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Heal Cracked Heels With A DIY Exfoliating Foot Mask | Skin Actives

Heal Cracked Heels With A DIY Exfoliating Foot Mask | Skin Actives

Posted by Dr. Hannah Sivak and Brendan Leonard on Jul 24th 2020

Cracked Heels are No Fun!

Cracked heels are more than just unsightly, they are unhealthy too! Maybe you are struggling with this concern. 

Let’s get started with the basics:

The soles of human feet lack sebaceous glands and, The skin in this area is, by necessity, very thick.

Thicker skin that produces no sebum will tend to crack, given time. 

Cracked soles can lead to a whole host of problems. Most immediately, they can be painful. If you let this problem go without correcting it, inflammation and more pain will ensue. There is an increased likelihood of infection because the skin barrier is interrupted. The cracks will make it easier for fungus to colonize the area.

3 Steps To Get Healthy Feet!

The process of rehabbing your feet could take a while, and that’s fine. Good things seldom happen overnight. Be patient and kind to yourself, you are trying to heal and be healthy! That’s what’s important. Consider using an exfoliating foot mask to replenish moisture in your cracked heels.

Step 1: Prep Your Feet for Treatment

If your soles are already cracked, don’t go for aggressive abrasion immediately. You need to heal up a bit first!  Instead, try blending together some Pomegranate Seed Oil with Skin Actives Body Cream. Put this combo on in the morning and wear socks to avoid damaging the inside of your shoes. Repeat before bed.

Step 2: Start Exfoliating Cracked Heels

When the cracks are almost gone, you can begin to exfoliate your feet. At this point it’s still not safe to use abrasion on an area that is inflamed and/or cracked, as this could lead to infection.

We have three types of foot exfoliation techniques for you to consider. Take a look at them and pick the one that is right for you!

  1. While taking a bath or after a shower, the skin will be hydrated and easier to abrade. Use a pumice stone or a fine stainless steel foot scrubber. 
  2. Consider trying Skin Actives 15% vitamin C serum instead. 
  3. Use ascorbic acid crystals and massage the soles of your feet with them, when you rinse, they will feel smooth, because you gave them a mini peel. These two methods will give you the gratification of having really smooth feet.

Step 3: Apply Your Exfoliating Foot Mask

After exfoliating, dry your feet thoroughly and apply an Exfoliating Foot Mask. We have the details for you to make your very own Exfoliating Foot Mask below. In the meantime, you’ll need to stay on top of this maintenance routine to keep your feet happy and healthy!

A note on toenails: you don’t need them to grow fast but you need to keep them healthy. Keep them trim but not too short. Remember to round the corners after trimming and use Skin Actives nail care duo.

How To Make An Exfoliating Foot Mask

Alright so, we have another fun weekend DIY project just for you. This exfoliating foot mask recipe will give you everything you need for long term foot health! 

Here’s What You’ll Need:

  • A small spatula or mini-whisk
  • Paper towels to cover the surface where you will work
  • Isopropyl alcohol to sterilize your implements. We recommend using a spray bottle to dispense the alcohol.
  • A small bowl for mixing all your ingredients.
  • Plus a notebook where you will write all the details so, if you are happy with the result of your project, you will be able to duplicate it.

Ingredients:

4 oz. of  Skin Actives Canvas cream 

One tablespoon of  Skin Actives Collagen Serum

Half a teaspoon of Every lipid Serum 

1 tube of Retinyl Acetate

1 oz bottle of Pomegranate Seed Oil. 

Instructions:

Empty the 4 ounces of Canvas Cream into your mixing bowl

Mix in one tablespoon of Collagen Serum.

Add half a teaspoon of Every Lipid Serum. This ingredient is high in vital lipids, so you can adjust to your preference of color and texture.

When these ingredients have been mixed to a good consistency, mix in the tube of Retinyl Acetate. You may want to add it in slowly and not necessarily all at once.

Last, add a teaspoon of pomegranate seed oil. Start with a small concentration because this is another oil on top of the Every Lipid Serum. You want this to come out as a cream, not a serum! Continue adding in pomegranate until you like the consistency!

Do all the mixing at room temperature, no need to refrigerate. Mix well with a spatula or a small whisk until you get an homogeneous cream.

That’s it! Now enjoy!

How It Works

This formula is more than the sum of its parts, but here is how they work together:

The Collagen Serum provides the nutrients your skin needs to follow the instructions given by the retinoid. The epidermal growth factor (EGF), already available in that formulation, complements the instructions.

The Every Lipid Serum provides the lipids you need to strengthen the skin barrier, plus antioxidants.

Retinoids (vitamin A) promote cell renewal.

This is a cream that will work well for your elbows or other skin areas you usually forget about until they start hurting, so don’t be bashful about using it on other parts of the body!

Have fun mixing and enjoy free shipping on standard orders in the US. The ingredients for this recipe on 10% off until 7/28/2020.