Best foot cream for cracked heels, aching feet and dry skin

Give your feet the care it deserves with the best foot cream for silky soft skin.

Feet

by Ellen Kinsey |
Updated on

Our feet go through a lot, and we don't give them enough credit. We buy hand creams, body lotions, moisturisers, shampoo and conditioners, but we tend to neglect our feet. Whether you walk a lot, stand all day or have dry feet, finding the right foot cream will make all the difference. It is one of the truest forms of self-care that will benefit you in the long run. That is why we have rounded up the best foot creams for dry, hard, cracked and tired feet, so you can feel sandal ready and give your feet the TLC it deserves.

A dedicated foot lotion will revitalise and restore your suffering soles and take preventative measures to protect your feet before they become rough and sore. There is a skin cream for everything if you have skin conditions such as thickened heels, calluses or cracked heels. Feet tend to get drier in the summer - a hydrating foot cream will work wonders in warmer weather.

You will want to apply the foot creams at night to rough feet for best results or after giving yourself an at-home pedicure. Slather on a thick layer of foot cream at night before bed, then slip on a pair of socks to seal in the moisture overnight, and all the ingredients work their magic overnight as you sleep.

What to look for in foot creams

To soften feet or revive cracked heels and callouses, look for exfoliating ingredients such as glycolic and salicylic acids, these can help work away tough, dry patches of skin.

Humectants and hydrators are also excellent for sealing in moisture ingredients like such as urea, ceramides, glycerin, and hyaluronic acids. These ingredients help to draw moisture into the skin.

To make them extra smooth and moisturised, oils and shea butter are the way to go to seal the moisture in. If you want to treat thick skin, you’ll also need a formula with liquid exfoliators like salicylic and lactic acid to speed up skin cell turnover and slough away dead cells.

Best foot cream for dry, tough and tired feet

So with that in mind, let's take a look at the best foot creams, so you can have pedicure-worthy feet that feel silky smooth to the touch.

There is no need to be embarrassed over sweaty feet; it is an entirely normal and natural thing that happens, and some shoes make you sweat more than others. Using a deodorising foot cream will help with feet odour and those prone to cracked heels. This probiotic foot cream from Green People is made from fresh peppermint, eucalyptus, soothing shea butter, and sunflower oil to help neutralise foot odours.

Pros: Sustainably sourced and primarily organic ingredients.
Cons: Small quantity.

Review: "Keeps hard-working feet smooth and refreshed when massaged into the skin at bedtime. Definitely revitalises and softens. A real treat for your feet."

Best foot cream for moisturising effects
L'OCCITANE Shea Butter Foot Cream 150ml
Price: $30.00
Alternative retailers
Sephora$30.00View offer
Ulta$30.00View offer
Macy's$30.00View offer
Nordstrom$30.00View offer

L'Occitane is a luxury brand that creates high-quality products that guarantee good results, and this shea butter foot cream is no different. Nourishing and softening, this cream is made from anti-Inflammatory Arnica Extract to help reduce redness and irritation, moisturising shea butter and calming and cooling lavender and mint essential oils.

Pros: Luxurious feel, lovely scent and highly rated.
Cons: High-end product and price.

Review: "Expensive but an absolutely lovely foot cream; you don’t need much as a little goes a long way. The consistency is thick but very smooth to put on, leaving feet feeling very soft and nourished. I would recommend it."

Best food cream for dry rough skin (Editor's choice)

Excellent value and made from an impressive ingredients list, this foot cream has a rich, but non-greasy formula that is perfect for repairing rough and dry skin. The essential ingredients in this product are Ceramides which defend against dryness and itching, salicylic acid sheds away dead skin cells, and hyaluronic acid replenishes rougher areas with hydrating properties, leaving your feet soft and cared for.

Pros: Excellent ingredients that quickly fix skin.
Cons: High-end product and price.

Review: "Expensive but an absolutely lovely foot cream; you don’t need much as a little goes a long way. The consistency is thick but very smooth to put on, leaving feet feeling very soft and nourished. I would recommend it."

Best foot cream for scent
Burt's Bees Coconut Moisturising Foot Cream
Price: $25.99
Alternative retailers
Walmart$21.28View offer

If you love the smell of coconut, this rich formula will make your feet feel silky smooth to the touch. Made from soothing coconut oil and rosemary extracts, this foot cream helps moisturise dry skin and restores and refreshes the bottom of your feet and heels.

Pros: Travel size and smells great.
Cons: No bee products despite Burt's Bees' signature.

Review: "This was recommended to me to prevent problems between the toes, when your feet get very hot. It is Brilliant! A little dab a day between the toes keeps your spaces soft but dry. Best I have come across, well recommended."

