The feet are heavily used daily. The attacks they suffer from tight shoes or from long walks lead to dry skin and other unsightly discomforts. That said, feet also need care to prevent the appearance of calluses. Find out how to make a homemade scrub to get rid of rough, cracked heels and have feet that feel soft to the touch.
In the absence of care, and because of daily aggressions, the skin of the feet suffers from significant dryness, responsible for rough and cracked heels.
Dehydration: the factor behind rough and cracked heels
The skin on the feet is dry in nature, because this area contains few sebaceous glands and therefore produces little sebum. This production decreases with age and this aggravates dry feet.
Certain habits also exacerbate dry feet, such as walking barefoot or wearing uncomfortable shoes, such as high heels or shoes that do not have a good sole to support the feet.
A poor choice of shoes can also cause feet to sweat more, and this will only make their feet dryer. In fact, the more your feet sweat, the drier they become. The choice of socks or stockings is therefore also important in this case. Additionally, certain skin conditions, such as psoriasis, can also make heels dry and rough. Additionally, due to dryness and lack of hydration, the skin on the feet loses elasticity and begins to crack. As a result, the heels become rough and dry to the touch.
It is therefore important to take care of the feet and pamper them to get rid of dead skin and find heels that are soft to the touch.
Scrub to get rid of rough and dry heels
For this, you will need
- 30 g of coarse sea salt
- 1 ripe banana, crushed
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
Mix all the ingredients in a container, and apply this scrub to your feet using circular movements to gently exfoliate your skin. Leave on for 10 minutes and rinse with lukewarm water. Don’t forget to dry your feet well, especially between the toes to avoid the appearance of foot fungus or what is commonly called athlete’s foot. You can renew this scrub every 5 days.
Zoom on the components of this scrub
Salt: Rich in essential minerals for the skin such as zinc and potassium, salt helps exfoliate the skin and gently remove dead cells, in order to promote skin regeneration. You can use it to scrub your feet, but also your whole body. To do this, first moisten your skin so that the grains of salt are not very abrasive for your skin. Then exfoliate your body, avoiding the face and mucous membranes. Then rinse with lukewarm water to close the pores.
Olive oil: This oil rich in antioxidants nourishes dry skin and protects it from external aggressions. In the evening before going to bed, massage your rough heels with olive oil, and cover your feet with socks to wake up with nourished and hydrated feet.
Banana: This fruit is rich in vitamins A, B, C and E and minerals, which help nourish and hydrate the skin, such as potassium.
You can use banana to treat your dry and damaged feet. To do this, rub the inner part of the banana peel on the soles of your feet, leave it on for a few minutes and rinse with clean water. Likewise, it is possible to mash a ripe banana and apply it to your heels. Leave it on for 10 minutes and then rinse.
Pumice stone for faster exfoliation
For faster scrubbing of your heels, you can use pumice stone. First, soak your feet in a basin of warm water for 5 minutes to soften the skin on your feet. Then, rub your skin gently using a pumice stone to remove dead skin, so as not to damage the skin.
If you want to pamper your feet even more, consider a relaxing foot bath before exfoliating your heels. To do this, simply mix half a cup of baking soda or coarse salt in a basin, with a few drops of an essential oil of your choice, according to your needs. Dip your feet in the basin and when the skin is sufficiently softened, exfoliate it using your pumice stone. Note, however, that a foot bath should not be done every day and should not exceed 20 minutes, as Sandrine Bergere Morant, podiatrist, explains for Doctissimo magazine. In fact, it can be done at most once or twice a week.
This scrub, both exfoliating and nourishing, will allow you to remove dead skin and nourish the soles of your feet to get rid of rough and cracked heels, without breaking the bank.