3 Supereasy Ways to Soften Rough Feet
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Lots of people have rough feet, but it's an easy fix. Instead of buying expensive overnight-treatment socks or potentially dangerous callus shavers, though, read on to see the best course of action for your unnecessary roughness.
1. If your feet aren't too bad . . .
If you're just dealing with a little bit of dry skin, simply add moisture. Wash your feet before bed, then slather them with lotion. Slip on a pair of thin cotton socks, and in the morning you'll have soft feet. Try Earth Therapeutics Tea Tree Oil Balm ($9). For having a relatively thin consistency, it moisturizes wonderfully. And it has a fresh, nonperfumey scent.
2. If your feet are feeling a bit rough . . .
If you're going to exfoliate with a cream or scrub, find one that's specifically for feet. Look for a scrub with small pumice granules (such as Dr. Scholl's for Her Rough Skin Eraser Liquid Exfoliant ($6)) or one with very fine grains of salt. We're particularly impressed by FarmHouse Fresh's Fine Grain Salt Scrub for Body & Feet ($23) because the salt is densely packed, which results in a more vigorous exfoliation. Follow with the nighttime socks for extrasoft feet.
3. If your feet have thick calluses . . .
Exfoliating tools are your friends. These tools are the most effective way to turn hoof-like feet into healthy-looking ones. The best-known tool is the pumice stone, which can be used in the shower to buff away dead skin. They're inexpensive, long-lasting, and effective. You'll likely get better results when feet are wet rather than dry.
If you prefer buffing your feet when they're dry, Diamancel files are amazing; the only drawback is that they're typically around $50. For a more affordable option, you might like the Microplane Orb ($8). It looks a little bit like a handheld cheese grater from the future, but it removes built-up dead skin and makes calluses much softer. Neat freaks will like how it holds the flakes of skin in the container. Use it before bed, then try the socks-and-lotion combo — it's a winning combination.