A. The 8 Best Foot Exfoliators for the Smoothest Soles Ever
Between the dog’s walk, the commute to work and the half marathon training, our feet go through the squeezer. And we rarely stop to enjoy them on the way – until the sandals season. Although the temperatures are still not warm enough to take our shoes off, we use this time to prepare our feet for the summer, starting with the exfoliation.
1. What causes dry skin on your feet?
Baby Foot professionals explain that people have fewer oil glands on their feet than on the rest of their bodies. Therefore, there is not so much natural moisture. What is even worse is that we often neglect our feet when we put lotion on them. The only time they are hydrated is when we get a pedicure.
And then there is all the moisturizing factor. Wearing closed-toed shoes (like sneakers and moccasins) and synthetic soles without socks increases the humidity and keeps the humidity away from our feet. This means that not only do our feet not have the moisture they need, but our shoes are stealing the little moisture they produce for themselves.
Let’s take matters into our own hands and get our feet off their scaly skin once and for all. How do we do it? With these eight highly acclaimed exfoliators and scrubs (and lots of lotion, of course).
a. Moisturizing mask for baby feet
See the OG of all foot masks. You may have seen the photos of the exfoliating feet that took the internet by storm a few years ago, and may even have tried the product yourself. Otherwise, it is necessary. The formula contains a trifecta of glycolic acid, lactic acid and salicylic acid, as well as hydrating ingredients and natural extracts to exfoliate the dead skin cells in the most satisfactory way, while nourishing the sole of your feet. Just pour the gel on the small disposable boots, soak your feet for one hour, then wash them. Your skin will peel (painlessly) for about two weeks, but it’s definitely worth it because it will make you very soft. However, we recommend using this product now, before the sandals season, to avoid leaving visible residues on your skin in public.
b. Post-pedicure patchology poshpeel pedicure
Similar to the original baby foot, this foot scrub contains AHAs (or acids) and moisturizers (such as castor oil and rosemary extract). The combination of active ingredients removes dry, dead skin and calluses for softer, smoother feet. The product also comes with cute little booties that allow a discreet application while the solution is left on for up to 90 minutes (depending on how rough your feet are).
c. Skincare pedimask toilets
If you have ever applied Vaseline to your feet and worn socks to bed for one night, you know how this mask works. It contains lactic acid to remove calluses and glycerin and jojoba oil to moisturize the skin. You apply the cream as a foot mask, put on some socks, and let the night pass. The next morning, your feet are softer and smoother, without any strange exfoliating side effects. Also, at two ounces, the bottle is small enough to pack in your hand luggage, so you’ll have feet worthy of modeling during all vacations.
d. Super exfoliating liquid shiny tonymoly foot
You know that scene in Mean Girls where Cady gives Regina a mint foot cream and tells her it’s a face cream? This foot scrub smells like this, but we definitely do not recommend its application on the face. With peppermint extract and argan oil to moisturize, and glycolic and salicylic acids to exfoliate, it helps to cure dry skin and smoothes the calluses after a two-hour treatment. After four to six days, you will notice a light exfoliation that is not nearly as dramatic as the skin sheets that come out with Baby Foot. But that means you can use this product in the middle of the sandals season.
e. Prolinc callus remover
Don’t you have two hours to wait for your foot treatment to soak in? Try this quick and extremely effective gel first. Just squeeze it in calluses and let it rest for three to five minutes before washing and gently brushing the rough spots to super soft perfection. The $15 bottle will last all summer and then some. An Amazon reviewer says: “This bottle has already paid for itself because I no longer have to pay to remove calluses when I go for a pedicure”. Keep in mind that it is very strong, so don’t apply it in areas that are not thick and calloused.
f. Rikans colossal foot rasp foot file and callus remover
Breaking the cheese grater is a sign of a good pedicure, right? This is definitely nothing special, but sometimes tools that get to the point work best. If you gently pull back and forth on your heels and calluses after softening a little in the shower, you will immediately see softer soles. This particular foot file has over 8,000 positive reviews on Amazon, with comments like “Best foot tool ever” and “Order now!” Excuse me while we add to the cart.
g. Pursources urea 40% foot cream
If you are looking for a satisfying scrub, this cream will probably not be enough for you. But, after you apply it, you will receive the hype. It is recommended by podiatrist Sarah E. Haller, D.P.M., who uses it on patients with extreme dryness and cracked skin, as well as for foot health. It is made from urea, an ingredient that treats skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. In high concentrations, it can help to smooth and exfoliate rough and callused feet, preventing dead skin from accumulating over time.
h. Opi pro spa sugar exfoliation
For a more classic peel, try this sugar scrub from the nail specialists at OPI. It consists of granulated sugar, as well as cupuaçu and white tea for a spa experience. Clean up a little bit as you do in the beauty salon and work in circular motions in rough areas for about three minutes before rinsing. This product is not suitable for extremely hard calluses, but it leaves your feet smoother for longer. Therefore, we recommend incorporating it in your weekly rotation to avoid the accumulation of dead skin.
