Everyday wear and tear can put your feet in a dismal (and painful) situation. You may find yourself suffering from cracked heels, calluses, achy feet, or plain old dry skin that no amount of moisturizer could possibly repair.
One way to care for your feet is to regularly exfoliate. Because many of the scrubs you see at the store are riddled with chemicals and plastic microbeads, you might want to consider making your own eco-friendly version at home.
Here, we offer a few homemade salt scrub recipes to help your feet stay soft and callus-free.
Soothing Peppermint Foot Scrub
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Olive or coconut oil
- Few drops of peppermint essential oil
Take one cup granulated sugar and pour into a mixing bowl. Gradually add your favorite olive oil or coconut oil and mix together until you have a slightly wet but grainy consistency. Add a few drops of peppermint essential oil. Transfer the scrub to a pretty bottle and use in the bath or shower to exfoliate, moisturize and soothe sore feet.
Refreshing Lemon Foot Scrub
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup almond or coconut oil
- 6-8 drops of lemon essential oil
Combine sugar and almond oil in a clean, dry bowl and add oil slowly until you have a soft, wet-sand consistency. Add as much lemon essential oil as preferred and work into feet for five minutes before rinsing away in the shower. Your feet will feel like they’ve had a refreshing spa treatment.
Milk Scrub for Cracked Heels
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 5 cups warm water
- 4 tablespoons sugar or salt
- 1/2 cup baby oil
- Pumice stone
- Salicylic acid acne pads
- Favorite thick moisturizer
- Socks
Instructions
- Pour one cup of milk and five cups of warm water in a foot bath tub or large basin and soak your feet for five to 10 minutes.
- In a bowl, pour baby oil and sugar or salt and mix well. Make into a thick paste and apply all over feet, massaging in circular motions.
- Finish with a pumice stone scrub on callused heels.
- Rinse and pat feet dry.
- Rub feet with acne pads, which further exfoliates them.
- Apply a thick moisturizer or petroleum jelly to the bottom of the feet. Put on thick, cozy socks and rest with your feet up for several hours or sleep with the socks on.
Antioxidant-Rich Coffee Scrub
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup ground coffee
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1 tsp real vanilla extract
Instructions
- Warm coconut oil to above 80 degrees Fahrenheit so that it's in liquid form.
- Mix the coffee, coconut oil, and vanilla extract together.
- Wait to add the brown sugar until after the mixture has cooled to prevent it from melting.
- Once all ingredients are combined, massage the mixture into your skin and rinse or wipe clean. If you wipe clean, the coconut oil residue left on skin will keep working.
Moisturizing Coconut Scrub
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup organic virgin coconut oil, solid but soft
- 1 cup white or brown sugar
Instructions
- Warm the coconut oil, if needed, until it can be mashed with a fork but is not yet liquidy.
- Combine the sugar and coconut oil with a fork or, for a lighter consistency, whip it using a stand mixture.
- Apply to skin and rinse or wipe off when finished.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to three weeks.
Vinegar Foot Soak for Achy Feet
Ingredients
- Hot water
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- Epsom salt or sea salt
Instructions
- Fill a foot bath or large basin with hot water, add the vinegar, and mix in a handful of Epsom salt or sea salt.
- Soak feet for 20 minutes.
- Prepare the same mixture using cool water.
- Soak a towel in the cool mixture, squeeze out excess, and wrap it around feet for five minutes. Add essential oils such as lavender, eucalyptus, or grapefruit for an extra-refreshing finish.
- Repeat several times a day to reduce inflammation and relieve achy feet.
Tropical Pineapple and Yogurt Foot Scrub
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fresh pineapple, crushed
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- If you haven't already, crush your pineapple by putting it on your blender's "chopped" setting for 30 seconds. A half-cup crushed is roughly 10% of a medium pineapple.
- Make your sugar scrub by first mixing the yogurt and sugar together, then adding the pineapple.
- Scrub your feet with the mixture for 10 minutes.
- Let sit for another 10 minutes.
- Rinse clean.
Cleansing Baking Soda Foot Soak
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons baking soda
- 3 cups warm water
- Juice of half a lemon
Combine all the ingredients thoroughly and watch the mixture fizz as the baking soda blends with lemon juice. Soak your feet for 10 minutes, then rinse the mixture off well.
Gentle Oatmeal Scrub
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon almond oil
- 1/2-1 teaspoon water
- Brown or white sugar or honey (optional)
Pulse the oats in a blender until finely ground. If you leave some chunks, it will be more of an exfoliant. Add the almond oil and water until desired consistency is reached. Add sugar or honey if desired. To use, massage into wet feet, then rinse and moisturize.
Clay Foot Mask and Soak
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup epsom salts
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons bentonite clay
Dissolve the epsom salts in a basin of hot water. Mix apple cider vinegar and bentonite clay in a separate small plastic or glass dish, using a non-metal spoon. Apply this mixture to your feet and let it dry for 10 minutes. Then place your feet in the basin of hot water and let the clay wash off. Dry, scrub with a pumice stone, and moisturize.