The 9 Best Foot Peels to Exfoliate Rough, Calloused Feet, According to Experts
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Despite its massive fan base, Baby Foot isn't the only exfoliator that can bring rough, calloused feet back to life. There are actually three main types of ingredients to look out for in foot peels: chemical exfoliators, skin softeners, and manual exfoliators, according to Joshua Zeichner, MD, the director of cosmetic and clinical research of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
Chemical exfoliators containing alpha and beta hydroxy acids like glycolic, salicylic, and fruit acids, are the most intense option on the market and often come as little booties where you soak your feet in them. "[Alpha and beta] hydroxy acids work by dissolving connections between skin cells, so dead skin can be shed," says Dr. Zeichner. The result? Shedding serious amounts of skin, which explains the dramatic, grossly satisfying photos you've seen Baby Foot reviewers upload.
We're constantly putting pressure on our feet, which is why that skin tends to harden and thicken — and so it's one of the first places to show signs of form of flaking, peeling, and calluses. However, Dr. Zeichner says that calluses are formed as a measure of protection and that removing calluses and dead skin all together might leave your skin more sensitive to its environment.
"The goal should be to have enough of a callous to protect your feet, but not too much that it leaves you with uncomfortable and unpleasant thick skin," Dr. Zeichner says.
In moderation (Dr. Zeichner doesn't recommend a foot peel any more than once every few weeks, though you could use foot masks as often as you wish), the following treatments really do live up to their claims and help restore the skin. All nine of these foot peels are recommended by board-certified dermatologists and podiatrists who stress the importance of regular exfoliation and moisturizing, so your feet stay soft and healthy all year round.
Baby Foot Original Exfoliant Foot Peel
1/9Baby Foot
Baby Foot Original Exfoliant Foot Peel
Ah, the original Baby Foot, beloved by beauty editors and dermatologists alike. Formulated with fruit acids (citric and malic acids) and 17 different natural extracts (grapefruit, sage leaf, and lemon), this gentle peel is lauded as one of the best at-home foot exfoliating options on the market. "In addition to a combination of glycolic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acids, [Baby Foot] also contains moisturizing ingredients," says Sejal Shah, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City.
It's also available in a moisturizing version made with collagen and hyaluronic acid for immediate, deep hydration.
Kocostar Foot Peeling Pack
2/9Kocostar
Kocostar Foot Peeling Pack
Kocostar's Foot Peeling Pack comes with five socks that are loaded with hyaluronic acid to hydrate your feet while the AHAs in it do the exfoliating. Plus, there's orange and lemon oil in it which improves the health of your toenails and makes your nail polish last longer.
Earth Therapeutics Soft & Smooth Gentle Peeling Foot Mask
3/9Earth Therapeutics
Earth Therapeutics Soft & Smooth Gentle Peeling Foot Mask
Yes, the Earth Therapeutics Soft & Smooth Gentle Peeling Foot Mask is also formulated with a similar AHA complex that gently exfoliates away hard calluses but it also has some soothing ingredients in its socks, too. It's enriched with Australian tea tree oil, which will condition and calm your feet as you shed dry, hardened skin.
Patchology PoshPeel Pedi Cure
4/9Patchology
Patchology PoshPeel Pedi Cure
Another favorite of Dr. Shah's, Patchology's PoshPeel Pedi Cure Intensive Foot Peel Treatment is similar to the original Baby Foot. It also contains a blend of AHAs and moisturizing agents (in this case, castor oil and rosemary extract) to remove dead skin buildup and restore softness. This peel also comes with supercute socks to wear during the treatment process, which can last up to 90 minutes, depending on the level of exfoliation you desire.
Beauty Pie Dr Glycolic Soft Feet 7 Day Peel
5/9Beauty Pie
Beauty Pie Dr Glycolic Soft Feet 7 Day Peel
When using Beauty Pie's Dr Glycolic Soft Feet 7 Day Peel, you'll notice results within seven days after use (hence the name). Once you slip the socks off and dry your feet, be sure to avoid moisturizing them for that seven-day period, since it could mess with the glycolic and lactic acids and interfere with the peeling process.
Boscia Fruit Acid Smoothing Foot Peel
6/9Boscia
Boscia Fruit Acid Smoothing Foot Peel
In Boscia's Fruit Acid Smoothing Foot Peel, the blend of AHAs and papaya, orange, apple, and lemon extracts sink into feet to shed away dead skin cells and soften callused skin. We should mention that these socks fit up to size-12 feet, so if your foot is any bigger than that — keep scrolling through.
TonyMoly Foot Peeling Shoes
7/9TonyMoly
TonyMoly Foot Peeling Shoes
True to its name, the Changing Magic Foot Peeling Shoes from K-beauty brand TonyMoly pretty much works magic on dry skin and calluses. It combines a blend of exfoliants (AHAs like lactic acid, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and urea) and natural fruit extracts (from apple, lemon, and grapefruit) to peel off the top layer of skin and reveal smoother feet.
Y. Claire Chang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology in New York City, recommends these peeling shoes. "This combination of ingredients softens and dissolves the keratin proteins and bonds to cause exfoliation and the peeling of the top layers of the skin," she says.
Barefoot Scientist Reboot Revitalizing Foot Peel
8/9Barefoot Scientist
Barefoot Scientist Reboot Revitalizing Foot Peel
After using the Reboot Revitalizing Foot Peel, you too can be a Barefoot Scientist, just with super soft feet. Made with a peeling, AHA-based formula, this one also contains allantoin, a K-beauty ingredient that helps diminish inflammation and improve hydration in the feet.
Aliver Tea Tree Exfoliating Foot Mask
9/9Aliver
Aliver Tea Tree Exfoliating Foot Mask
If consistent exfoliation and silky-soft feet are the goal, Aliver's Tea Tree Exfoliating Foot Mask is a great, budget-friendly option. (You get three pairs for a cool $13.) "The tea tree oil found in this mask has natural anti-inflammatory properties and soothing effects on the skin," Sophia Solomon, MD, a board-certified podiatrist based in New York City, says. Other key ingredients include retinol, glycolic acids, and fruit extracts such as lemon, orange, and apple, which effectively exfoliate the skin.
Pop these on for 30 to 60 minutes, rinse your feet off, and in about five to seven days, your rough, dead skin will start falling off — in the most grossly satisfying way possible. These masks also come in a rose-infused version, if you prefer a sweeter-smelling treatment.
