The 10 Best Foot Care Products for Soreness, Cracked Heels, and Dry Skin
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Put your best foot forward.
Shape / David Hattan
You don’t have to spend a fortune at the nail salon every month to get your feet into tip-top shape. With a little investment in the best foot care products, you’ll be able to recreate a salon experience right at home.
Caring for our feet is important because callus buildup on feet can lead to bigger issues down the line, this is especially true for those who have put their Below, we’ve asked the experts for their recommendations for best foot care products, so you can get your feet smelling great, feeling soft, and looking smooth.
Best Overall: Olive & June Heel Balm
Buy at Oliveandjune.kk2kau.net
Why We Like It: It’s not oily for a balm, which prevents it from staining linens. It’s Worth Noting: You should avoid applying this in between your toes.
This balm from Olive and June is our favorite for myriad reasons. Instead of applying a goopy, thick foot cream and realizing it’s somehow gotten all over your socks, clothes, and sheets, this pick is super easy to apply and is basically mess-free, too.
Meadowfoam and sunflower work to hydrate, soothe, and soften dry heels and feet. We also love that it’s fragrance-free and super portable — it’s easy to throw in your bag on-the-go. One of the downsides of using a balm is that it might not be as easy to apply this product on or in between your toes. It’s mostly meant for heels, soles and tops of the feet.
Price at time of publish: $20
Size: 1.8 ounces | Key Ingredients: Meadowfoam and sunflower
Best Lotion: Gold Bond Healing Foot Cream
Why We Like It: It’s jam-packed with good-for-skin vitamins, like A, C, and E. It’s Worth Noting: This foot cream has quite a strong smell.
One of the best-selling products from the brand, the Gold Bond Healing Foot Cream is beloved by many for its thick consistency and hydrating formula. Loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E, this pick will soften your rough feet and provide lasting relief.
One of the key ingredients in this formula is urea. According to Marcela Correa, a medical pedicurist and owner and head nail technician of Medi Pedi NYC Inc., a foot cream that has urea works to exfoliate the skin and retain moisture. “A foot cream can be used in conjunction with a metal file to remove dead skin and smooth out cracks,” she suggests.
We love this option because it’s widely available at most drugstores and affordable. It was also named one of the best body products in our Shape Skin Awards this year. One of the downsides of this product is that it is heavily fragranced and has a strong smell. If you are sensitive to fragrance, you might not love this pick.
Price at time of publish: $32
Size: 4 ounces | Key Ingredients: Vitamin A, C, and E, urea
Best Pain Balm: Pedestrian Project CBD Relief Balm
Why We Like It: The balm contains anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It’s Worth Noting: You get less than two ounces for $30.
There is some research to suggest that CBD might be able to help with pain relief. This relief balm from Pedestrian Project contains a whopping 500 mg of broad-spectrum CBD, which has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
This formula can help to soothe sore feet and joints and also contains coconut oil and mango butter to hydrate your feet. Senior Commerce Editor Shannon Bauer is a big fan of the foot care brand. She swears by this balm for sore feet after running "Tired feet and sore muscles are par for the course with marathon training and I slather on pain relief balms with abandon during that time. This one is non-greasy and really seems to help."
Unfortunately, this product is on the higher end at $30 per tub and is only available on their website.
Price at time of publish: $30
Size: 1.7 ounces | Key Ingredients: CBD, arnica oil, coconut oil
Best Soak: Dr. Teal's Epsom Salt Foot Soak
Why We Like It: It soothes your feet while keeping them moisturized. It’s Worth Noting: There’s an extremely strong fragrance.
It doesn’t get more classic than Dr. Teal’s when it comes to Epsom salt soaks. This pick is made with cooling peppermint and will help to relieve achy, tired feet. This formula also contains baking soda to help eliminate odor from stinky feet, along with shea butter to help moisturize your feet, too.
Just like a lot of Dr. Teal’s products, this salt soak is heavily fragranced — probably because the brand wants you to really get the benefits of aromatherapy with each soak. If you are super sensitive to scent, you may want to seek out a fragrance-free alternative.
Price at time of publish: $13
Size: 32 ounces | Key Ingredients: Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt), sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
Best Scrub: Beauty Pie Super Tonic Peppermint Leg & Foot Scrub
Why We Like It: The scrub removes tough calluses while keeping feet hydrated. It’s Worth Noting: It’s going to cost you almost $80.
