Can't Make It to the Salon? Here's How to Exfoliate Your Feet at Home

A solid skincare routine doesn't stop at your face 一 and if you're dealing with extremely dry feet, then you’re probably in need of upping your skincare game. While foot care certainly isn't glamorous, taking a few extra moments each week to care for the skin on your feet will go a long way in improving how they look and feel. And while getting regular pedicures is a great way to keep your feet in great shape, it’s not always realistic. Ahead, we’re sharing five ways that you can exfoliate your feel at home to mimic that oh-so-good post-pedicure feeling.  

Use a Scrub

Just like you might use a scrub to exfoliate dead skin cells on areas like your scalp, arms, legs and more, this method can also be effective on the feet. It’s best to apply your scrub to your feet in the shower or when they’re damp as skin is easiest to exfoliate when it’s soft. The Kiehl’s Gently Exfoliating Body Scrub is great because it effectively removes dead skin cells while leaving the skin soft and not stripped of moisture 

Use a Pumice Stone 

If a scrub isn’t effective enough for you, give a pumice stone a go. Pumice stones are made from lava and water and together they make a hard stone with an abrasive texture. They may be too harsh for areas like the tops of your feet, but they’re great for buffing away hard, dead skin on the heels and sides of the big toes. All you’ll need to do is gently massage the pumice stone in circular motions on your skin to exfoliate. 

Use a Foot File 

Another great at-home option is using a foot file to buff away calluses and dead skin. You can get an affordable one at most drugstores, and they’re often made with a pumice-like material or a surface which resembles that of a cheese grater. Foot files can be intense, so be sure to buff it gently onto the skin and work up the intensity as needed. 

Try Paraffin Wax

If you’ve ever gotten a pedicure 一 often called a “spa pedicure” 一 where wax was applied to your heels and wrapped in plastic seal, it was probably paraffin wax. Paraffin wax is a malleable wax that when melted, applied to the feet and left to sit, will take off the dead skin cells when removed. If a trip to the nail salon isn’t in the cards at the moment, you can purchase an at-home paraffin wax kit. 

Apply a Foot Peel Mask

Unlike gentle peeling products for the face, a foot peel is a type of mask specifically formulated to remove dead skin from your feet, leaving you with baby soft, good as new skin. It’s a chemical peel that usually comes in the form of what looks like plastic socks. You’ll leave them on for the directed amount of time, and over the next few days your feet will shed the dead skin. 

Editor’s note: Like most proper skincare routines, finishing off with a hydrating product is key to keep your skin looking and feeling soft. The CeraVe Healing Ointment is great to apply after exfoliating your feet because it’s specifically formulated to relieve and protect skin that’s chapped, cracking and very dry.  

Photo: Chaunte Vaughn

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