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The 12 Best Foot Exfoliators for the Smoothest Soles Ever

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Between walking the dog and half-marathon training, our feet go through the wringer. And we rarely stop to appreciate them along the way—until sandal season, that is. While the temperatures aren’t quite warm enough to bare our toes just yet, we’re using this time to prep our feet for summer, starting with exfoliation. How? With these 12 exfoliators, peels and scrubs (and a lot of lotion, of course).

101 Ways to Relieve Foot Pain


The Best Foot Exfoliators, Winners at a Glance

best foot exfoilators baby foot
Amazon

1. Baby Foot Moisturizing Foot Mask

Internet Favorite

Behold the OG of foot masks. You’ve probably seen the pictures of peeling feet that took the Internet by storm a few years ago, and maybe you've even tried the product for yourself. If not, you must. The formula helps slough off dead skin cells in the most satisfying sheets, while nourishing soles at the same time.

Pros:

  • The formula contains a blend of exfoliating and moisturizing ingredients like glycolic acid, lactic acid and hyaluronic acid.
  • All you have to do is pour the gel into the booties, soak your feet for 15 minutes and wash off.

Cons:

  • Your skin will peel for about two weeks (so you might want to hold off wearing sandals just yet).
best foot exfoilators patchology
Ulta

2. Patchology Poshpeel Pedicure

Best Mess-Free Application

After soaking your feet in warm water for 10 minutes, pour the enclosed packet of exfoliating essence into the cute little booties and slip your feet into them. After an hour, simply rinse your feet and go about your day. Within the week, dry skin and calluses will start to shed to reveal smoother, softer feet in no time.

Pros:

  • This foot peel contains AHAs (or acids) and moisturizers (like castor oil and rosemary extract).
  • Aside from one pair of booties, it also comes with two packs of activating essences for multiple treatments.

Cons:

  • It takes 3-7 days to see results (depending on how rough your feet are).
best foot exfoilators freeman
iHerb

3. Freeman Beauty Bare Foot Overnight Foot Treatment

Best for Overnight

If you’ve ever applied Vaseline to your feet and worn socks to bed for a night, you’ve got the gist of how this one works. Apply this overnight treatment on cracked feet, slip on some socks and let it sink in overnight. By morning, your feet will be smoother and softer, without any peeling.

Pros:

  • It’s made with marula oil and cocoa butter to condition and nourish your feet.
  • You can use 2-3 times a week.

Cons:

  • The scent might be too strong for some people.
best foot exfoilators tony moly
iHerb

4. Tonymoly Shiny Foot Super Peeling Liquid

Best for Irritated Skin

Unfortunately, dry skin can lead to irritation and itching. Thankfully, this 6-in-1 sheet masks can soothe and smooth your feet after one treatment. Just slip on the booties, pour the exfoliating liquid into each bootie equally, and let it soak for up to 90 minutes.

Pros:

  • It’s made with peppermint extract to ease any itching and give a nice cooling effect. Plus, the AHA and BHA mix (aka glycolic and salicylic acids) exfoliate the skin. There's also a host of oils (like argan and lavender) to hydrate dry patches.

Cons:

  • You’ll notice mild peeling four to six days later.
  • The whole process takes at least an hour.
best foot exfoilators prolinc
Amazon

5. Prolinc Callus Eliminator

Best Quick Treatment

Don’t have two hours to sit and wait for your foot treatment to sink in? Try this quick, extremely potent gel instead. Just squeeze it directly onto dry calluses, let it absorb for three to five minutes and use a pumice stone to buff off any rough patches. Plus, the 18 oz bottle will last you all summer and then some.

Pros:

  • You only have to wear it for three to five minutes before washing it off.

Cons:

  • It’s very strong, so don’t apply it anywhere that isn’t thick and callused or you can risk burning yourself. (It’s that powerful.)
best foot exfoilators foot file
Amazon

6. Rikans Colossal Foot Rasp Foot File And Callus Remover

Best Foot Tool

It's exciting when your pedicurist breaks out the foot file, right? This one is nothing fancy, but it gets the job done well. Gently drag it back and forth across heels and calluses after they’ve softened a bit in the shower and you’ll reveal softer soles immediately.

Pros:

  • It's lightweight so you can work it against your heels with ease.
  • You can use this on dry or wet feet.