It’s amazing how much dead skin can accumulate on your feet. Thanks to this leg and foot scrub from Beauty Pie, you won’t need to worry about unsightly, super dry calluses and toes. The various salts work to polish, while the vitamin E, amino acids, and tonic bladderwrack extract help hydrate your feet, too.
The smell and formula of this pick are heavenly. The high price tag is not — this costs $75 per tub. Additionally, you can only find it on their website. If you use this formula in your shower, be careful not to slip—it might make things a bit slippery.
Price at time of publish: $75
Size: 20.95 ounces | Key Ingredients: Pink Himalayan mineral salt, amino acids, micro algae, peppermint essential oil
Best File: Footlogix Foot File
Why We Like It: It’s easy to use and easy to clean. It’s Worth Noting: The entire file measures less than 10 inches.
It’s never a bad idea to have a foot file on hand at home. Dr. Emily Splichal, a functional podiatrist and human movement specialist, recommends this Footlogix Foot File to her patients. “This is one of the best foot files on the market — it’s not coarse like a cheese grater,” she explains. “It creates a smooth exfoliation of the feet.”
It’s double-sided and has both a coarse and fine grit made with stainless steel. We love that it’s easy to use and even easier to clean. Some folks are disappointed that this foot file is on the smaller side. It’s something to be aware of if you have large feet or prefer a foot file that covers a larger area.
Price at time of publish: $19
Size: 9.7 inches by 1.75 inches by 0.25 inches | Key Material: Hardened steel
Best Spray: Earth Therapeutics Tea Tree Oil Foot Spray
Why We Like It: The anti-fungal formula keeps your feet smelling great. It’s Worth Noting: The tea tree oil might prove too strong a smell for some.
Earth Therapeutics has been well-known for its body care and spa-at-home products for a long time. This pick is a tea tree oil foot spray that does multiple things in one — it deodorizes, softens and heals rough feet, and just makes your feet smell great.
Dr. Splichal recommends this foot spray to her patients to help get their feet smelling good, thanks to the tea tree oil. “It smells great and is very effective at keeping feet smelling fresh,” she says. “Tea tree oil is a natural antifungal agent, which is great for smelly feet.”
We love that this comes at a pretty affordable price. It’s important to note that this product has a pretty strong smell. So if you are sensitive to fragrance or don’t care for strongly-scented products, this pick probably isn’t for you.
Price at time of publish: $13
Size: 4 ounces | Key Ingredient(s): Tea tree oil
Best Package: Voesh Pedi in a Box
Why We Like It: It has everything you need in one place. It’s Worth Noting: Be sure to do a patch test—essential oils can be too strong for sensitive skin.
If you’re looking for an all-in-one foot spa moment, the VOESH Pedi in a Box is for you. This box comes with four different formulas inside, so you can give your feet a much-needed TLC moment. With each box, you can expect to get a one-time-use sea salt soak, sugar scrub, mud masque, and massage butter.
Dr. Splichal loves this all-in-one item for her patients because it’s “a great way to get the at-spa experience, but in your home,” she explains. “It has high-quality, clean ingredients and smells amazing.” Each purchase comes with a 3-pack, so that you can give your feet a treat multiple times. Dr. Splichal recommends using it once a week.
Some folks have complained of an allergic reaction with this product. Always make sure to do a patch test on your skin before applying a new product.
Price at time of publish: $18
Size: 3 pedis in a box per purchase | Key Ingredients: Eucalyptus oil
Best Toenail Clippers: Swissklip Heavy Duty Toenail Clippers
Why We Like It: These clippers are great for removing in-grown toenails. It’s Worth Noting: It takes some time to learn how to use these clippers.
Sometimes, you need to bring in the heavy-duty toenail clippers to get the job done. Dr. Splichal likes the Swissklip Heavy Duty Toenail Clippers because they are designed to cut through hard, thick toenails, and are especially great for ingrown toenails, too.
“This is my favorite toenail clipper, especially for those who have thick toenails or have a hard time reaching down,” explains Dr. Splichal. “The handle is really easy to grip and these are just like the nail clippers you'd find in a podiatrist's office.”
