Unfortunately, the skin of the feet, especially the heels, often gets dry and rough: due to dehydration and exposure to aggressive environmental factors in summer, and due to temperature changes, tight boots, and a lack of vitamins in winter. This is why a lot of people are wondering how to make their heels softer. Here are a few home remedies that might help.
The skin of the heels is naturally thicker and rougher than the rest of the skin because your feet take a big load every day. However, it doesn’t mean that it can withstand everything and that you shouldn’t take care of it. On the contrary, lack of proper foot care will result in corns, calluses, blisters, and cracked heels, causing you pain and discomfort. In addition, rough skin of the heels doesn’t look very nice, which is especially relevant in summer, when you often wear sandals and flip-flops.
To make sure your heels stay soft, you should take care of them by using nourishing and moisturising products daily; the skin of your feet needs nourishment and hydration as much as the skin of the rest of your body. For this purpose, you can use special foot creams, gels or balms, as well as natural carrier oils.
If the skin of your feet has already become very rough and daily care isn’t enough to make it soft again, try warm foot baths. For example, foot bath with baking soda is very easy and quick to make. You need to dissolve 3 tablespoons baking soda in 3 litres hot water and add several drops of lavender, peppermint, or sandalwood oil. Soak your feet for fifteen minutes, then gently massage your heels with a brush or pumice stone, towel your feet dry, and apply moisturising foot cream.
You can also try milk bath with soap shavings. Dissolve ½ litre milk and half a cup of soap shavings in 2 litres hot water. Soak your feet for fifteen minutes, then exfoliate them with a foot scrub of your choice, rinse off the scrub, towel your feet dry, and apply moisturising or nourishing foot cream.
If you want the skin of your heels to be really soft and smooth, you need to make sure that your foot cream contains ingredients that can make it happen. These ingredients include, for example, natural carrier oils, such as olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, macadamia oil, walnut oil, grapeseed oil, linseed oil, sweet almond oil, cocoa butter, etc. They will soften the skin, provide it with the nutrients and moisture it needs, and stimulate skin regeneration and renewal.
Natural plant extracts also have a positive effect on the skin of the heels. While perusing the ingredient list, look for St. John’s wort, calendula, rose hip, comfrey (larkspur), honeysuckle, ginseng, or chamomile extract. These extracts are valued for their strong antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. They speed up the healing of cracked heels, as well as make the skin smoother and softer, boost its firmness and elasticity.
Softening foot care products usually also contain essential oils, such as peppermint, key lime, cinnamon, and tea tree, due to their antibacterial, soothing, and deodorising properties. Their effect is usually complemented and enhanced by humectant, emollient, soothing, and regenerative ingredients, such as allantoin, panthenol, urea, glycerine, bisabolol, etc.
As you can see, it is not so difficult to make your heels softer and smoother. However, there are several rules you should follow if you want the effect to last long. First of all, it is important to take care of your feet regularly and consistently, as we’ve already mentioned above. Wash your feet and apply moisturiser every day to keep your heels soft. Second, do not use a razor or scissors to remove rough skin from your heels, because this can lead to injury and hyperkeratosis. Finally, you should always wear comfortable shoes and socks made from natural fabrics that let your feet breathe.
Foot Care Products in Our Store
Green Pharmacy Tea Tree Oil Deodorising Antifungal Foot Cream, 300 ml |
Green Collection Restorative Expert Foot Balm, 120 ml |
Green Collection Softening Expert Foot Balm, 120 ml |