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Ever wonder why the bottoms of your feet are always dry and cracking? Or maybe the better question: what is the best way to repair that damaged skin? Well, learn how to remove dry cracked skin from feet and everything you need to know about foot care right here.
Sometimes our feet need a little extra love and with these tips, you can learn how to get rid of cracked skin on your feet without any chemicals.
Each of these recipes can be done easily at home with minimal ingredients and equipment.
Whether it is from dry, winter skin or walking around barefoot in the summer, the skin on our feet can become cracked, dry, damaged, and peeling.
We spend a lot of time caring for our face by washing and applying masks and creams. But all too often, our feet go untouched, covered up with socks and left for later.
This post will show you a few easy things you can add to your skincare routine to keep your feet soft and smooth.
What Causes Dry, Cracked Skin on Feet?
The main reason for dry cracked skin on our feet is simply that feet have the difficult job of withstanding all of our body weight each day.
Being on your feet for long periods of time, standing on hard floors, wearing shoes that don’t fit correctly, or walking around barefoot can be other reasons for dry, cracked skin.
Dry, cold weather is another contributor, so you may notice a worsened foot condition in the winter.
Athlete’s foot can be another big culprit for cracked skin on the feet. The most common place for Athlete’s foot is between the toes, but it can also be found on the heels or sides of the feet. This can cause flaky, cracked, and blistered skin.
Other Factors for Dry Cracked Skin
- Lack of hydration or dry skin
- Skin irritations
- Wet or humid feet
- Aging
- Certain medications
- Wearing open-heeled shoes, such as sandals
6 Best Ways to Fix Dry Cracked Skin on Feet
- Exfoliate the skin
- Foot Soak
- Vinegar foot soak
- Moisturize with coconut oil
- Use a pumice stone
- Apply a DIY foot mask
Exfoliate
Exfoliating the skin can be the best way to remove dry, cracked, or damaged skin. My favorite way to exfoliate the skin is by making a salt scrub or homemade sugar scrub.
Salt and sugar both work very well to exfoliate the skin gently with natural ingredients.
It is important to exfoliate the skin first if the feet have been neglected. It is the best way to remove dead skin cells and leave the skin super soft.
Coarse salt and sugar are best for the feet as that is where the skin tends to be the toughest. You can also use coffee grounds or sand to exfoliate the skin.
Try these recipes to make your own exfoliating scrubs:
Foot Soak
Before exfoliating the skin, try soaking your feet in warm water for about 20 minutes to soften the dead skin.
You can soak your feet in plain warm water or add in some Epsom salt and essential oils. I like to make a homemade detoxifying foot bath that will soften and detox the skin with baking soda, salt, and essential oils.
Cracked Feet Vinegar Soak
Soaking your feet in a homemade vinegar baking soda foot soak can help to soften the skin and remove dead skin. White vinegar or apple cider vinegar will work for this soak.
Add 2 parts warm water and 1 part vinegar to a small tub. Soak your feet for 20 minutes. After the soak, exfoliate the skin and moisturize.
Coconut Oil for Cracked Heels
Moisturizing your feet daily can help prevent dry and cracked skin.
You have probably seen gel-infused or moisturizing socks at the store before. They basically work as a deep moisturizing treatment.
You can get the same effect by applying coconut oil and putting socks on. Coconut oil is ideal for dry, cracked heels because it is deeply moisturizing.
To use coconut oil on your feet, follow these simple steps:
- Apply a generous amount of coconut oil to the bottom of the feet.
- Cover with a thick pair of socks and let it soak overnight.
- Exfoliate feet and wash well in the morning.
Pumice Stone
Pumice stones are made with lava and water. They have an abrasive texture, making them a great tool for exfoliating the skin. When used on the feet, they can remove dead skin cells, improve cracked skin, and even soften calluses.
Soaking your feet in warm water before using the stone will help to soften the hard skin on your feet and make it easier to remove.
You can use a pumice stone daily or a couple of times a week. If it starts to feel painful, reduce the frequency at which you’re using it.
Aloe Vera Foot Mask
Use aloe vera to soften dry, cracked feet. Aloe vera is a powerful moisturizer and a wonderful skin-softening agent. I love using aloe vera on my face and many of the benefits work for the feet, too.
Here’s how to use aloe vera on your feet:
- Apply aloe vera gel generously to the bottom of the feet.
- Cover with thick socks.
- Leave on for at least 4 hours, then wash the feet.
How to Prevent Cracked Skin on Feet
Once you repair the skin on your feet, you can take a few steps to prevent it from happening again.
- Scrub your feet with a loofah whenever you take a shower.
- Apply DIY foot lotion or natural homemade foot balm to the feet daily.
- Keep your feet clean and dry.
- Minimize how much you wear open-heeled shoes such as sandals and flip-flops.
- Use a gentle soap such as homemade natural body wash or homemade goat milk soap on your feet.
FAQs
You may want to try all of the different methods to see which works best for your skin. If you aren’t sure where to start, I recommend soaking, exfoliating, and moisturizing with whichever products are most readily available to you.
2-3 times a week is typically enough to keep the dry, dead skin off. Avoid over-exfoliating and if it ever feels painful, you probably need to cut back.
That depends on how severe the dryness and cracking is. If you have a mild case of cracked feet, they may recover in a few days. More severe, deep cracks can take weeks to heal fully.
Related Content
- DIY Foot Mask for Hydrated Skin
- Homemade Dead Sea Salt Scrub
- DIY Foot Deodorizer Spray
- Homemade Hand Soak for Dry Hands
If you used any of these tips for dry, cracked skin on the feet or any other tutorial on my website, please let me know how it went in the ๐ย commentsย below. Thanks for visiting!
I have dry skin all over. Between menopause and an autoimmune disorders, I cannot keep my skin moist enough. Will these remedies work?
yes, and you can try some of the body butter recipes on my blog.
Hello there, Laura! I’ve also recently discovered your blog, and absolutely love your articles and recipes. You are one gifted lady, and I appreciate you for sharing your gift with the world. I’ve been a doTERRA Wellness Advocate for three years now, and your content is the missing link I’ve needed all this time to really benefit from the natural lifestyle, as well as share these wonderful resources with others. Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart! “See” you soon!
Thank you so much!!
Will this work for cracked dry hands. My husbands hands are so dry and cracked. I made your body butter but i donโt think itโs helping him.
Yes it will!
Hi Laura,
Just found your oily house page and I’m so happy to find you, no toxins and pure essential oils. I have recently joined Young Living and have accumulated quite a few oils, I’m making dishwashing liquid and washing powder, but now I will be making beautiful body butters and I will make all the other creams etc that you have on your page. So happy to finally get away from all the chemicals that bombard us daily. Thank you again, much love and light.
Debx
Welcome! I am so glad you are here and enjoying my content!