Hot Tip: These Hydrating Foot Creams Are a *Must* for Sandal Season (2024)

The Gehwol Lipidro Cream is the perfect everyday foot cream and a favorite of Medi Pedi founder Marcela Correa, who says it's "excellent for balancing the natural moisture levels of the skin." That's thanks to its ultra-moisturizing ingredient list, which includes urea, glycerin, and avocado oil. "The cream is ideal for preventing dryness and maintaining soft, smooth feet," Correa adds.

• Key ingredients: Avocado oil, urea, allantoin
• Fragrance: Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "I have the worst feet on the planet. This is the only product that works for me. I use the salve and the cream. A must for crusty feet!!!"

Correa recommends looking for the ingredient urea, a natural moisturizing factor, in foot creams because it retains moisture. This intensive cream not only contains urea but is also formulated with salicylic acid, which exfoliates dry skin and can help get rid of dead skin buildup. Plus, testers say they've seen results fast, so you'll be saying goodbye to cracked heels in no time.

• Key ingredients: Urea, salicylic acid, vitamin E
• Fragrance: No added fragrance, but smells lightly of tea tree oil

Glowing Customer Review: "Sounds too good to be true, but this stuff is worth the money! My heels are always dry and look like they are cracked. No matter what I did—pedicures, lotions, paraffin dips—no results lasted. I've been using this for a week now, once nightly, and the skin on my heels is pink, moisturized, and soft. I'm not embarrassed putting on flip flops now! It is sticky and has a slight minty smell, and you only need a tiny bit. Love this stuff!"

When your feet need a deep treatment, try putting on Dr. Scholl's Dry, Cracked Foot Repair cream before bed. This will allow the malic and lactic acid-packed formula to exfoliate any rough, dry spots overnight. The lotion also contains lanolin, which, according to Correa, will "help heal and regenerate the skin," so your feet should feel nice and refreshed after use.

• Key ingredients: Urea, malic acid, lactic acid
• Fragrance: Yes, unspecified
  

Glowing Customer Review: "I have tried a lot of lotions for my feet. This one keeps my feet moisturized and smooth. It healed the cracks within days. I use it every day, and it's not greasy."

AmLactin's Foot Repair Cream is a standout thanks to its high concentration of lactic acid, a gentle exfoliator that also acts as a hydrator. It's a great pick for those dealing with rough, dry skin build-up, and even works on calluses.

• Key ingredients: Lactic acid, petrolatum
• Fragrance: No added fragrance

Glowing Customer Review: "My heels had some deep, painful cracks from dryness. I exfoliate regularly, but I could never keep moisture locked in, so my heels always looked dry and gross. I wore this lotion with socks to bed for about a week and noticed a difference in just a couple of days. Now that I have 'healed' my heels, I will use this about once or twice a week to keep them soft. Great product, and I highly recommend it."

If you have dry heels or calluses, try a cream with exfoliants. This foot treatment contains salicylic and malic acid, which work together to gently exfoliate the skin. These ingredients, coupled with the treatment's thick, heavy consistency, might make it a bit too intense for everyday, allover use. That said, those same properties make it ideal for specified spot treatments on thick, dry patches. Combine this with a moisturizing lotion, and you've got a winning combo.

• Key ingredients: Urea, salicylic acid, malic acid
• Fragrance: None

Glowing Customer Review: "I bought Foot Rescue because I had some cracks on my heels and some calluses on the side of my feet next to my big toe. After two uses, I saw tremendous improvement in the texture of the skin on my feet. They look and feel the softest they've been in years! Another benefit I noticed was that this stuff completely got rid of my foot odor!"

There is no skincare multitasker quite like the Aquaphor healing ointment. I use it on pretty much everything, from chapped lips and dry elbows to scratches and scars—and, of course, my feet. I love the Healing Balm Stick because of its mess-free application. Plus, the stick form lets me use it for targeted application, so I can just hit dry spots that need a little TLC.

• Key ingredients: Petrolatum, avocado oil, panthenol
• Fragrance: None

Glowing Customer Review: "I have some seriously dry heels and this bar has been the reason why those cracks have gone away. If you have dry and cracked heels, then buy this and let it change your life—and feet."

I love Curél moisturizers because, in my experience, they absorb really quickly, so you don't get any of that heavy, sticky feel you might get from heavier lotions. Curél's foot therapy cream is no exception. It's packed with hydrators like shea butter and olive fruit oil, but absorbs well and doesn't feel greasy.

• Key ingredients: Shea butter, urea, olive fruit oil
• Fragrance: Slight fragrance

Glowing Customer Review: "I'm a lotion snob. I've tried SO many lotions—small business, dermatologist recommended, drugstore, you name it. This is one of my favorites that I've ever tried! I've been using it on my feet and my hands for over a week and they are so soft and smooth. The lotion is thick, but absorbs super well and leaves your skin feeling happy and hydrated."

