Need a scrubbier scrub
December 18, 2019 11:54 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for an exfoliating scrub that is rough and effective.
My feet are rough and calloused so in addition to using a pumice stone about once a week I have also been trying an exfoliating scrub. I tried one from Brooklyn Botany that was OK but not amazing. It was not as rough as I would like, it made my skin feel a little greasy so I didn't like using it anywhere else on my body, and it seemed to be water based so a lot of the product would just fall off my skin onto the shower floor.
I would appreciate any recommendations for more effective scrubs. The rougher the better. Thanks!
My feet are rough and calloused so in addition to using a pumice stone about once a week I have also been trying an exfoliating scrub. I tried one from Brooklyn Botany that was OK but not amazing. It was not as rough as I would like, it made my skin feel a little greasy so I didn't like using it anywhere else on my body, and it seemed to be water based so a lot of the product would just fall off my skin onto the shower floor.
I would appreciate any recommendations for more effective scrubs. The rougher the better. Thanks!
Have you tried just increasing the frequency with which you use the pumice? I go to town on my feet almost every day, and that keeps the calluses at bay. I can tell the difference if I skip a couple. I've also been tempted to try a Korean Baby Foot treatment, but haven't yet.
posted by kate4914 at 12:27 PM on December 18, 2019
posted by kate4914 at 12:27 PM on December 18, 2019
It’s far more than a scrub, but have you considered a Baby Foot treatment?
It’s a pretty intense exfoliator that you apply by wearing little booties that contain the treatment lotion for about 30 min (it works extra well if you have soaked your feet or taken a bath/shower before) and then it takes about a week to peel off a lot of the extra skin, but the result is pretty dramatic.
posted by quince at 12:29 PM on December 18, 2019 [6 favorites]
It’s a pretty intense exfoliator that you apply by wearing little booties that contain the treatment lotion for about 30 min (it works extra well if you have soaked your feet or taken a bath/shower before) and then it takes about a week to peel off a lot of the extra skin, but the result is pretty dramatic.
posted by quince at 12:29 PM on December 18, 2019 [6 favorites]
Foot cream with urea, the higher the % the better. Makes a significant difference to how rough feet are.
posted by koahiatamadl at 12:35 PM on December 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by koahiatamadl at 12:35 PM on December 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
Scrubs are weak sauce compared to actual scraping tools for this job. Use it at the end of a shower or bath, or if you really want to get at it, soak in warm bath-salty water for 30-45 minutes first.
Babyfoot is good (I like the TonyMoly brand foot peel myself), but it isn't going to remove a hard rind of callous on your heel.
posted by Lyn Never at 12:35 PM on December 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
Babyfoot is good (I like the TonyMoly brand foot peel myself), but it isn't going to remove a hard rind of callous on your heel.
posted by Lyn Never at 12:35 PM on December 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
My pedicurist actually swears by using the scraping tools on dry feet and I've had better results that way. Follow up with a foot file because the scraper will leave torn fragments of callus.
(I have also known someone who used a drill with a sanding attachment on his heels. I use him as inspiration to keep up with my own foot pampering regularly enough to avoid that dire a situation.)
posted by I claim sanctuary at 12:45 PM on December 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
(I have also known someone who used a drill with a sanding attachment on his heels. I use him as inspiration to keep up with my own foot pampering regularly enough to avoid that dire a situation.)
posted by I claim sanctuary at 12:45 PM on December 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
You definitely need a cream with urea or some other exfoliating acid to help with this - scrubbing alone will not do the job.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:46 PM on December 18, 2019
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:46 PM on December 18, 2019
All the exfoliating scrubs I have enjoyed using over the years have become progressively less scrubby within the past 3-4 and it's very frustrating. These days for foot calluses I just use that horrible foot cheese grater thing and try not to think of all the foot dust I am inhaling. It works best after a bath and with a bit of soap as a grating lubricant.
posted by poffin boffin at 3:11 PM on December 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by poffin boffin at 3:11 PM on December 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
I just want to echo... if you've never done Baby Feet, it's pretty gross and awesome and amazing. Your calluses will build back up over time, but you get to start with soft feet, and it's easier to maintain them that way. Cold weather is a great time of year to do it (because your skins peels off!).
posted by bluedaisy at 3:12 PM on December 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by bluedaisy at 3:12 PM on December 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
You can grind up adzuki beans in a coffee grinder and add water or aloe juice to make a rough paste. (Note however that I'm also a BabyFoot convert.)
posted by cocoagirl at 4:49 PM on December 18, 2019
posted by cocoagirl at 4:49 PM on December 18, 2019
also, sea salt or sugar made into a paste with oil.
posted by runincircles at 5:28 PM on December 18, 2019
posted by runincircles at 5:28 PM on December 18, 2019
I find pumice stones don't work that well, but I agree with Lyn Never that foot files work very well. I have a Microplane one and it works very well.
posted by Lycaste at 6:51 PM on December 18, 2019
posted by Lycaste at 6:51 PM on December 18, 2019
So, here are the things to get you pretty feet:
posted by jadepearl at 12:12 AM on December 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
- babyfoot. You need to optimize the process by soaking your feet at night in water to help speed the peeling process. Babyfoot is gross but amazing but it is the first step in a longer process.
- soaking your feet in cuticle remover/softener laced water and use what pedicurists use, synthetic pumice blocks like these here . See if you can get salon sized jugs of cuticle remover than you can do your soaks pretty inexpensively.
- after each soak with the remover and pumicing your softened calluses follow up with straight petroleum jelly mixed with some other moisturizer with dimethicone to help things soak in and wear socks. That's right, socks at night.
- you want to go hardcore with the texture and moisturizing? Be sure to include some snail cream in the regimen and if you want Cerave night time cream for the ceramides and hyaluronics.
posted by jadepearl at 12:12 AM on December 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
I'm surprised nobody mentioned the filing machine kind of like you see when they give pedicures. I bought one of those and its so much better than trying to file with one of those foot files...
posted by catspajammies at 6:17 AM on December 19, 2019
posted by catspajammies at 6:17 AM on December 19, 2019
In addition to the foot-grater, I use nail clippers to take off thick calluses on the ends of my toes. I was worried about the foot-cutting potential of both of these, but it's amazing how thick the skin can get. Use a file to smooth it out after. My foot grater instructions specifically said to do it on dry skin, probably to make it difficult to sand off too much.
+1 thick lotion and socks at night, ideally after a shower/soak
posted by momus_window at 8:58 AM on December 19, 2019
+1 thick lotion and socks at night, ideally after a shower/soak
posted by momus_window at 8:58 AM on December 19, 2019
The Tonymoly foot peel is like a third of the price of the actual Baby Foot one. I've used both more than once and I prefer the Tonymoly one. (Once it was even on sale at Ulta and I got it for $5.)
posted by fiercecupcake at 9:55 AM on December 19, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by fiercecupcake at 9:55 AM on December 19, 2019 [2 favorites]
A foot "cheese grater" will do a better job on your rough patches than any scrub. Plug the tub while you shower so you can passively soak your feet, then grate your heels, then slather in vaseline while still damp, then put on socks. Every day for a week and then once or twice a week forever. Magic!
posted by nouvelle-personne at 1:11 PM on December 20, 2019
posted by nouvelle-personne at 1:11 PM on December 20, 2019
« Older Recipe filter: eggs baked in (but not baked eggs) | Be My Jeans Genies for Pocketses Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 12:23 PM on December 18, 2019 [1 favorite]