The heel of one's foot or sakong is one of the thickest and roughest parts of the skin. This is typically caused by repeated friction and pressure on the foot, which causes it to expand and crack, especially if it lacks moisture. The good news is you don't always need to buy a foot scrub or a foot cream to treat your dry feet—there are effective treatments that can already be found in your skincare routine.
Check out these beauty products that can double as foot treatments for your dry, cracked sakong:
Petroleum Jelly
This multi-purpose beauty product doesn't only double as a lip balm and an eye and lip makeup remover, it can also get rid of the rough texture of your heel. Petroleum Jelly is a sealant, meaning it can help lock in moisture. Dab it on your heel after applying a moisturizing lotion or cream.
TRY: Apollo Petroleum Jelly Protectant, P35.25, Watsons
FN Tip: Wearing cotton socks after applying petroleum jelly can further seal the moisture in—it can prevent staining your sheets, too!
Beauty oils
Nourishing your feet with beauty oils like sunflower oil (which can be found in foot creams!) can keep it from cracking. Add a few drops of oil to your heel, and massage it in for a few minutes before heading to bed. You'll wake up with softer feet!
TRY: Bio Oil, P520/60ml, Watsons and Human Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil, P174.75, Robinson’s Supermarkets, Rustan’s Marketplace and Shopwise
Night cream
Got a tub of night cream that you no longer reach for? If it hasn't expired, why not get the most bang out of your buck and apply it on your feet para sulit? Night creams are typically richer and thicker compared to your daily moisturizer, so they'll do wonders to your dry feet!
Exfoliating toner
To soften thickened skin, exfoliating is a must—and scrubbing your heel with a pumice stone isn't the only way to do it. According to Medical News Today, you can also use products containing keratolytic agents—this includes your alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs)—to gently remove the dead skin buildup on your feet, which causes the skin to feel rough to touch. "This process allows the skin to keep in more moisture," notes Medical News Today.
There are many exfoliating foot creams you can find online, but you can simply repurpose your acid face toners as an alternative. Give your cracked heels a quick sweep before moisturizing!
TRY: Cosrx AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner, P1,180, Beauty MNL
