How To Keep Feet Healthy And Clean

Christine Giordano x Getty

Maybe you're on top of your game when it comes to moisturizing your face and most of your body. After a year-and-a-half of serious hand washing, perhaps you've upped your hand cream applications, too. But how often do you give your feet the attention they deserve, particularly for how much you're literally on them—walking, working out, or otherwise?

"Our feet take on a lot of stress throughout the day," says Dr. Erum N. Ilyas, MD, MBE, FAAD, a Pennsylvania-based, board-certified dermatologist. "The changes our skin experiences as a result of repeat friction, trauma, ill-fitting shoes, and exposure to fungus and other microbes are part of the equation. Hormonal changes such as diabetes and menopause, sweat disorders such as dyshidrosis, and secondary changes to the skin from bony changes and fat redistribution can impact the skin of the feet as well."

According to Dr. Ilyas, the foot reacts to these factors by thickening to protect itself, and unfortunately, physically scrubbing or exfoliating your calluses and dry patches sometimes creates more friction, signaling the skin to thicken again. Ignoring your tootsies, though, will only make them look worse for the wear and could be uncomfortable in the long run. The best way to break the cycle? Slathering on a foot cream in circular motions regularly, particularly one that contains ingredients like urea, salicylic acid, dimethicone and/or petrolatum. The former two ingredients will help with chemical exfoliation, while the latter form a barrier around the skin.

"Think of daily use of a foot cream as an opportunity for your skin to recuperate, rehydrate, and protect itself to minimize the effects of cumulative damage," Dr. Ilyas says. She suggests applying after you shower to lock in maximum moisture or right before bed, when you won't be moving much. Ready to say goodbye to rough, flaky, cracked feet? These foot creams will help you fix—and over time maybe even prevent—your worst foot woes.

1 AmLactin Foot Repair Foot Cream Therapy

AmLactin amazon.com

$14.69

"AmLactin Foot Repair cream uses lactic acid to help with mild exfoliation of dry skin and hydration," says Dr. Ilyas. It's also a fragrance-free, relatively lightweight formula. Try it before bed, using socks to lock in the softness you'll get from its emollients and humectants.

2 Burt's Bees Foot Cream

Burt's Bees target.com

$7.55

Get sandal-ready with this coconut-forward big box favorite that literally smells like a vacation. Olive oil and lanolin make this blend super nourishing and hydrating.

3 CeraVe Hand Cream & Foot Cream for Diabetics' Dry Skin

When you need something heavy duty for highly stressed or damaged feet, CeraVe's formula can be very effective, even if you don't have diabetes. "The urea can help reduce the pre-existing thickened plaques on the skin, and the ceramides can help form an effective barrier for the skin from outside," Dr. Ilyas says.

4 Kneipp Soothing Calendula & Orange Foot Repair Butter

Thanks to its 10 percent urea, calendula, shea butter, and almond oil composition, this podiatrist-created cream packs a powerful punch on dryness, delivering moisture to every crack and callus. The orange essential oil helps cut odors, too, if that's something you struggle with.

5 Bath & Body Works Eucalyptus Spearmint Conditioning Foot Cream

Bath & Body Works bathandbodyworks.com

$13.50

A remedy for overworked toes and soles, this rich cream will wake up your tootsies—and your senses—with its essential oil-based, minty camphorous scent. Made with shea butter, avocado oil, and olive oil, this formula doesn't skimp on the conditioning ingredients either.

6 Eucerin Advanced Repair Foot Cream

"The challenge with foot creams is that your feet can potentially feel greasy or slippery afterwards," says Dr. Ilyas. That won't be the case with Eucerin's formula, which is fast-absorbing and not sticky. The alpha hydroxy will go to work on ultra-dry patches, while the ceramides will soothe your skin, leaving it baby soft after application for hours.

7 Deborah Lippmann Steppin' Out Nourishing Foot Cream

DEBORAH LIPPMANN nordstrom.com

$29.00

Formulated with shea and kokum butter as well as lemon, orange, and apple fruit extract skin conditioners, this formula has a fruity, sweet scent and a light feel that makes it perfect for summer. The acai oil helps with extra hydration, while aloe vera does what it does best: soothes any irritation or rawness.

8 Dr. Teal's Shea Enriched Foot Cream

bedbathandbeyond.com

$5.99

Don't have time to soak your tired feet? Try this formula instead. It's full of shea butter, aloe vera, and vitamin E to turn parched skin supple.

9 L'Occitane 15% Shea Butter Foot Cream Enriched with Lavender & Arnica, 5.2 oz

L'Occitane amazon.com

$29.00

It doesn't get more luxe than this best-selling 15 percent shea butter cream, which melts right into the skin. Arnica and lavender essential oil provide extra soothing properties.

10 Vaseline Petroleum Jelly For Dry Cracked Skin and Eczema Relief Original 3.75 oz

Vaseline amazon.com

$5.99

If you're looking for the most bang for your buck, Dr. Ilyas says this old school staple might be the best bet. Vaseline will heal flaky, cracked foot skin; just remember that it can be heavier and somewhat greasy. For that reason, you might save it for the colder months.

Danielle Blundell Danielle Blundell is a New York City-based lifestyle writer and editor who has written on topics ranging from home to health for a variety of publications including Rachael Ray Every Day, Redbook, Family Circle, This Old House, Elle Decor, Esquire, Domino, and Apartment Therapy.

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