How do you look after your feet?

[GrumpetLikesCrumpets]

I'm nearly 40, and I've never been a person who treats myself to mani/pedicures, and so, shock horror, I don't have beautifully soft manicured feet. ...just a bit of pretty nail polish and a hope that nobody is going to look too closely !

Recently I noticed I've got a few small corns on my feet, and dry and sometimes cracked heels. I use a pumice stone type thing to file down my feet (sorry, gross, but I know I can't be the only one who does this) in the bath, but that is a bit of a random event.

What does everyone else do to keep the soles of their feet in good condition? And what should I do re the corns- get some of those plasters, or do I need a chiropodist?

Brush with a long handled brush in the shower.

Use a Newton's chiropody sponge which is better than anything else I've used for hard skin/corns.

Moisturiser and paint my toe nails

You need a decent heel balm and foot moisturiser. Preferably something designed for feet as they are often richer and can penetrate through thicker skin. This should be applied after rasping, and also every other night before bed.

You need to keep on top of rasping feet - once a week should be sufficient.
If you're on your feet a lot, you might want to get some insoles for your shoes to prevent the pressure from building up so quickly.

I use a scholl electric thingy once a week, which gets rid of the hardest skin. Then use a pumice in the shower every day and moisturise with flextitol once or twice a day. Keeps them soft. I'm prone to very hard, dry, cracked skin on my feet and even a few days of slacking and they start getting dry and crusty.

Goodness I've never done anything like those things and my feet are fine. You don't HAVE to do anything, OP, unless your feet have ishoos.

Those newtons chiropody sponges look good- I've been looking for ages for something that will help me always be flip flop ready. I do use foot moisturising cream but I walk a lot and my feet need some love.

I use the scholl diamond pedi and use cream after. My DP likes doing my feet so he normally does it for.

I slough my hard bits of sole/back of big toe etc. with a nail file from Boots and then daily after the shower I pop some moisturing foot cream into my soles to stop build up of hard skin. I paint my toe nails every few weeks and cut the nails whenever I realise they are too long!

I also go to the podiatrist now and again as I have a recurring corn as I have it under my foot so it keeps returning. The podiatrist told me foot cream won't work effectively at night unless it is immediately after a shower so that is why I put the cream on in the mornings now.

Are those electric scholl thingies good?
They are quite expensive, but I am tempted ( and will buy) if the wisdom of MN recommends.
I tend use S&G foot file, occasional flexitol and lashings of body cream.
Still a it hoofy on times though.

Bit

I use a micropedi, its quite theraputic to see all the skin coming off.

yes they are really good but you need to keep on top of it and do a few times a week. They're expensive but they go on offer sometimes

When they feel like they need sorting out I use a pumice foot scrub in the shower, and Body Shop peppermint foot cream before bed.

I've got dry feet and if I don't sort them out regularly they quickly dry out and the heels crack.

In just one session with this my feet go from horrible dry troll's feet to smooth and lovely. I've tried pedi egg, the scholl thing, another highly recommended and expensive roller thingy, the Soap and Glory rasp etc and this beats them all hands down.

I do notice that it becomes a bit blunt and needs replacing now then, maybe once a year.

I recommend Scholl cracked heel repair cream over Flexitol as it doesn't stink of sheeps lanolin and old lady fly spray perfume like Flexitol, and it is just as good if not more effective.

As a general daily foot moisturiser once you've got on top of things, Soap and Glory Heel Genius is lovely and refreshing, sort of like a cream gel texture, it soaks in nicely and leaves a lovely smell that lasts. You can use it on your whole foot.

Micro Pedi that was it, tried that too, found the micro plane one I linked to much more effective and quick.

I had appalling feet for years. A combination of everything from hard skin, dry skin, cracks where it became painful to walk and raggy toe nails.
Unbelievably I now have feet I am proud of!
I go to a chiropodist ( who say that my feet make her work hard for the money) about every6 weeks. I have a full treatment followed by a pedicure with gel nails.
I use Lipidro cream every night.
The difference is outstanding!

However much I moisturise I always see to have papery dry feet the day after. Even when I lash thick cream on so thick it stays white, then put socks on and leave it overnight.

Don't know why they are SO dry, when the rest of me is dryish, but fine with lotion every other day when I remember

Thanks everyone you've given me lots of ideas to try but i think the main thing ive realised is that i need to maintain my feet more than once a week . Its also goid to know that its not just me!

I do use a foot cream but at night rather than after a shower so I'll try after a shower too. My heels are dry and cracked at rhe moment-so painful. Ive got an electric Scholl thingy Tootyfilou, and i do find it good, but agree with others who say its important to use it frequently. I probably manage about once a week at the moment - i have a new baby and still adjusting to the minimal me time, but i think ive learnt my lesson with neglecting my feet. I think I'm also going to invest in the(bit scary looking) foot grater that LaFlaneuse suggested to get things back on track.

Grumpet if you do try the microplane 'grater', go gently at first. I didn't realise how effective it was and ended up with sore feet a couple of times at first. It's easy to overdo it especially if you have cracked heels at the moment. I'd give them a gentle once over and then put cream on overnight, you can always do a bit more the next day if its not enough.