Best foot cream for extremely cracked skin

If you are looking for a remedy to repair cracked feet, this cream is made up of 10 per cent urea and ceramide formula that helps the skin absorb and retain moisture. It has a balm-like texture, so you will need to wear socks, or you could slip over if you’re on your feet. After just two days, reviewers have seen a difference, but just like everything - consistent use equates to better results.

Pros: Works effectively after a few uses.
Cons: It has a balm texture which may not be everyone's preference.

Review: "I bought this because I read online about urea cream being great for dry heels, and in just two days, my heels are so soft and smooth. I put this cream on twice daily and use a foot file to remove dead skin. I can’t wait to see how great my feet will be after a week of using this."

Best foot cream for organic ingredients

This organic all-natural overnight foot cream is made from sesamum indicum seed oil, panthenol, carbamide, glycerin and almond oil, which quickly absorbs into your skin, leaving a greasy, sticky residue over. It will leave your feet soft and nourished. Meanwhile, natural lactic acid helps to file away dead skin cells, giving you sandal-ready feet. Plus, it has a cooling effect on tired feet from the menthol and eucalyptus - perfect after long days of walking.

Pros: Clean ingredients and no need to wear socks with it when sleeping.
Cons: High-end price.

Review: "I’ve tried many foot creams in the past, I’m on my feet all day at work, and this is amazing, better than anything I've tried. I got this in my subscription box and have now bought the full-size product."

Best foot cream for senstive skin and calluses

If you struggle to get rid of hard skin, this formula from the French skincare brand will quickly get to work on eliminating corns and calluses in seven days. XERIAL is a urea-based skincare range made particularly for dry, rough, peeling or flaking skin. If you are looking for specialised skincare, this brand knows what they are doing. Do you have sensitive skin? This formula contains no parabens and no fragrance, so it will not irritate you.

Pros: Works on skin calluses on hands and elbows too.
Cons: Intense for mild cases.

Review: "I think this is the best foot cream I have ever used. A little dab is very effective and goes a long way. It is so effective on corns that I can cut out trips to the chiropodist. The only slight issue is that you must carefully dispense the cream from the tube. It is very thin and, if you are not careful, you will get too much."

Best foot cream for tired and aching feet

After a long day on your feet, this cream from Clarins is rich, non-oily and will rapidly absorb into your skin to restore softness and suppleness to your feet. It’s made with antifungal arnica extract, which is an essential element in homoeopathic medicine for relieving swelling and tired feet and luxurious shea butter and cashew nut oil for extra softness.

Pros: High-quality ingredients.
Cons: High-end price.

Review: "Wonderful refreshment for tired feet, especially in the summer when feet are drier. I use it daily and it has made a big difference!"

Best budget foot cream for aches

If the Soap & Glory iconic scent is your thing, then this delightful smelling formula will give you pedicure-worthy feet and buff away any hard skin. Made with allantoin, macadamia oil, menthol, bilberry, orange and lemon fruit acid, this cream will leave your feet hydrated and nourished.

Pros: Lovely scent and good value.
Cons: Budget price but not high-quality ingredients.

Review: "I find this product to be easy to use and very effective if used regularly. My feet feel soft and cared for."

Our verdict

Depending on what skin condition you are looking to treat will indicate what product is best. Our favourite all round product is the powerhouse CeraVe SA renewing foot cream, which works at soothing and revitalising cracked heels and problematic skin, leaving your feet soft and cared for.

If you are looking for a foot cream that purely moisturises your skin, then L'OCCITANE Shea Butter Foot Cream is made from high-quality, deeply hydrating ingredients that will leave your feet silky smooth. If you have sensitive skin to more severe conditions, our favourite foot cream to banish more stubborn calluses is the SVR xérial 50 extreme foot cream.

Top tips on getting feet ready for the summer

Charlotte Vøhtz, the founder of Green People, gave us top tips on how to get your feet feeling smooth and nurtured for the summer and year-round.

Step 1. Remove the hard skin from your feet using a pumice stone or diamond dust file

Step 2. Soak feet in a bowl of warm water for about ten minutes to soften the skin (add half a cup of Epsom salts or five drops of essential oil of your choice - this helps draw out toxins from the body, sedates the nervous system, reduces swellings and relaxes muscles. It is also an excellent natural emollient and exfoliator too).

Step 3. Apply a hard-working exfoliating cream to gently massage feet and remove dry, hardened skin. Pay particular attention to the heels, side of the feet and big toe area.

Step 4. Rinse feet with warm water and then dry thoroughly, especially between the toes.

Step 5. Massage your feet with a rich foot cream such as Green People’s Deodorising Prebiotic Foot Cream - a nourishing and deodorising, cooling foot cream with Prebiotics and Peppermint to smooth and soothe the skin. Apply before bed and wear clean cotton socks overnight. Wake up to reveal fabulous feet you won’t want to keep under wraps.

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