Imagine if there was a cure-all for dry cracked feet. One application would keep your feet soft and smooth for the rest of your life. Unfortunately, keep dreaming because as long as the skin continues to react to dry harsh environments, there will always be a need for skin conditioners. Regarding the feet, nevertheless, only one overnight treatment ensures baby soft heels by the time your feet hit morning the floor. Moisturize and put on socks.
Petroleum Jelly
Perhaps the oldest remedy on the books, dousing your feet with petroleum jelly overnight will tame the rough skin away. Petroleum jelly doesn't necessarily penetrate the skin to make it soft; rather, it tackles the rough skin, acting as a natural liquid pumice under the sock overnight. Before you go to sleep, wash your feet, generously apply the petroleum jelly and then put on your sock. When you wake, take a pumice rock or foot file and scale off the dead skin, buffing your heel until it's smooth and soft. Some people prefer to do this routine backwards, which can be just as effective.
Paraffin Wax
Think of paraffin wax treatment as softener therapy. It is a derivative of mineral oil used to debilitate the skin cells. A typical spa treatment involves dipping oiled feet into a bowl of melted paraffin wax and leaving it on for approximately 10 minutes before wiping it off. Purchase a home kit in order to use overnight. Mix jojoba, coconut, or mustard oil into the melted wax. Wash your feet and buff with a foot file. Dip your entire foot into the wax and let it dry. Then, cover your feet with a plastic bag and put on a sock. In the morning, the wax will peel off leaving your heels baby soft.
Vegetable Oil
Unlike petroleum jelly, vegetable oil will penetrate into the skin, softening up the skin cells overnight. It's best to apply vegetable oil with a warm wet towel, allowing the pores to open so the oil can seep in. With the warm towel massage the oil onto the bottom of your feet. Immediately put on a pair of socks while your feet are mildly damp to retain as much warmth as you can. In the morning, your feet will be slightly moistened and soft.
Moisturizing Socks
Manufactured specifically to tackle cracked feet and rough heels, most moisturizing socks are designed to be used with your own moisturizer. But for people who don't have time to perform their own regimen, try socks with moisturizers already infused into the fibers. Just slip them on overnight and go to sleep. They are sold at your local drug and spa retail store.
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Writer Bio
Rebecca Walton started writing after a 10-year career in state government. She is a long time contributor to Houston Style Magazine, which led to her becoming an authority on fashion and style. Walton holds a master's degree in liberal arts and owns a media and communications company that delivers content to the masses.