If you’re not familiar with using heavy-duty, professional toenail clippers, this pick might take some trial and error before nailing it (see what we did there?). One of the downsides is that this clipper is expensive at $40. However, it is very well-made and will last you a long, long time.
Price at time of publish: $40
Size: 1 toe nail clipper | Key Material: Surgical grade steel
Best Mask: Lush Volcano Foot Mask
Why We Like It: This foot mask eliminates odor while cleaning your feet. It’s Worth Noting: The all-natural ingredients make this product dry out fast.
We can bet you’ve probably applied a mask to your face, neck, and decollete (maybe even your butt). But have you ever considered one for your feet? This pick from Lush contains kaolin and pumice to deep clean your feet, while the papaya, tomatoes, and potatoes work to eliminate odor.
Because this product is made with a lot of natural ingredients, it can dry out pretty quickly. Always make sure to put the top back on right after use, and avoid using it after the expiration date.
Price at time of publish: $16
Size: 4.4 ounces | Key Ingredients: Kaolin, pumice, papaya, tomatoes, and potatoes
How We Selected
Finding foot care products that effectively smooth feet and eliminate odor can be challenging. We considered the entire market of options — texture, ingredients, and personal preferences to make our initial list. Then we used our own experience with using some of these foot care products on our feet, but we also interviewed multiple foot care experts for the best foot care products that they recommend to their patients and clients.
What to Know About Foot Care Products
Ingredients
When you’re looking to hydrate dry, calloused feet, Correa suggests looking for a foot cream, and not a body lotion. “Foot creams are thicker and contain ingredients that promote moisture retention and cellular growth,” explains Correa. We like Olive and June Heel Balm.
It’s also a good idea to look for foot creams that contain urea, such as Gold Bond Healing Foot Cream. “Foot creams with at least 20 percent urea help to exfoliate the skin,” explains Correa. “Urea is known for breaking down the protein keratin in the surface layer of your skin, working as a natural exfoliant.”
It’s always a good idea to look for non-toxic, high-quality products to apply to your feet. “Our feet, like all our skin, absorb anything we put on it, so we want to ensure we use safe products,” explains Dr. Splichal.
Formula
The type of formula you choose for your feet comes down to preference. After a marathon training run, your dogs might be barking, and nothing will sound quite as good as a long soak with Dr. Teal's Epsom Salt Foot Soak, followed by a pain relief balm, such as Pedestrian Project CBD Relief Balm.
If calluses or ingrown nails are your concern, professional tools, like Footlogix Foot File and Swissklip Heavy Duty Toenail Clippers are your best bets.
Finally, if you just want to pamper your soles, a mask (Lush Volcano Foot Mask) or minty scrub (Beauty Pie Super Tonic Peppermint Leg & Foot Scrub) are heavenly, too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should runners remove foot calluses?
According to Dr. Splichal, yes, you should remove foot calluses if you’re a runner. “Calluses are from diffuse pressure on the foot, and typically can be seen under the ball of the foot, on the side of the big toe, or at the heel,” she says. “These, over time, can be painful if they are not well maintained.”
A great way to reduce foot calluses is to use a foot file and a urea-based cream or something that is naturally debriding, suggests Dr. Splichal.
Should runners get regular pedicures?
According to Dr. Splichal, everyone should be getting regular pedicures — not just runners. “When running, you want to keep nails short and square,” she says. “If the nails are longer, they can push into the shoe when running and this can lead to micro trauma under the nail, which predisposes you to nail fungus or losing the nails.”
If you are in a race, Correa suggests getting a pedicure at least two weeks beforehand to maintain the health and length of your nails and to avoid them from overgrowing and causing discomfort. “You never want to get a pedicure the day before or the day of the race to prevent blisters,” she says. “As we put so much pressure and friction, our soles tend to swell and thin out, making it easy to get blisters if you remove the calluses too soon.” Also, it’s okay to get a pedicure two weeks after the race if you just feel like your feet need some TLC.
Why Trust Shape
Daley Quinn is a freelance beauty, lifestyle, and health writer based in New York City. She's a former print magazine editor at Family Circle magazine, and has been published in both print magazines and digital outlets including InStyle, Real Simple, Byrdie, Southern Living, Shape, and more. Daley used her own experience with testing some of these foot care products.
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