winter collection this year and whilst it’s getting many a mixed review, I can’t help but gush about it. Everything from the colour, to the scent, to the… well, tingle! Christingle is a body conditioner, similar to the super moisturising qualities of Ro’s Argan or African Paradise but a bit more festive! Packed full of peppermint and spearmint oils, with a healthy dose of menthol crystals, not to mention a generous helping of grapefruit oils this conditioner is invigorating, reviving and stimulating; perfect for zombie feet. Slather it on and leave for a few minutes; as long as you want really, but I’d say somewhere between 5-10 minutes before rinsing again.
   
6. So, now you have revitalised feet and a clear mind. Pop all your pamper bits to one side and slide into bed (assuming that you’ve already brushed your teeth and washed your face!) I’m sure you wont need any help drifting off, but if you do I can’t recommend Sigur Ros or Helios more for the perfect falling asleep playlist. Check them out on Spotify and drift off into a cloudy, sleepy heaven.
   
   Hopefully we’ll all wake up in the morning feeling a bit more chipper and after a few (well-earned) days off feel ready to tackle another week of mayhem or January Sales. 

For all of those out in the retail world during this end of the year - I feel you. But it’s almost over and I can just about see the non-Christmas lights and the end of the seasonal tunnel of hell. 

See you on the other side - Happy Christmas.