I Didn't Think Foot Cream Was Necessary Until I Saw the Power of These 10 Formulas for Myself
I'm going to be honest, up until the mesh shoe trend, my feet were not acquainted with any foot creams. Feet are not my thing, and mine were in pretty bad shape until these dainty little shoes were all over my social feeds, coaxing me to become part of the action. In fact, up until recently, even the word pedicure wasn't in my vocabulary.
After falling in love with mesh shoes, I quickly got to grips with the concept of foot care, despite it being an unsexy beauty category. Through a lot of trial and error, I developed a list of the 10 best foot creams—the ones that made my feet look and feel soft and cared for after their fair share of neglect. In fact, I've found looking after my feet and applying a foot cream to be a lovely moment of self-care, and regular application has really improved the look of mine.
But before we get into my definitive list of the best foot creams, let's take a look at why foot creams are important and what ingredients you should look out for. (Spoiler: Not all are made equal.)
"Regular use of a targeted foot cream plays an essential role in managing xerosis (dry skin) and maintaining the health and resilience of the skin on your feet. The soles—particularly the plantar surface—are prone to dryness because the skin there is thicker and has fewer sebaceous (oil) glands. This makes it especially vulnerable to scaling, cracking and discomfort when it’s not properly hydrated," says Dr Anna Persaud, CEO at This Works.
Foot creams moisturise and hydrate your feet in a plethora of ways, but notably by "increasing skin hydration, reducing transepidermal water loss and helping to restore the lipid barrier", says Dr Persaud.
"Great foot creams blend emollients, humectants, and active ingredients that work together to hydrate, soften and support real skin repair," says Dr Persaud. She advises that you particularly look out for foot creams that contain some of these ingredients—"urea (effective for softening thickened skin); glycerin (a go-to humectant that draws in moisture); betaine (supports moisture retention and defends against environmental stress); Saccharide Isomerate (mimics the skin’s own natural moisturising factors); allantoin (a gentle yet effective ingredient that encourages cell turnover and softens rough skin); and panthenol (hydrates, soothes and supports skin barrier repair). Finally, tamanu oil (calophylluminophyllum seed oil) is a standout ingredient—rich in fatty acids, it’s anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and an antioxidant, which makes it brilliant for cracked or stressed-out skin."
At Who What Wear UK, we know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our editors have tested thousands of products, including skincare, makeup, hair and nails, over the years and work closely with trusted experts—dermatologists, make-up artists and leading industry insiders—to ensure every guide is well-researched, inclusive and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they’re affordable favourites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how and what we’d truly recommend to a friend.
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