Winter weather is harsh on skin. Our feet are no exception to the drying effects of winter climates. The bottoms of the feet are especially vulnerable since they do not have oil glands to hydrate the skin in that area. The result can range from easy to fix dry patches to painful, cracked heels. Now is the time to enroll your feet into beauty boot camp at night to smooth and soften them in time for spring.
Smooth the Bottoms of those Rough Feet
Filing, sloughing, shaving or whatever method you use to get rid of dried, scaly skin fast should be done before soaking and washing feet. I use a foot shaver with an emery patch to handle my rough spots. I shave off the thicker layers of skin on my feet and then smooth the shaved areas with the emery patch. If you don’t have an emery patch I recommend buying one as they are very beneficial to smoothing out rough heels.
Soak Feet in Warm Water
I know sometimes a hot foot bath feels good, especially when your feet are sore and tired. However, hot water dries skin out. So use warm water for your foot bath and pour a few drops of olive oil or your favorite bath oil into the soak to help soften the water. Wash feet using a mild cleanser. You can use a wash cloth or foot brush to clean feet.
Moisturize and Seal-In Moisture
After soaking and washing feet, pat feet dry with an absorbent towel. Immediately apply moisturizer to your feet. Allow the moisturizer to settle into skin for a couple of minutes then apply petroleum jelly to the bottom of your feet, paying attention to your heels. The petroleum jelly seals in moisture so your feet do not become dry quickly. Put on a pair of socks so you won’t ruin your sheets or slip on the floor walking.
Cracked Heel Tip: If you suffer from cracked heels, apply a therapeutic foot cream like Avon’s Foot Works Therapeutic Cracked Heel Relief Cream which contains Benzalkonium Chloride and Lidocaine to help ward off infection and numb pain.
After you finish your beauty boot camp to smooth and soften rough feet, keep up the hard work by moisturizing feet both morning and night. At night continue smoothing petroleum jelly on the bottom of the feet to seal in moisture and help keep feet soft. By the time spring arrives, you will be sandal ready.
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