This is for all the hardened soles out there.
If you’re in the habit of walking around at all while wearing any type of shoe (flip-flops, sneakers, kitten heels), then chances are you probably have a pretty gnarly set of calloused feet and cracked heels. And no matter how many times your main manicurista scrubs away at the thickened skin, it always grows back the next day, which is a pretty good sign that it’s time to bring some reinforcements.
You’ve probably heard of foot peeling masks before, and if you haven’t tried one yet, now might be the best time since you have no choice but to sport closed shoes and you’re usually indoors nowadays to enjoy the cool bed weather.
We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite foot peeling masks from Foot Appeal, Purederm, Tony Moly, Nature Republic, and Etude House, along with some moisturizing foot masks from Leaders and Tony Moly.
But before you go on a peeling craze, here are 10 helpful tips to get you on your way:
#1 Do a patch test to ensure your skin doesn’t react negatively
The ingredients in peeling masks usually contain high doses of alcohol, salicylic acid, lactic acid, alpha hydroxy acid, beta hydroxy acid, and glycolic acid, along with botanical extracts like aloe vera leaf juice, chamomile extract, and lavender extract. While most people can tolerate these ingredients, if you have sensitive skin or may be allergic, try applying a small amount of the solution on your feet to see how you react to it. If your skin becomes red, swollen, or itchy, discard the pack. Or give it to a friend.
#2 Make sure you don’t have any cuts or open wounds before using
This should go without saying, so please be smart about using these types of products. Also, if you have eczema, psoriasis, or if your skin is sunburned, please don’t use these either.
#3 Soak your feet before putting on the masks
While this step isn’t usually stated on the instructions of most foot peeling masks, it is highly advisable. According to Refinery29, wash your feet with soap and water, then soak them for 15 minutes before submerging your feet in peeling solution.
#4 Wear socks to keep them on!
The instructions for most peeling masks are straightforward. They come in the form of boots or socks and to put them on, simply snip along the dotted lines and insert your feet.
There are no instructions, however, for keeping them on. There are a few silly photos on the Internet of people sealing their foot peeling booties with masking tape. While that might work, a more convenient way of keeping them on would be to put a pair of socks over them. That way, you can walk around the house and go about your business while your feet soak in the solution without worrying about spillage or slippage.
At night, you may also want to wear socks if you don’t want to wake up in the morning to see dead skin flakes littering your bed. Ew.
#5 How long you leave it on depends on the mask
Most instructions say to leave them on for 60 to 90 minutes, but I sometimes end up leaving them on for two hours, which is fine. Just don’t leave them on for longer than that. When time’s up, wash your feet thoroughly. Make sure there isn’t any remaining solution left lingering in between your toes.
#6 Keep soaking to speed up the peeling process
When I first did a foot peel, I didn’t bother pre-soaking my feet or soaking after, so it took roughly two weeks for them to peel completely. Soaking every night until the peeling is done will shorten the process to around nine days. Try blogger Sab Hernandez’s soaking solution of sugar cane vinegar and natural dishwashing liquid.
If you don’t have the time to soak your feet for 15 minutes every day, after showering, rub your damp feet with your hands to ball up the dead skin. It won’t be as effective, but it will help.
#7 Warning: The tops of your feet will also peel off
Maybe it’s because most of the photos online are of people’s peeling soles, but not many people mention the fact that since the masks come in the form of mini boots, your entire foot is submerged in solution. As a result, the tops of your feet will flake off along with the lower part of your ankles, making you look like you have some crazy foot disease that will make your friends in yoga class slowly back away from you.
During this time, stick to closed shoes. And freeze your yoga studio membership.
#8 It’s okay to pick the dead skin off
Most people wouldn’t advise this, but frankly, it’s impossible to look at your dead skin flapping around and not want to yank it off. This is fine. You will not destroy your feet by doing this, but you will create a mess on your floor.
Do not, however, use a callous remover on the thicker bits! Leave that shit alone.
#9 Don’t scratch or forget to moisturize!
Some say that applying lotions or balms to your feet will slow down the peeling process, but your feet and ankles will be very itchy. Don’t scratch because your skin is very sensitive at this point and you may just end up wounding the area. Instead, soothe the itching with lotion or aloe vera.
Once your foot peels completely, prolong the effects by slathering your feet with shea butter at night and covering them with a pair socks. (Yes, if it isn’t clear by now, you’ll be needing a lot of socks for this whole process.)
#10 Use sparingly
There doesn’t seem to be a general consensus anywhere on the Internet about how often you should be using these things, but common sense dictates that it should probably be infrequent. In other words, as fun as it is watching your reborn foot rise like a phoenix from a pile of dead skin flakes, wait until your callouses thicken and your heels crack again before having another go at a foot peeling mask.
To see our top picks for foot peeling masks, click through the slideshow above!
Art by Dorothy Guya