B. These exfoliating socks got rid of all my dry skin (and I’ve got photo evidence)
When spring/summer arrives, I live exclusively in sandals, I refuse to wear any kind of closed shoe. But there are disadvantages to this, especially my feet get super dry due to excessive friction without socks to protect the skin.
Not everything is bad, but I have heels and calluses cracked on my toes (see photo below) that no amount of rubbing with a pumice in the shower can get rid of. Believe me, I’ve tried. Difficult.
1. What are exfoliating socks?
Basically, they are plastic socks that contain a special solution that helps to break dead skin over time. You use scissors to open the top, slide your feet into them, wear them for 60 minutes, and then throw them away. That’s pretty much all you need to know right now.
2. How do the exfoliating socks work?
First of all, it is necessary to wet the feet in water because this helps in the exfoliation process (wet skin means that the product is better absorbed). That’s what I did before I put my feet in my socks for 60 minutes while watching an episode of Poldark – I’m in a multitasking.
I thought soaking my feet in a product that basically exfoliates the skin would be painful, but I didn’t even feel any tingling, so I was quite sceptical if it actually worked. After time was up, I took off my socks, discarded them (you can only wear them once) and washed my feet with warm water. And he waited.
3. How long does it take the dry skin to peel?
I didn’t see any results immediately, and the instructions say that the exfoliation process takes five to seven days. After five days, I thought nothing was happening until I got home from work and noticed what looked like a giant air bubble under my foot. Yes, the process had begun.
The PR for the brand advised me to get my feet wet every day (“turn on when the showers do”) and to be careful not to apply damp, so I did, and I found that this accelerated the process. In the following days, the peeling got worse and worse.
I am a person who likes to tighten the black dots (TMI?), and since I’m not supposed to peel the skin, just drop it, this was hard for me. I have to admit, I gave in on the seventh day and just started picking it up.
If you imagine peeling a skin wrapper, but instead of a skin wrapper, it’s pretty much the same thing. I really didn’t know I had that much skin. It was coarse, but in a satisfactory way.
4. Who can wear exfoliating socks?
No matter how little or how dry your feet are, they will get rid of any dead skin. They are one size fits all; I am size 3 and I thought they would be too big, but that was not a problem. The skin is sensitive after wearing the socks, so it is not recommended to sunbathe.
Also, if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, diabetic or have sensitive skin, you can’t wear these socks since they contain alcohol among other things.
5. Footner Exfoliatin Socks review – are they worth it?
A big, fat one yes. My feet have never been so soft (when I was a baby maybe?) and all the signs of dry skin have disappeared. Surely I would do it again.
6. How long do the results last?
I just did this, so of course my feet still look great, but the instructions seem to recommend doing it every two or three months, depending on how quickly your feet dry again. And you have to spend at least three weeks between treatments because your skin is still sensitive.
C. Perks to Staying Inside: 11 Foot Peels to Try Right Now
Facial masks may have previously been considered the ultimate product of self-care, but mark our words: foot scrubs are about to take over. These sliding treatments are exactly what they look like – exfoliators that exfoliate deeply the thick, calloused layers of skin on your feet. Not only do they make your feet incredibly soft and supple, with many of these treatments you can even see the dead layers of skin peeling off in the days following the peeling. File below: Equal, rough and satisfactory pieces.
Try it when you can’t get to the salon for a proper pedicure, or when you need to prepare for the sandals season (because if you’re like us, your feet are stuck in slippers or tight socks and haven’t seen daylight for months). And don’t forget to grab one the next time you need a little beauty activity for your next Netflix folding.
1. Best Overall: Original Baby Peeling Foot Exfoliator.
The OG of all OG, there is no more well-known or popular foot scrubber than this. This best-seller exists since 1997, and is not only one of the most popular options on the market, but also one of the most intense. The formula based on fruit acids uses 17 different natural extracts to completely exfoliate the skin. Put on plastic shoes previously soaked for one hour – you can wet your feet in advance to increase the effect – and watch with amazement as the dead skin unfolds on the following days. (FYI, you can put an oversized pair of socks on the plastic boots to minimize confusion, which we strongly recommend).
