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Our feet are probably the most ignored part of our body. They carry our weight around and tolerate the constrictions of the footwear yet hardly complain! But when they complain in form of dryness and cracking, you realise that recuperation of feet is very difficult. It is true that alleviation of dryness to bring the lost days of our feet’s glory is an uphill task.
How many times have we all looked at a baby’s feet and wished the same for us. But the abuse of feet in our growing years and thereafter, needs some intense care and great feet routine. In this feature, let me introduce you to some great home remedies in form of moisturisers, foot bath and foot rubs that will help you attain the pedicured looking feet!
Home Remedies For Dry Feet
Masks And Moisturisers
Cream And Honey
Cream and honey both have intense moisturising properties. Mix 3 spoons of honey in half a bowl of milk cream. Apply it to the feet like a mask and let it rest for about half an hour. Wash it off with a mild soap until the stickiness of the cream is gone. In the end, apply half a spoon of honey and wash off with water. It will protect your feet from drying out.
Mustard Oil And Turmeric
Mustard oil is a very sticky oil and is anti-bacterial in nature. Turmeric is also an anti-fungal agent that helps in fast healing of the body. Dry feet can get chapped and crack at times; For such situations this application might prove to be helpful. Add a spoon of turmeric in 2-3 spoons of mustard. It should still have a flowing consistency. Apply this mixture on the cracked parts of the feet. If there are no cracks then turmeric is not required. You can warm the mustard oil and apply it half an hour before the bath.
Almond Oil
Almond oil is an extremely rich source of Vitamin E. Vitamin E helps in maintaining healthy skin and hair. The moisturising content in this oil is also quite high. Wash your feet thoroughly and apply Almond oil on it. Cover up with a pair of socks. Do this every night before going to bed and wear a socks throughout the night. You will see results almost instantly.
Olive Oil And Lemon Juice
This one is a great moisturiser as well as anti-tan lotion. Take two parts olive oil and add one part lemon juice to it. Mix both of them by shaking and apply on the feet. You can preserve this lotion as well for about a week. Shake well before each application. The best results are obtained by applying it right after a feet soak.
Scrubs And Exfoliates
Lemon And Salt Scrub
The main cause behind dry feet is the accumulation of dead skin on the feet. Excessive use of brush and pumice stone can bruise them so you may need a milder way of removing them. Take a lemon and cut it in half, dip the juicy side of the halved lemon in granular salt. Now gently rub the lemon and salt on the dry areas of the feet. Do this for at least 15 minutes daily and you will find the softness of the dry areas returning. lemon is also an anti-tanning agent and goes on to brighten the feet.
Honey And Sugar Scrub
As discussed earlier too, honey is a wonderful moisturiser and unlike others, it does not leave oil and stickiness ones washed away. Add two spoons of granulated sugar in two table spoons of honey. Scrub it on the feel gently. The sugar will exfoliate gently and honey will seep in to cover the dry patches on the feet.
Strawberry Crush
We all love the juicy luscious strawberries. Facials packs are known to be made from the extracts of this fruit but let us prepare something exotic for your feet now. Strawberry has naturally occurring tiny granules that make for a great exfoliate. Take a handful of strawberries and dice them. Now crush them in stone and pestle as we want the granules intact. If you want you can add some granulated sugar in it as well. Add a large spoon of honey. Mix and apply on the feet. Let it rest for 10 minutes initially and then begin scrubbing. Wash off just with water after you are done. This remedy will not only reduced the dryness and dead skin but also remove the foul odour from the feet.
Almond Scrub
Take half a bowl of dry almonds. Grind them in a blender. Now take a mid size mesh and begin to sieve the ground almonds. After the finer particles are gone, you will be left with coarse tiny pieces of almonds. If the pieces seem to be big then grind them again. Add 2-3 spoons of cream in the almonds and scrub your feet with this mixture. This is an intense moisturising routine. The Almonds have high oil content along with Vitamin E and Cream is known to cause oiliness.
Feet Soak
The scrubs and moisturisers are best used after a good feet soaking session. It brings agility to the skin and opens the pores on it. Also, the soaks can make scrub’s work easy by removing excess dead skin and dirt.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is known to have deep cleansing properties. Add 2-3 spoons in lukewarm water of about half a tub. Soak your feet in it for about 15 minutes. The dead skin and dust grains embedded in the feet will get detached from the skin on their own. After the soak apply any moisturiser and cover with socks if the dryness is high. Otherwise you are good to go as is.
Vinegar
Apple cider Vinegar is a known cleanser which removes the build ups on the skin. It is particularly good for feet because of its anti-fungal properties. Vinegar can also relieve you from bad odour. Add 3 spoons of Apple cider vinegar in half a tub of lukewarm water. Soak in for about 15-20 minutes. If there is a lot of dead skin and dirt in the cracks, dilute a tablespoon of vinegar with half a tablespoon of water. Soak a cotton swab and apply it directly on the patch. Wait for 15 minutes before soaking the feet.
So here is a list of basic to luscious and exotic foot treatments . Indulge yourself and get that salon kind of foot care right at the comfort of your home. And what is even better? You are not burning a hole in your pocket while doing so!
