Burlington Biofresh Flexigel and Sofigel foot cushions

I LOVE that a lot of women these days have taken to wearing high heels. Five years ago, did you see females here in the Philippines wearing three to five-inch monsters in the street - outside of fashion magazines? An even better question is, did you see major department stores proudly featuring their highest heels in their displays instead of comfy flats and sandals? No and no. Stylish high heels are a phenomenon that Filipinas have just recently embraced. I love the implications.

For one, this means that we women are more comfortable about standing out instead of being part of the herd. It means we're a little more liberated about our sexuality, discounting the medieval notion that high heels are only for prostitutes. In short, I think that women in high heels feel more empowered and are literally (also figuratively) standing tall. 

This is not to say that women who prefer flats are not empowered, that's too simplistic. It may come down to a matter of comfort, lack of occasion, or some other excuse. But if the only reason you don't have good high heels is fear, then I think it will do you good to finally break out and try it for a change. You'll feel better about yourself and, I suspect, feel a little more beautiful than you already are. ;)

Well, that went on longer than expected! I actually want to talk about Burlington's Biofresh Flexfigel and Sofigel pads! These godsends make women's life easier by padding our pretty shoes with gel inserts so that our feet won't hurt. Simple idea, but an incredibly useful. It's not a new concept but I do like that the pads are affordable and, from what I've tried, quite durable. 

So what's the diference between Biofresh Flexigel and Sofigel? Biofresh Flexigel has properties that can help prevent foot odor and can be used both by male and females. Sofigel is targeted more towards women, with petite sizes and designs that can fit in dainty high heels. Both lines have soft, gel-like pads, but they also have harder plastic cushions for arch or ball-support. Between them, there's probably something for what you need since each product targets a specific foot problem.

Here are some of the products from Burlington:

This is my second favorite out of the bunch because I feel a lot of pressure on my forefoot whenever I wear heels. These pads are very gel-like, so I feel like I'm walking on air when I use them. Downside, they can't be used if you're wearing sandals or narrow shoes.

I used these cushion insoles with a pair of flats that are slightly bigger than my feet. It did a great job of filling the shoes in, plus it feels great walking with them on. Downside is, when your feet gets sweaty, the cushions feel slippery. Best to wear socks with these. It's more suited to men's shoes.

These insoles are more suited for men (they're big) and wide shoes so I didn't get to use them. They're designed to absorb shock.

If you have a bunionette or if your shoes just tend to scrape your small toe, go for these!

I got a bit confused with these metatarsal pads, but then I just realized that my feet - the way they are structured - doesn't need support in this area. I recommend this for women who feel a lot of pressure in the middle of their feet, slightly after the fore feet.

These 3/4 insoles are the best for my foot needs. They offer arch support, with slightly padded areas in the fore foot and balls of the feet. They're only for 3/4 of the feet, but since mine are small, I can actually use them all the way. I've already attached them to one of my wooden wedges, they're so helpful.

If you're interested in these products, you can hop over to a Burlington stall in the nearest department store. But if you don't have time, Burlington actually has an online store! So yes you can do your shopping there. ;)