How To Remove Hard Skin & Get Silky Soft Feet

Although we often feel judged for the condition of our feet, solace can be found in the fact it has little to do with personal hygiene. If you want to know how to remove hard skin and get soft feet once and for all, you've come to the right place!

What causes hard skin on feet?

The main cause of hard skin on feet (correctly known as a foot callus) on the soles of our feet is intermittent pressure. This means that anyone who moves is more likely than not to experience foot calluses at some point during their life.

For people that move more - such as runners, hikers and long-commuters - foot calluses become even more likely.

There are certain factors which increase the chances and severity of foot calluses, including:

• Being overweight
• Having naturally flat feet
• Having high arches

All of these result in uneven pressure on the soles of our feet.

What causes cracked heels?

Cracked heels are perhaps the most unsightly of all. They occur when heels become dry, hard and rigid. When pressure is put on the feet, the skin can't give or expand, which causes it to crack.

Causes of dry skin, leading to cracked heels include:

1. Lack of moisturising
2. Long baths
3. Scrubbing feet dry

How To Remove Hard Skin & Get Silky Soft Feet:

Follow our foolproof method to get silky soft feet in just five steps.

1. Try a foot soak

All foot treatments should start with a foot soak. This helps to soften the skin, and make it easier to remove.

Your foot soak should be carried out in a basin or bath of warm water. Additional ingredients can be added to the water to make it even more effective at softening feet.

Why not try adding:

• The juice of a lemon - citric acid aids in the removal or dead skin cells.
• A cup of white vinegar - rich in acetic acid which helps with skin removal and healing cracked feet.
• A generous sprinkling of Epsom salts - great skin healing properties.
• A cup of honey - known for its natural moisturizing benefits.

2. Remove dead skin on feet

Time to tackle that unsightly hard skin. Post foot soak, it should be softer and much easier to remove. Grab a pumice stone, and rub it over the soles of your feet in circular motions. Be gentle on the arch of your feet, as there should be no foot calluses here, and instead, direct your attention to the soles and balls of the feet. Scrub away until the skin feels soft and smooth.

If at any time your feet become sore or sensitive, stop.

3. Treat cracked heels

If your feet are looking really worse for wear, they may need additional treatment. DIY foot 'masks' will be able to penetrate deep into cracks and fissures and give them the nourishment they need. There are various, natural, at home treatments you can try. Here are some of our favourites:

• Vaseline - slather the substance onto feet, being sure to massage it well into cracked heels. Tie a bag around each foot and leave to soak for an hour.
• Oatmeal - mix 1 tbsp of oatmeal with a few drops of jojoba oil and massage onto feet. Leave for 20 minutes before rinsing and drying with a towel.
• Rice flour - mix 3 tbsp of rice flour with 3 tbsp honey and 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar. Mix ingredients and apply to feet. Leave to work its magic for 15 minutes before rinsing.
• Coconut oil - massage into feet, pop on a pair of clean, cotton socks and leave to soak overnight.

4. Renourish skin using a moisturiser

Now all that nasty dry skin has been removed and cracked heels have been treated, it's time to apply a layer of moisture to soothe and soften the newly exposed cells.

Make sure feet are clean, then massage a thick layer of foot cream into the skin. It's best to use a specialized cream, as these are much richer than body moisturizers and will penetrate the skin more deeply.