Several factors usually combine to cause rough, callous feet. Dry weather, bad footwear choices and repetitive foot motions can all cause your feet to become thick and callous--especially unfortunate when you want to wear foot-baring shoes, calluses are meant to protect your feet, but look ugly. Smooth out feet by exfoliating the skin and applying nourishing moisturizers to get the soft, touchable feet you want to show off in sandals and open-toed shoes.
Step 1
Soak your feet in warm water on a nightly basis. Avoid hot water, which can make dryness worse. Instead, fill a tub with warm water, puncture a vitamin E capsule and drain the contents into the tub. Submerge your feet for five minutes, which will help soften the skin in preparation for the pumice stone.
Step 2
Invest in a good-quality pumice stone, suggests "Glamour" magazine. It's an abrasive stone often shaped like a rectangle. When you've soaked your feet, use the pumice stone to exfoliate the rough skin on your feet. Take care that you don't buff away all of the calluses--they help to protect the delicate skin on your feet. Just buff away flakes and dead skin for smoother feet.
Step 3
Coat your feet in a thick coat of good-quality moisturizer. Look for one that contains shea butter and vitamin E for the most smoothing effect. Once your feet are coated, slip on a pair of thick wool socks, suggests "Real Simple" magazine. This will help warm the moisturizer for better penetration and smoother feet. If possible, sleep with the socks on so your feet get overnight moisturizing.
Step 4
Switch to shoes that effectively cover your heels and the sides of your feet. While flip-flops and open-backed shoes may seem like a comfortable and laid-back choice for the summer, they leave your heels open to damage and dryness, warns ePodiatry.com. Look for supportive shoes that can be worn with socks to protect your feet from dryness.
Step 5
Exfoliate your feet in the shower on a daily basis to keep them smooth. Lather up a loofah with antibacterial soap and scrub each time you're in the shower to get rid of dry spots and keep your feet smooth after your pumice and moisturizing treatment.
Things You'll Need
- Water
- Tub
- Vitamin E capsule
- Pumice stone
- Moisturizer
- Socks
- Supportive shoes