You will usually notice the peel after 5-7 days, but it can take up to two weeks to see the full results – so plan accordingly if you want to get your feet in shape before the vacations.
2. Best budget: Holler & Glow Purrfect Pedi Body Mask.
If your feet aren’t in such bad shape or you’re just curious to try a less expensive option, this is a great choice. It may not be as intense as some of the more expensive products, but it still contains glycolic, lactic and salicylic acids. And it’s okay that it comes with a super cute leopard print. We can already see the “hey, you cool cats and kittens” insta-post….
3. Best Edition: Patchology PoshPeel Pedi Cure.
Sure, this bush is a little more expensive than the rest, but we think it is worth because it is very customizable. You can decide how much of the “activating essence” to put on the mask socks (which are still disposable, but a little more robust than many others) depending on the amount of exfoliating action you want. A mixture of glycolic acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid and citric acid dissolves dry skin. Also pleasant: the results are seen in just three days, much faster than many others.
4. Best fast acting: Kerasal Intensive Foot Repair
Urea is a natural by-product of protein metabolism in our liver; synthetic urea is manufactured for skin care. In addition to the moisturizing properties of urea, which attract moisture from vapours in the air and trap it inside or below the skin surface, urea is also a keratolytic, which means it breaks down keratin, making it a preferred ingredient to soften rough skin.
All these foot scrubs really work, but you have to be patient, as most take at least five or more days to work. If time is not on your side, try this license. Apply a thick layer at night; a 5% concentration of salicylic acid combined with 10% urea works on all the dead layers of the skin, while petrolatum seals in the effect. You will see visible results the next morning, but you can repeat the application as often or whenever necessary.
5. The best of all natural: Earth Therapy Gentle Exfoliating Mask for the feet.
Besides a mixture of alpha-hydroxy acids (responsible for exfoliation), this exfoliant contains a long list of certified organic ingredients, including tea tree oil. The tea tree has antibacterial, antifungal and deodorant properties, among others – all good things when it comes to feet. The formula is also free of mineral oil and parabens.
6. Best K-Beauty: TonyMoly Shiny Foot Super Peeling Liquid
TonyMoly’s Super Liquid Exfoliating Super Shiny Foot is often considered as good as Baby Foot, but it costs almost half and is another product that has a strong exfoliating effect. The formula contains salicylic and glycolic acids, but we also like the calming lavender, hydrating argan oil, and refreshing peppermint extract.
7. Best value: Exfoliating Mask for Nifeishi Feet.
If you really want to get the value of your money (or if you want to do a foot exfoliation with your best friend or partner), get this exfoliation, another top seller. It’s available in a pack of five and costs only a few euros each. And if you don’t want to share? You’ll have enough on hand to keep your feet ready for the sandal all year round.
Soak your feet in warm water for 48 hours after using the exfoliation to maximize results.
8. Best cream: PurSources 40% urea cream.
If you want the same effects as exfoliating but don’t have time to exfoliate, try a home cream: apply a thick layer of this exfoliating cream before bedtime and put on a pair of thick cotton socks. Leave the cream on during the night and repeat as needed to get super soft soles while you sleep. The star of the show? Urea, a top ingredient recommended by dermatologists to reduce dry and scaly skin, especially on the feet.
9. Best for sensitive skin: Barefoot Revitalizing Mask.
Apply this plastic peel once for up to 90 minutes and give it a week to exfoliate completely. Alpha hydroxy acids provide the necessary action, but the mask also contains moisturizing ingredients to help restore the moisture needed by the skin. Besides, the formula is hypoallergenic, animal free and vegan.
10. Best tool: Rikan’s Colossal Foot Rasp for callus removal.
For those who prefer more manual exfoliation, this useful tool is a great substitute for chemical exfoliation. It is a great Amazonian favourite and consistently receives rave reviews as users rave about its transforming power. A Byrdie editor even calls it “life changing”. Take it slowly when you start using this cheese-grating device, using gentle pressure and on damp, not dry skin – after all, you want your heels to be soft and smooth, not red and rough.
11. Best for runners: The Body Shop Peppermint Reviving Pumice Foot Scrub.
Any runner will tell you that calluses and thick heels are a very real side effect of walking miles of wood on a regular basis. But you need to be careful because you don’t want to remove the thick skin completely and you run the risk of getting painful blisters. This is where this cutter comes in handy. Pieces of pumice stone (volcanic stone) only remove enough skin, while the added peppermint oil provides a refreshing and refreshing sensation – perfect for a post-running pampering.