Few things are as uncomfortable as your feet scratching against the sheets when you snuggle into bed. It’s even worse when you’re in bed with someone else, worrying that your partner might rub their feet against your hooves. Since you can’t hide your scaly feet in socks forever and lathering them in vaseline isn’t working like your mum said it would, I sat down with Licensed Nail Technician and Educator Lawren Lee to discuss the best practices to keep your feet silky smooth between pedicures.
Over the years, Lawren has serviced women who’ve seemingly walked a mile in their shoes. During this time she’s identified the best foot care practices to implement into your everyday routine. The first sounds simple, “keep your feet moisturized day and night: this will prevent dryness and cracking at the heel.” Second: exfoliate with a body scrub weekly, Keys Soulcare and Necessaire make a scrub that can help remove dead skin and keep your feet polished. Lastly, and this might be the toughest recommendation, “Wear comfortable footwear daily, this will provide your feet with proper support and comfort”.
While the Lush Pumice Powder Foot Scrub has done wonders for me when my feet are particularly dry, Lee recommends Footlogix, “it’s one of my favorite brands for foot care” she notes, “They have an “at home” combo kit that comes with their callus softener and foot file. It’s safe to use at home and leaves you with the softest feet.”
Our conversation then turned into a game of product recommendation ping pong. I served the Earth Therapeutics Gentle and Peeling Foot mask, sharing, “It’s like a chemical facial peel for your feet. It will completely strip your nails of any polish, and over the course of a week your feet will peel off dead flakes to reveal skin as soft as a baby’s.” Lawren returned with the Udderly Smooth foot cream, sharing, “it’s amazing for dry skin but won’t leave you feeling super greasy which is perfect for feet.”
As our conversation came to a close Lawren also shared with ESSENCE never to use or allow a cheese grater or razor to be used to remove callus from your feet. “ It could injure you and only makes calluses worse. Lastly, if you notice any discoloration in your toes, please have a podiatrist take a look, not a nail technician. Grave health conditions can go under the radar and getting pedicures at a nail salon could make it worse.” Footcare can so easily be put on the back burner, but with these tips and helpful practices, we’re only steps away from silky smooth feet.
Lawren Lee has a private studio in Brooklyn, New York, and can be found at @lartistrynyc on Instagram.