Our feet are all we have to stand on and just like the rest of our body, they deserve some TLC.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve wondered at some point about the skin on your feet. Why do I have dry cracked feet? What causes dry cracked feet? What are dry cracked heels a sign of?

Let’s explore some of the reasons:

The skin on the bottom of our feet is as thick as a nickel.

Our feet do not have a lot of oil glands to keep the skin moisturized.

As we age, the cell regeneration in our skin slows down which can lead to more dryness.

Dead skin can build up if your feet are constantly in socks and shoes.

Poor hygiene and foot care regimen.

Cold and dry weather.

Sandals, walking barefoot.

Harsh soaps and other foot products.

Poor nutrition and lack of vitamins and minerals.

Disorders such as diabetes, athlete’s foot, psoriasis, eczema, thyroid disease, and other skin conditions.

Poor-fitting shoes.

Pressure from standing on your feet for prolonged amounts of time or regularly walking long distances especially if you’re not used to it.

While it is important to get to the underlying causes of your dry feet, a lot of times dry feet are just a sign that they’ve been neglected and need some love and attention. Excessive dryness can lead to hardened skin, calluses, corns and even cracks all of which can be very painful. Cracks can bleed and lead to infections. If you Google ‘How do you hydrate your feet?’, you’ll get a lot of different solutions, from home remedies for dry feet to advertising for best foot products. The below foot care regimen is what I find relatively simple and most effective:

Step 1: Soak

Fill your bathtub or a large bowl with warm water. Warm water (as opposed to hot water) helps keep the natural moisture and oils in your skin while softening the dead skin on your feet. Add in a few drops of your favorite Essential Oil. Rosemary Essential Oil is a great option as it has skin hydrating properties. Lavender Essential Oil is another great option as it protects the skin from environmental toxins. You can also add sea salt, Epsom salt, and vinegar to improve circulation, relieve stress and inflammation, and support detoxification. Let your feet soak in the warm water for 10-15 minutes.

Tip: If you keep your toenails painted without breaks in between, they’re likely to have a yellow tint to them. To remove the yellow stains, make a mixture of 3 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide and 1/2 cup of warm water and soak your toenails for 10 minutes. This should be done after your initial soak (above). Then use a soft, clean toothbrush and gently scrub your toenails. You might have to repeat this process for a few times before all of the surface stains are gone.

A Note on Baking Soda and/or Lemon Water Soak: Some dermatologists warn that baking soda can be irritating, cause redness, and further dry out the skin by disrupting the skin’s natural pH balance.

Step 2: Scrub

While your feet are still damp, apply a sugar scrub all over your feet or use a natural pumice stone or a foot file to scrub. Scrubbing in a circular motion helps soften the calluses and remove the dead skin. Be sure to give extra attention (scrubbing) to calluses. According to The American Academy of Dermatology, calluses are hard, thickened areas of skin that form as a result of friction or pressure on the skin. Scrub all the rough areas including your heels, toes, and the sides of your feet. Scrub your feet for about 2 – 3 minutes, then rinse off.

Tip: You can make your own scrub by combining brown sugar (1/2 cup), olive oil (1 tablespoon), and coconut oil (6 tablespoons at room temperature).

Step 3: Moisturize

After the soak and scrub, pat your skin dry with a soft towel. Do not fully dry your feet as you’d want to keep some of the moisture before applying a product that can lock it in. Then immediately moisturize with a hydrating product that is specifically made for feet such as a foot cream, foot lotion, foot repair cream or callus cream. Massage the product onto your feet until fully absorbed. Be sure to massage on and around your toenails and even on top of your feet and ankles. As we age, our toenails become thicker and harder due to constant contact with shoes so they need some love as well.

Step 4: Massage

Stimulate the circulation in your feet with a quick foot massage (can be done while you’re applying the foot product) or with some simple foot exercises. For the latter, move your foot in a clockwise and counter-clockwise motion 10 times on each side. Stretch your feet backward and forwards. You can also use a foot roller or rolling ball. This will help clean blood that’s full of oxygen circulate to your feet.

Step 5: Elevate Your Feet

Elevate your feet for a few minutes before going to sleep. The old blood that has been sitting in your feet will drain from your feet and will be replaced with fresh blood.

Step 6: Beauty Sleep

Just like the rest of your body, your feet can benefit from a proper beauty sleep. It is best to do these steps before bedtime so that your feet have a chance to rest with the product overnight.

Tip: You can put on socks before going to bed. They will help lock in moisture and keep the product from evaporating or getting rubbed off by your sheets.

Step 7: Repeat

Depending on how bad your feet are, you might have to repeat this process a few nights in a row. Once you’ve reached the desired softness, you will only need to repeat the process as needed.

A Note on Foot Peels: While most brands claim that their peels are made with gentle ingredients, they all contain AHA’s like lactic acid and glycolic acid. AHA’s in concentrations of less than 10% are generally safe, however, foot peel brands are not required to disclose the amount of AHA’s in their products and they are likely to be higher than 10%. After all, they have to be strong enough to peel the skin off your feet! There haven’t been many scientific studies supporting the benefits or efficacy of these invasive treatments. Additionally, by removing all of the skin’s protective layer off your feet, they can be exposed to environmental toxins which can further dry your feet and they are also harmful to your health.