Cons:

  • If you put too much pressure, it can result in irritating the area especially if you have sensitive skin.
best foot exfoilators pursources
Amazon

7. Pursources Urea 40% Foot Cream

Best Podiatrist Recommendation

If you’re looking for a satisfying physical exfoliation, this cream probably won’t do it for you. But if you're looking for a gentler alternative, this cream comes highly recommended by podiatrist Sarah E. Haller, D.P.M., who uses it on patients (and on her own feet). When used regularly, it can help soften and exfoliate rough callused feet while also preventing dead skin from building up over time.

Pros:

  • It's great for people with extreme dryness and cracked skin.
  • It’s made with urea, an ingredient that can help treat skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

Cons:

  • It's pretty thick, so little goes a long way.
best foot exfoilators opi
Amazon

8. Opi Pro Spa Exfoliating Sugar Scrub

Best Foot Scrub

For a more classic exfoliation, try this sugar scrub. Just scoop out a bit (like they do at the nail salon) and massage it into rough areas for about three minutes before rinsing. We suggest working it into your weekly rotation to keep your feet feeling smoother longer.

Pros:

  • It’s made with sugar granules, plus cupuaçu butter and white tea for a full spa-like experience.

Cons:

  • It won’t work on extremely hard calluses.
best foot exfoilators soft touch
Amazon

9. Soft Touch Foot Peel Mask

Top Pick

Featuring a botanical extract and acid blend, this foot mask checks all of the boxes when it comes to nourishing, repairing and improving the overall appearance of dry skin.

Pros:

  • It's easy to cut the mask to fit specific areas of the feet.
  • The two-pack mask fits up to a size 11.

Cons:

  • Your feet can be flakey for 7 to 14 days (depending on your dryness).
best foot exfoilators pure derm
Amazon

10. Purederm Foot Peeling Mask

Best Packaging

Why settle for a one-time foot mask especially when you're on your feet all the time? If you want to maintain baby smooth feet, this three-pack can help you stay on top of your foot care. Every week, slip on the booties and let the natural ingredients do their thing.

Pros:

  • It includes a host of moisturizing ingredients like honey, olive oil and sunflower seed oil.

Cons:

  • It takes a couple of days to start peeling.
best foot exfoilators aliver
Amazon

11. Aliver Foot Peel Mask

Best Anti-Aging

Aside from the usual softening of dry heels, this mask also reduces the appearance of fine lines on your feet. The lavender-infused smoothes rough calluses in no time (and smells nice, too). Plus, it comes in a 3-pack so you can give yourself a weekly treatment (because you deserve it).

Pros:

  • It's gentle and soothing on sensitive skin.
  • It only takes up to four days for shedding to complete.

Cons:

  • Not all areas will get the peeling treatment.
  • You have to leave it on for 50 to 90 minutes for the best results.
best foot exfoilators dermora
Amazon

12. Dermora Foot Peel Mask

Best Results

Whether you have dry, cracked or smelly feet, this foot mask is ready to put those woes to rest—in a timely matter at that. While other masks may take a week or more to show results, you'll see the peeling begin in as little as three days with this. For best results, use the two enclosed masks for a month (so once every two weeks) and your calluses will look brand new.

Pros:

  • The ingredients include coconut and papaya extracts for added moisture.
  • Your skin sheds in large sheets for easier clean up.

Cons:

  • The booties only come up to your ankles.

Ok, So What Causes Dry Skin On Feet?

The pros at Baby Foot explain that people actually have fewer oil glands on their feet than they do on the rest of their body. So there’s not as much natural moisture. What’s worse is that we often overlook our feet when applying lotion. The only time they usually get moisturized is during a pedicure.

Wearing closed shoes (like sneakers and loafers) and synthetic soles without socks increases the humidity and draws moisture out of our feet. This means our feet are not only missing out on the hydration they need, but our footwear is also robbing them of the little moisture they produce.

Luckily, you can take matters into your own hands and rid your feet of their scaly skin once and for all by keeping up with regular care.



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Writer

Brianna Lapolla formerly held the role of Senior Commerce Editor at PureWow covering all things shopping across beauty, fashion, and lifestyle. Now, she's putting her 12 years of professional experience to use on a freelance basis. When she's not typing away, you can find her somewhere in Europe or at home catering to her dog, King Louis.

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