Dry, calloused, and cracked feet are a reality for many of us, and things only worsen in winter. When you do want to show your feet off in sandals during the warmer months, you want them to look and feel as soft as possible. When you ignore their needs, however, it’s more than unattractive – it can get painful. Here are the best tips to get your baby-soft feet
Use a foot file/pumice stone
For an instant pedicure minus the nails, using a pumice stone or foot file can help soften the bottom of the feet and slough off dead skin cells while softening them. This works best when you do it after a bath or a shower, which is when your skin is softest. Rub it in circular motions, finishing off by rinsing your feet, patting them dry, and putting on some moisturizer.
Stick to warm or cool water with foot baths
Although hot water can feel good on tired muscles or on a cold night, going too hot will dry out your skin and worsen existing issues. Cool and warm water can be just as effective, especially if you throw some Epsom salts or essential oils in there.
Apply an exfoliating scrub
You can make a DIY scrub at home with ingredients like salt, sugar, honey, or coffee as an exfoliating agent, but there are also plenty of effective exfoliating scrubs for sale that smell and feel amazing and, best of all, require zero effort on your part.
Moisturize with shea butter or coconut oil
This is especially important in the winter and after exfoliation, but regularly moisturizing your feet (or even mixing the two ingredients together) can make a major difference in softness. Our favorite hack? Apply the oil or body butter, and wear soft cotton socks afterward. It’s even better if you can keep them on overnight to maximize that moisturizing power.