The thick Beauty Butter cream is made with shea butter, jojoba seed oil, and baobab oil—all rich hydrators that will transform your dry feet. It also comes in a handful of to-die-for scents, making it a great option for people who want to treat themselves with a little foot massage after a long day.

• Key ingredients: Shea butter, jojoba seed oil, baobab oil
• Fragrance: Ugandan Vanilla and Ethiopian Honey (also available in Egyptian Lavender and Moroccan Mint, Kenyan Hibiscus and Moroccan Rose, Moroccan Blue Tansy and Egyptian Blue, and Nigerian Lemongrass and South African)

Glowing Customer Review: "I've been using the butter on my dry, cracked feet for the past month and the results have been stunning. The issues I've had with my feet from dryness to flakes have cleared in a way I've never seen before. My feet look healthier and I feel more confident to go and get a pedicure and show my feet out in the world now!"

If your main concern is keeping your feet nice and moisturized, look no further. This lotion is absolutely packed with hydrating ingredients, including cocoa seed butter, mango seed butter, shea butter, and sunflower seed oil. To top it all off, the lotion uses petrolatum, an occlusive that locks in all the hydrating ingredients.

Even with all of those moisturizing factors, testers say the lotion is fast-absorbing and doesn't feel too heavy on the skin. In fact, the peppermint oil in the the lotion should give you a nice cooling sensation.

• Key ingredients: Petrolatum, cocoa seed butter, shea butter
• Fragrance: Peppermint

Glowing Customer Review: "This foot cream is like magic for dry, cracked heels. The rich cocoa butter formula deeply hydrates and nourishes even the driest skin, leaving my feet incredibly soft and smooth after just one use. It's the perfect solution for anyone dealing with rough, parched heels."

Foot creams aren't just good for cracked heels and dry skin, they can also be a great way to help soothe tired and overworked feet. The Nourishing Foot Butter from Naturally London does both by including Cupuacu butter and baobab oil, which are both hydrating and known to help soothe inflamed, irritated skin. I also love that this one comes in a jar, so you won't have to struggle to squeeze out a thick lotion from a tube.

• Key ingredients: Cupuacu butter, tocopherol, glycerin
• Fragrance: Lemon ginger

Glowing Customer Review: "A little goes a long way. I use it daily. It goes on smooth and it does not take long to soak into your skin. I can put it on and immediately put on my shoes. The scent isn't overpowering, it's just perfect!"

We can all agree that moisturizing your feet is important, but it's also a huge pain. Thick creams can be difficult to get out of a tube, and when you finally get the product out, it can make a mess. Moisturizing heel sticks are a game-changer for those who want to keep heels soft without getting foot cream everywhere. This heel stick contains shea butter and coconut oil to hydrate and petrolatum to seal in moisture. It'll leave your feet hydrated and smelling like eucalyptus.

• Key ingredients: Petrolatum, shea butter, coconut oil
• Fragrance: Eucalyptus mint

Glowing Customer Review: "I have very dry and cracked heels. Even after a few uses, I have noticed my feet feel softer. I use it after I exfoliate my feet and throw this (non-greasy) puppy on my feet with a pair of socks."

If you have extremely dry feet, Correa says there are three things you want to look for: "hydrating ingredients, a thick consistency, and healing properties." So, look out for ingredients like urea, shea butter, and glycerin, which help maintain moisture, and make sure to get a thick cream to "provide a barrier that helps retain moisture."

According to Correa, there are also ingredients you might want to avoid. Alcohol is a big no-no, as it can be drying, and fragrances and parabens can be irritating to some with sensitive skin types. So make sure you read the ingredient list before you purchase!

If you haven't already been taking care of your feet, then odds are you need an intense hydration moment. To deeply hydrate your feet, Correa recommends incorporating foot care as part of your skincare routine. "Start with a warm foot soak to soften the skin, adding Epsom salts or essential oils for added benefits," Correa says.

"Then, gently scrub your feet with a pumice stone or foot scrub to remove dead skin cells. Apply a thick foot cream or balm immediately after drying your feet, and wear cotton socks overnight to lock in moisture." She recommends doing this routine 2-3 times a week for best results.

Consider why you want to use a foot cream.

Knowing why you want a foot cream is half the battle, as it'll help determine which ingredients you need to look for. While most foot creams will be full of good hydrating ingredients, not all of them will contain actives. For example, if you're looking to exfoliate your feet, you want to look for a formula with salicylic acid or lactic acid. You also want to know which ingredients to avoid. If you have hard calluses or painfully cracked feet, you're going to want to avoid any potential irritants, like added fragrances or harsh exfoliants.

Know your skincare routine.

Knowing yourself and your skincare routine can help you determine what consistency foot cream to look for. Thicker creams are best used at night, when you can give the lotion time to really sink into your skin. But if you prefer to do your foot care in the morning, you're going to want to look for something a bit lighter that absorbs easier, so you're not slipping all over the place.

• Marcela Correa is a medical nail technician and founder and CEO of Medi Pedi NYC, which offers medical pedicures and helps clients treat dry, cracked heels and toenail issues.