Summer means saying goodbye to boots and hello to strappy sandals. If you’ve barely looked at your feet all winter then don’t worry, it’s not going to be difficult to pretty them up. Start the renovation process right now with daily use of a foot file or pumice – and a rich foot cream. If your skin is very dry or your heels are cracked, then slather on foot treatments at bedtime and slip on a pair of cotton socks. Your body heat will help the cream to be absorbed and work its magic. If you’re using an everyday body lotion on your feet, then you’ll benefit from switching to a specialist cream as they have ingredients to help break down and heal dry, cracked skin.
FOOT HEALERS
GLYCERINE… is a humectant that increases the amount of water in the surface layers of the skin and is used to soften, smooth and hydrate. There are natural and synthetic versions of this.
Find it in:
Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Foot Cream $8.99. More like a gel or balm than a cream, this sinks in fast and is only mildly scented with menthol. It leaves skin feeling like it has an invisible protective layer.
The Herb Farm Foot Balm $25.50. Natural vegetable glycerine is used alongside calendula and sweet almond oil in this rich New Zealand-made cream. Smells of peppermint.
UREA… is a chemical compound found in urine, although it can also be made artificially. It is ideal for extremely dry, calloused and cracked skin.
Find it in:
Dermal Therapy Heel Magic $19.99 – a moisturising stick, this also contains shea butter, lanolin, beeswax and olive oil and promises results in three days. It has a mild fragrance.
Manuka Doctor Apinourish Foot & Heel Cream $19.75.
As well as urea, this cream has purified bee venom, avocado oil, shea butter, glycerine and beeswax.
MYRRH… is a resin extracted from a tree that grows in desert regions. It’s what seals the wound when the bark is damaged. Traditionally it has been used for centuries as a skin-healer and is ideal to treat cracked heels naturally as it has anti-bacterial powers.
Find it in:
Weleda Foot Balm $21.90. Natural and easily absorbed, this contains soothing calendula too.
