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Got dry cracked heels?  Let me share with you an easy and inexpensive DIY remedy to soften and sooth your heels and feet.

Dry cracked heels are never fun.  Nor do they look good in your summer sandals.  I’m an outdoor kind of girl, and find myself often with dirty, dry feet.  And I have found a super easy way to keep my heels soft and smooth.

WHAT CAUSES DRY CRACKED HEELS?

Dry cracked heels are a common foot problem and are also called heel fissures.  They are mostly a cosmetic issue, but if left untreated, can progress to more serous cracks that can be painful and can become infected.  Some of the most common causes of dry, cracked heels include:

• dry skin from lack of moisture
• improper foot care
• prolonged standing on hard surfaces
• poor diet
• skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema
• other health conditions like diabetes and thyroid issues
• aging
• being over-weight (increased pressure on fat pad under the heel)

As flip flop season started, and I found myself barefoot in the garden this year, I noticed that my heels were in the need of some love and tenderness.  I did what I always do: googled it.  Seriously, I did!

There are tons of home remedies for dry, cracked heels online from oiling them to waxing them to exfoliating them with all sorts of gritty concoctions.  But I am going to share with you the simplest and quickest way to get your feet looking smooth and beautiful.

Basically it is a vinegar soak for your feet.  The acetic acid in vinegar softens and gently exfoliates the dry skin from your heels. Vinegar is very drying to the skin so please do not apply straight vinegar to your feet.  I like to add a bit of moisturizing oil to my vinegar foot soak.

NOTE:  You will notice that I use a GLASS bowl to soak my feet.  I prefer to stay away from plastic as much as possible.  The bottoms of our feet have over 2000 large pores and easily absorb anything they soak in.  I would be wary to add vinegar to a plastic container as it may leach chemicals in to the water.

The first time I did this vinegar soak, I was amazed at how easily the dry, dead skin came off of my heels.  I repeated the process the next day to get my heels completely smooth and silky.  Now I use this soak once or twice a month if my heels are starting to look dry again.

Easy Home Remedy for Dry Cracked Heels

What You will Need:

• large glass bowl (big enough to fit your feet into)
• very warm water
• white vinegar
• pumice stone, microplane rasp, or foot file
• 1 tbsp of olive oil or fractionated coconut oil

Directions:

1. Fill a the biggest glass bowl that you can find 3/4 full with very warm water.  Add a 1/4 cup of white vinegar and oil of choice.
2. Soak your feet in water for 10-15 minutes.  Then use a pumice or microplane file to gently scrub your heels before you dry.
3. After drying, apply a thick coat of your favorite moisturizing oil or cream and apply clean cotton socks.

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HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR SOFT AND SILKY HEELS

The first thing that I would recommend is to make sure that you are eating a clean, healthy diet with plenty of healthy fats.  Be sure to also stay well hydrated, especially in the hot summer months.  Addressing any underlying health conditions is also important.

Regular foot care also goes a long way in keeping your feet happy and healthy.   Applying a thick coat of good quality oil or moisturizer to clean, dry feet before bed and putting on clean cotton socks is an easy way to prevent dry cracked heels.  My favorite oils to use are the coconut oil and olive oil from my kitchen counter.  Both are extremely nourishing and moisturizing.  I also add a few drops of Lavender and Geranium essential oil to keep my heels soft and smooth.

TIP:  Cut off the toe portion of your cotton socks during the hot summer months to make an easy pair of heel socks for warm weather sleeping.

Here’s to smooth and sexy sandal feet!

xo,

Katja

photo credit:  depositphotos @ lufimorgan

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