Diabetics, people with compromised immune systems, smokers, and people with skin conditions such as eczema should avoid peels. You should avoid them if you have cracked heels, cuts, and open wounds. You should also avoid peels if you have allergies, skin sensitivities, are an athlete or are pregnant.

A Note on Razor or Scraper: Only allow a podiatrist, dermatologist or other trained medical professionals to remove a callus or dead skin from your feet with a razor or scraper. Do not use razors or scrapers on your feet at home. Doing so could cause damage to your foot or introduce other medical issues such as infections.

Additional Tips on How to Prevent Dry Skin on the Feet:

Avoid hot showers or baths, and rinse in warm water instead to prevent skin from drying.

Wear socks or slippers and avoid walking barefoot.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Your feet will tell you when they’re thirsty and don’t let them get too dry again before you hydrate them. You wouldn’t neglect the skin on your face so why would you neglect the skin on your feet? The key to having baby smooth feet is to regularly apply a hydrating foot care product.

While I am confident that the above 7 steps will guarantee you baby-smooth feet, they can be time-consuming and not exactly cost-effective which is why I don’t do them very often. It’s also because there is an easier way.

Introducing Smooth Feet

Smooth Feet is a simple century-old recipe given to my grandmother by an apothecary woman when she was a little girl. It’s not a foot cream or a foot lotion. It’s an artisan foot treatment that works in as little as 3 uses!

When we decided to share Smooth Feet with the world, we went on the hunt for the purest and truly-natural ingredients available and made sure that they’re USDA Certified Organic, plant-based, cruelty- free and vegan, and above all else, KIND.

Smooth Feet hydrates your feet by penetrating truly natural and organic ingredients into your feet and grabbing and locking in moisture into the skin. You will see results in as little as 3 uses and you will have baby-smooth feet in 7-10 days without having to do anything else.

If your feet are really dry and you want faster results, you may choose to incorporate a soak and scrub in the beginning or as desired to help exfoliate and prepare the skin for the treatment, but you will see results even without these steps. Here’s how it works:

Soak: follow the guidelines in Step 1 above or just take a bath or shower. You use our Relax Crystals which is a blend of 3 detox salts that cleanse, hydrate, and breathe new life into your soles.

Scrub: follow the guidelines in Step 2 above. You can use our Rock N’ Stones volcanic pumice rocks.

Rinse and damp dry your feet.

Apply Smooth Feet.

Go to bed.

That’s it! No additional steps or products, no mess, and no harmful chemicals. Enjoy a restful and rejuvenating night’s sleep. You’ll wake up to softer and more hydrated feet. And the best part is that after you’ve reached your desired smoothness (generally within 7-10 days), you’ll only need to apply Smooth Feet as needed. Your feet will tell you when they’re thirsty. Listen and give them the attention they need to prevent a return to dehydrated, rough and cracked skin.

While it’s very exciting that Smooth Feet has been featured in Vogue Magazine 3 times as one of their most wanted products and beauty secrets, it’s what our customers are saying that truly warms my heart:

I use Smooth Feet every night, and it keeps my feet soft and smooth even in cold weather. This product has been a godsend for my cracked heels.

Truly wonderful and healing! This product has changed my life. I felt a difference after only one use and my horribly cracked feet were baby smooth in a week! I definitely, recommend this product.

Rest assured, you have a client for life with me. My husband and I are hooked. We are a flip flop family and love your product.

Amazing foot healer! My feet always crack especially during the winter. I have tried lotions to soften the callouses but nothing ever solved the problem until my wife gave me smooth feet to try. after 3 days my feet healed and felt good. What a great product!

Miracle in a bottle! I had cracked feet to the point that walking was difficult. I tried many different products, none of them worked until I found this product. I’ve been using Smooth Feet for two weeks now and I cannot believe how soft my feet are! Well worth the price. Definitely, recommend.

I love it! My feet are so smooth a baby would be jealous! Amazing product!

Divine! I was rather skeptical as I’ve tried every serum, lotion, cream, and device out there and never really found relief. With Smooth Feet, I’ve been absolutely blown away! There’s no flakiness or dry skin, it smells AMAZING and it actually softens my feet! So glad I found this before the summer sandal season.

The good news is that it’s possible to have healthy feet. Investing just a couple of minutes every few days will guarantee you baby-smooth feet year-round. But here’s the catch: Smooth Feet will only work if you apply it regularly. It’s just like your face cream and it needs to be incorporated into your skincare routine. The key to baby-smooth feet is nourishing your feet with a regular foot care regimen.

Smooth Feet FAQ

Always see your doctor or podiatrist if you have an excessive amount of dead skin on your feet, callouses, cracked skin, wounds, or rashes that don’t go away on their own or with home remedies.

Be KIND to your feet and they’ll be KIND to you.