Monsoons and winters are tough for people who suffer from cracked feet. When your foot skin becomes dry and thick, the skin starts cracking. Also, sometimes it happens due to extra pressure on your heels.  

Reasons: 

• Wearing heels, wedges, and sandals 
• Taking hot baths 
• Using harsh soaps 
• Dry and cold winter 
• Standing for a long time. 

Fastest and effective ways to heal cracked heels: 

Your home kitchen is the dispensary for all minor and major issues; footcare is definitely not an exception. We are all aware of the grandma tips of skincare from our childhood. Most of the '80s and '90s born can relate to this. So, let's time travel and look at all those tips with a modern twist.  

Homemade pedicure: 

It's not always possible to go to the salon or book an appointment. So, does that mean your skin will suffer until your next spa date? Well, that's quite bizarre and harmful for your skin health too. Instead, bring the spa-like experience home with a homemade pedicure session. Most ingredients are available in your home and need no extra effort.  

What you need: 

• A tub of warm soapy water  
• A handful of marbles 
• 100 ml seed oil (choose according to your skin type) 
• 500 ml of full-fat milk 
• Few rose petals 

• Neem leaves 
• 5 drops of geranium and sandalwood oil 
• 2 tsp wheatgerm oil 

While the list looks a little high, the procedure is effortless: 

1. Mix all the ingredients in the soap water and soak your feet for 20 minutes. 
2. Use a pumice stone and scrub your cracked heels in a circular motion. 
3. Wash your feet properly, pat dry, and apply moisturizer afterwards.  

Benefits: 

• Milk is an exfoliating agent 
• Neem leaves have anti-bacterial properties 
• Rose petals give a luxurious and relaxing effect 
• Sandalwood oil contains an anti-viral property that removes germs and bacteria  
• Wheatgerm oil boosts collagen production and softens your feet 

Sea salt and oatmeal scrub: 

What you need: 

• 1 cup of oatmeal 
• 100 ml almond oil 
• 100 ml sea salt 
• 100 gms honey 
• 100 gms rice powder 
• 100 gms juniper oil (not mandatory) 
• 10 drops of peppermint oil 

It's a simple process to make this scrub, and you can also use it once a day before taking a bath.  

1. Mix all the ingredients in an airtight jar and store it.  
2. Use a loofah and scrub the mixture on your cracked feet before taking a bath.  
3. While using this scrub, you have to oil your feet every night. You can use Dr Foot's plant-based cracked heel repair oil. This oil is enriched with lavender oil, sesame oil, coconut oil, eucalyptus oil, tulsi, neem, turmeric, etc. It has no parabens or chemicals, so it will leave no side effects on your skin.  

Benefits: 

• Oatmeal removes dirt and exfoliates the skin 
• Almond oil prevents fungal infection 
• Sea salt rejuvenates sore feet 
• Honey is enriched with anti-oxidant and anti-fungal properties 
• Rice powder helps scrub off the dead skin cells 

Oiling your foot: 

This is one of the negligible but effective ways to heal foot cracks. You can use a mixture of 2 tsp of olive oil, almond oil, and castor oil and massage it every night on your feet; ensure to focus on the cracks. If you have a knack for using an essential oil, you can use tea tree essential oil, and in the base, you can add any carrier oil (preferably coconut oil). Wear cotton socks at night to lock the nourishment on the skin.  

Benefits: 

Olive oil: 

• Eases foot pains 
• Improves blood circulation 
• Regulates sleep cycle 

Almond oil: 

• Powerful antifungal agent; prevents fungal build-up 
• Moisturizes skin 
• Mix with foot cream to get rid of dry foot 

Castor oil: 

• Hydrates the skin 
• Rich in vitamins; fades the appearance of foot cracks 
• Provides soft feet in winters 

Banana foot masks: 

Banana is one of the nutritious fruits that has an abundance of vitamins and minerals. It is rich in potassium, vitamin A, B6, and C. In addition, it hydrates your skin and boosts skin elasticity. 

What you need: 

2 ripe bananas 

To make this foot mask: 

1. Mash two ripe bananas into a smooth paste. Avoid unripe bananas; the acid is not beneficial for the skin. 
2. Put some vegetable oil, if possible, to add some extra nourishment. 
3. Let it stay for 20 minutes and rinse it with water. Make sure there are no banana residues left.  
4. Repeat this process for at least 2 weeks before sleeping.  

Benefits: 

• Natural moisturizing effect 
• Treats dry and cracked heels 
• Improves skin elasticity 

Lime+Sugar, a quick fix: 

Lemon is full of antioxidants, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. Lime consists of vitamin C that heals your cracked foot and cleanses the dirt stuck in those cracks.  

What you need: 

• Half a lemon  
• 3 tsp of sugar 

It's a 5-minute daily routine that anyone can follow. 

• Dip half the lemon in the sugar. 
• Scrub the heals until the granules are melted in your skin.  
• Let it dry and wash off; make sure it doesn't feel sticky. 

Benefits: 

• Rejuvenates your skin 
• Lightens skin tone 
• Removes dead cells 
• Exfoliate the feet