For all the time I spend fussing over different parts of my body (Is my face glowing? Do I smell expensive? What stray hairs did my IPL laser miss?), my feet don’t command nearly the same amount of attention. I’ve tried a lot of the “best” beauty products out there, but as far best foot cream goes—it’s still a major blind spot. My main preoccupation when getting a pedicure is making sure to not choose the wrong color (yellow was a weird choice) but that’s pretty much where my worries end. To no one’s surprise, even with freshly-painted toes, my feet are still dry; against my better judgment, they don’t thrive with neglect!
Our Top Picks
- Best Overall: Eucerin UreaRepair Plus Foot Cream; $14
- Best Softening: Ahava Dead Sea Water Mineral Foot Cream; $24
- Best for Relief: Aveda Foot Relief Moisturizing Creme; $29
- Best for Calluses: AmLactin Foot Repair Cream; $13
- Best Exfoliating: CeraVe Foot Cream with Salicylic Acid; $18
Intent on giving my feet the love they deserve for sandal season, I tried out a variety of formulas to find the most effective treatments, from salves meant to smooth running calluses to gentle exfoliating options for those with flaky, sensitive skin.
Aesthetically pleasing many of these bottles are not (you won’t catch one in the reflection of a bathroom selfie), but what they might lack in Insta-bait packaging, they make up for in instant relief. (Derms also weighed in on what ingredients to look for in a foot cream, and how fast you can heal, dry cracked feet—the not-so-secret secret: regularly moisturizing and patience.) It’s never too late to give your own feet some TLC as well with one the best foot creams, ahead.
In This Story
- What to Look For in a Foot Cream
- How can you heal dry, cracked feet?
- How to get rid of dead skin off your feet?
- Meet the experts
Best Overall: Eucerin UreaRepair Plus Foot Cream
- Why We Love It: The main ingredient in this foot cream is urea, a compound found in the body (if you paid attention in biology class) that draws water in to maintain healthy, moisturized skin. But New Jersey-based board-certified dermatologist Devina Mehta, MD, FAAD, has an even more more specific reason for choosing it: “Urea is a great option for those with sensitive skin,” she explains. “It has mild exfoliating properties, less intense than other chemical exfoliators, but still helps soften and remove dead skin cells.” On top of that, this product has the added benefit of ceramides, which work to repair the skin barrier, helping retain moisture and keep irritants out.
- Key Ingredients: Urea, ceramides, lactic acid
- Size: 100 mL
Best Foot Butter: L’Occitane Shea Butter Foot Balm
- Why We Love It: Think of this foot balm as the antidote to dry, cracked skin. It’s no-fuss; there aren’t any harsh exfoliators in the ingredient list that will leave your skin peeling for days. Instead, it boasts a simple formula that’s safe for even the most sensitive skin types. Mehta agrees, calling it “a great option if you're just looking for hydration without exfoliation.” She highlights the key ingredients: shea butter, vitamin E, allantoin, and vitamin B5, which work together to soothe, soften, and lightly fragrance the skin.
- Key Ingredients: Shea Butter, arnica flower extract, lavender essential oil
- Size: 150 mL
Best Softening: Ahava Dead Sea Water Mineral Foot Cream
- Why We Love It: Ahava’s foot cream features proprietary blend of Osmoter, which features a patented blend Dead Sea-sourced minerals (magnesium, calcium, etc.) that naturally work to soften and exfoliate rough heels and soles. It’s also non-greasy, so you won’t be slipping and sliding around your house after application.
- Key Ingredients: Osmoter, avocado oil, wheat germ oil, witch hazel leaf, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil
- Size: 100 mL
Best For Relief: Aveda Foot Relief Moisturizing Creme
- Why We Love It: If you tore up your feet in uncomfortable heels or went overboard on your last 10-miler (run clubs are apparently the new dating apps, FYI), this cream is praised for its ability to provide relief. The credit goes to its ingredient list, which features exfoliating fruit acids along with jojoba and castor oils to soften and smooth any calluses or dry patches. To top it off, peppermint oil and tea tree oil provide a cooling sensation to soothe sore, tired feet.
