In the endeavour of taking great care of our skin, face, hands and hair, we generally miss out on a part which needs the maximum care; the feet.
The skin on the feet is mostly dry as it has no oil glands. In summers, when we want to wear the most stylish flip-flops, the heels get more damaged as they get exposed to the sun, dirt and pollution. On top of that, no care and minimal moisturisation worsen their condition making the feet rough, flakey, red and itchy. Thus, the dryness causes the heels to crack. This situation is also more common in people who have diabetes. But regular care of the feet using household and natural ingredients can help soften cracked heels. So, here are a few remedies to help you get feather like, soft and smooth heels!
1. Glycerin
Take same amount of glycerin and lemon juice and mix it well. Apply it on your feet and heels and let it remain for 20 minutes. Wash it off with cold water. Due to the natural moisturising property of glycerin, regular application will show great results in 2 weeks.
2. Coconut oil
Coconut oil not only repairs cracked heels but also has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties in it. Wash and scrub your feet properly once you decide to go to bed. Wipe your feet dry and massage your feet with generous application of coconut oil. Wear cotton socks over night and wash your feet the next morning.
3. Paraffin wax
All you need to do is heat some paraffin wax with coconut oil in a pan until the wax melts. Next, apply this on the affected area at night and sleep overnight wearing a pair of socks. Wash your feet in the morning. This treatment is really good for severely cracked and painful heels.
4. Vaseline with lemon juice
This is the most convenient and effective remedies of all times. Take some Vaseline (petroleum jelly) and add to it some lemon juice (freshly squeezed). Rub this mixture on your feet and heels properly until your feet feel smooth and the paste is absorbed into the cracks. Wear socks and let the mixture work its magic all through the night.
5. Olive oil
You can use olive oil to make your very own overnight foot cream. All you need to do is mix a few drops of lavender oil with some olive oil and pour it in a glass bottle. Add the same amount of water to this, mix it well and voila! Your homemade, effective and natural foot care cream is ready for use.
6. Honey
This is one easy yet effective treatment. All you need is a cup of honey and a bucket of warm water. Mix the honey in the water and soak your feet in it for about 15-20 minutes. You will instantly get smoother and softer feet.
7. Oatmeal
You can use oatmeal to make a natural foot mask for your cracked heels. Just mix powdered oatmeal with jojoba oil and form a thick paste. Apply it on the heels and let it dry. Later, scrub it and wash off with cold water.
8. Rice flour
A natural foot scrub can be made using rice flour. Just mix rice flour (about 3 tbsp) with one big spoon of honey, a spoon full of sweet almond/olive oil and 2 spoons of apple cider vinegar. After having soaked your feet in warm water for some time, scrub them using this mixture and notice a visible change within two to three applications.
9. Sesame oil
Also one of the simplest and rather effective solutions, massaging your cracked feet with sesame oil every night before going to bed gives magical results and soft feeling heels.
