Learning how to exfoliate feet can make life for your overworked, tired tootsies a walk in the park!
Treating Your Feet
Before you slip into those costly, celebrity-worthy Jimmy Choo or Christian Louboutin heels, you may want to do something about the dry, cracked heels you've long suffered from. Rough feet are never pretty, and you certainly want your skin to feel as beautiful as the shoes you're stepping into! Just as you adhere to a regimen for your hair and face, so too should your feet benefit from some similar tender loving care.
The idea of starting a foot care regimen is probably daunting to some. After all, it's a few more minutes out of an already-packed day, it's an extra step in your already-involved beauty schedule and it will probably cost you a bit to actually get started. While these may all be true, it's also true that foot care shouldn't be an option - it should be an absolute must. Think about it: Your feet carry you everywhere you go. They withstand a beating everyday, especially in those exceptionally high heels, and still go that extra mile no matter what you do. So it's little wonder that the feet deserve more attention than they probably receive.
A pampering foot massage is a great way to get started. It's relaxing, it's comforting and it's guaranteed to keep you interested in taking care of your feet. Once you've experienced the soothing feeling that accompanies proper foot care, you'll want to do everything you can to make sure they stay in tip-top shape.
The Purpose of Scrubbing
Somehow, the idea of rubbing acid-based creams and rough slabs over the feet doesn't sound very appealing. Yet these are two excellent methods for ridding the skin of dry patches and scales.
Once you know how to exfoliate feet, you can begin a foot care regimen that has an actual purpose. By eliminating dry skin, you are essentially revitalizing the feet and revealing new skin. The feet should then be coated in a rich, moisturizing foot cream and covered with socks. Eventually, your feet will be smooth and supple.
Exfoliating Tools
Exfoliating the feet can be a luxurious experience if you take the time to do it thoroughly. Several different products are specifically designed to remove dead skin cells from the feet. They include the following:
Pumice Stone: This course, granulated stone is the ideal beauty tool for dry feet. They are available in a variety of sizes and shapes, and several are attached to a handheld wand for ease of use.
Foot Scrubs: Specially formulated to work their magic on the feet, foot scrubs typically contain ingredients that stimulate circulation and condition the skin while sloughing away dead skin cells.
Exfoliating Creams: Similar to regular moisturizers, these foot creams provide a little something extra for tired, worn out feet. They penetrate the skin with intense moisture and gently exfoliate over time, providing extended relief.
How to Exfoliate Feet Step By Step
Ideally, you should set aside some time initially to do a proper, thorough exfoliating treatment. The following steps will have you well on your way to the softest feet you've ever felt!
Fill a small foot spa tub or basin with warm (not hot) water. For every six cups of water added to the basin, add one cup of milk (a natural exfoliating and nourishing additive). Soak your feet for at least 20 minutes, allowing the milk's lactic acid to soften the skin.
Pat your feet dry gently with a soft towel. Follow up with a scrub formulated specially for the feet. These scrubs contain granulated ingredients, such as Dead Sea salt, sugar or crushed nut powders, which work to gently loosen and remove dead skin. Massage it into the skin in a circular motion, paying special attention to the extra-rough spots on the heels and big toes.
After rinsing, apply a rich foot cream (if done before sleeping) or a non-greasy lotion (if done at any time of the day) and pull on a pair of socks to seal the moisture in.
Of course, if you usually find yourself in a bit of a rush, this method won't do you much good. Instead, store a pumice stone or diamond file (a course foot file embedded with genuine diamonds) in the bathroom and gently scrub the roughest areas of your feet prior to showering. It is important to note that diamond files should not be used while in the shower; they work best on hard skin. Do not scrub vigorously! A soft touch is all that's needed to notice nearly instantaneous results.
In order to make the most of your foot care routine, apply an exfoliating foot cream nightly to ensure continuously supple, hydrated skin. Ingredients such as tea tree oil invigorate while rich moisturizers, like shea butter, ensure feet stay soft year round. The following are effective parts of any strong regimen:
Bliss Foot Patrol: Salicylic acid gently exfoliates the skin, while cooling peppermint invigorates and refreshes tired feet after a long day.
Emu Joy Banish My Callus: This non-petroleum product is designed to penetrate seven layers of skin to dissolve calluses.