- Key Ingredients: Jojoba oil, castor oil, peppermint oil, tea tree oil
- Size: 125 mL
Best Exfoliating: CeraVe Foot Cream with Salicylic Acid
CeraVe
Renewing SA Foot Cream
- Why We Love It: Salicylic acid isn’t reserved solely for exfoliating your face. It can also be used all over your body and on your feet to exfoliate dry skin and keep your soles soft. Dermatologist Carmen Castilla, MD, recommends this cream, adding that “the ceramides contained in this formulation help support the skin barrier.”
- Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, ammonium lactate, ceramides
- Size: 88.7 mL
Best For Calluses: AmLactin Foot Repair Cream
- Why We Love It: If you’ve been neglecting your feet for a while, there’s a good chance they’re rough and dry, with splits, cracks, or calluses. A powerful formula—AmLactin’s features 15% lactic acid—like this one is perfectly safe to use, and Mehta says it’s a go-to recommendation at her clinic. “Lactic acid is a great exfoliator that has natural hydrating properties, thus helping to soften and soothe the skin. It's also fragrance-free, which some may prefer.”
- Key Ingredients: Lactic acid
- Size: 88.7 mL
Best For Cracked Feet: Dr Scholl’s Dry, Cracked Foot Repair Ultra-Hydrating Foot Cream
- Why We Love It: Just what the doctor ordered! This hydrating foot cream provides all-day moisture for dry, cracked skin. It also contains urea, a multi-purpose ingredient Castilla says helps soften and exfoliate thick, dry skin on the feet. Plus, no elbow grease is required–this cream rubs easily into the skin without leaving a greasy residue.
- Key Ingredients: Urea, epsom salt, essential oils
- Size: 3.5 oz
Best Scent: Sol de Janeiro Samba 2-Step Foot Fetish Care
Samba 2-Step Foot Fetish Care
- Why We Love It: Get your feet primed for the beach with this two-step kit from Sol De Janeiro, which includes a foot-smoothing board to buff away dry skin and an easy-to-apply conditioning foot cream for deep hydration. Like all of the brand’s products, expect a delightful fragrance–in this case, a refreshing açaí scent.
- Key Ingredients: Cupuaçu Butter, acai, coconut oil
- Size: 90 mL
Best Hydrating: Dionis Sole Keeper 2-in-1 Goat Milk Foot Care Treatment
- Why We Love It: Fresh goat milk might not be a priority in your diet, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on its benefits. Goat milk is packed with vitamins and nutrients that can help nourish your skin’s microbiome and maintain moisture levels; Dionis uses goat milk in all their products, so you can experience the power of goat milk (plus shea butter and avocado) for super soft feet.
- Key Ingredients: Shea butter, goat milk, avocado
- Size: 4 oz
Best Foot Mask: Knesko Gold Repair Foot Mask
- Why We Love It: While not exactly a cream (semantic), this foot mask is a luxurious treat formulated with a serum of gold, peptides, collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. Mehta is a fan, calling it “a nice weekly treatment to boost hydration, especially during dry months but also in the summer for barefoot backyard or beach days!”
- Key Ingredients: Gold, collagen, elastin, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid
- Size: 16 mL
What to look for in a foot cream
Our feet, despite being the workhorses that carry us everywhere, often get neglected in our skin-care routines. Dr. Castilla offers some key tips for choosing a foot cream: First, opt for a thicker, richer cream for more intense hydration. Second, focus on ingredients that help soften and gently remove dry or thickened skin, like urea, salicylic acid, and lactic acid. To maximize effectiveness, wear socks to bed after application. “Wearing socks to bed traps moisture and allows the cream to penetrate deeper,” explains Dr. Castilla. Finally, look for moisture-locking emollients like shea butter, cocoa butter, or petrolatum to keep your feet feeling soft and pampered.
How can you heal dry, cracked feet?
Regularly moisturizing your feet is the quickest way to heal dry, cracked skin. Often neglected until problems arise, our feet, like all other body parts, need consistent moisture. Mehta explains that repeated friction or pressure on the heels can cause the skin to thicken and harden in response. To avoid this, minimize prolonged standing and ensure your shoes fit well for better foot health.
“It's important to address dry cracks early on,” warns Dr. Mehta. “The deeper they become, the harder they are to treat, the more painful they can be, and the higher the risk of infection.”
