Sandal season is upon us, but if you’re embarrassed by the state of your feet after a winter hiding in shoes, trainers and boots - we’re here to help.
Whether it’s unwanted dry skin, thick hard calluses, or cracked heels that are putting you off showing off your tootsies, there is now an abundance of hard skin removers that will put a spring back in your step.
What is hard skin?
Hard skin, also known as calluses, are usually thick patches of rough dead skin, sometimes yellowish, on the feet, heels or toes. It forms as a response to friction or pressure, so some of the common causes can be ill-fitting shoes, cardio workouts or long periods on your feet. Yet, there are also underlying medical conditions that cause hard skin build up, so seek expert podiatry advice or speak to your GP if you’ve seen a change in your feet.
How can I prevent hard skin build-up?
Not only does hard skin look unsightly, but it can become uncomfortable to walk on, especially if it starts to crack. Taking steps to prevent it from occurring in the first place is key. It may sound obvious, but make sure your footwear fits properly.
If you have a long day on your feet, make sure your footwear is comfortable or try insoles for cushioning and if you’re running wearing thick socks can help. So will treating your feet to moisture with a hard-working, dedicated foot cream daily.
How do I remove hard skin at home?
Removing hard skin is now easier than ever thanks to a wide selection of products that can slough away the dead skin and are safe to use at home. Tough, stubborn calluses will need the help of a foot file that comes in manual form great for precision, as well as electrical – handy for speed and ease of use. Alternatively, there are exfoliating options like creams, sprays and socks that contain chemical exfoliants that are better suited to dry, rough or cracked skin or can be used in conjunction with foot files for even better results.
To help you show your feet some love (they deserve it for carrying us around all day), we’ve rounded up the best beauty editor-approved hard skin removers, so you can get pedi-ready for your slides to slingbacks and every summer footwear in-between…
Best hard skin removers at a glance:
- Best value electric foot file: Scholl file and smooth 2in1 electronic foot file - £26.66, Boots
- Best luxury electric foot file: Silk’n VacuPedi Electric Callus Remover - £69, Silk’n
- Best precision foot file: Margaret Dabbs London Professional Foot File - £26, lookfantastic
- Best for callus softening: Mii remove and smooth callus peel - £25, Sephora
- Best glass foot file: Glowxie Glass Foot File - £19.95, Glowxie
- Best in-shower hard skin remover: Tweezerman Sole Smoother Antibacterial Callus Stone - £18, Beauty Bay
- Best foot peel socks: Footner Exfoliating Socks - £9.99, Boots
- Best hard skin remover cream: Flexitol rescue hard skin and callus balm - £5.49, Amazon
- Best for cracked heels: CCS Cracked Heel Repair - £4.91, Superdrug
- Best hard skin removing kit: Footlogix Callus Softener and Double Sided Foot File Kit - £43,95, Nail Polish Direct
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Margaret Dabbs London Professional Foot File
Best for: Precision foot file
The one person you can trust to look after your feet is Margaret Dabbs, with her dreamy medical pedicures and footcare collection that packs a punch. Among her treasured collection is this first-rate, long-lasting professional foot file with a handle made of stainless steel and four replacement pads (two for each side).
What makes this foot file stand out, is not only how quickly you’re able to remove hard skin build-up with the coarse side, but how precisely the design lets you get to hard-to-reach areas. Turn it over to smooth out the skin with the gentler, finer side and you’re left with silky soft feet that only need to be maintained once a week. A worthy investment!
Buy now £26.00, lookfantastic
Scholl file and smooth 2in1 electronic foot file
Best for: Value electric foot file
You can always rely on Scholl to offer an effective foot care solution, and the latest version of their electric foot file is no exception. It now comes with a clever multi-action head roller that can be used as an ultra-coarse hard skin remover when inserted one way (courtesy of the black stripes), but remove it and flip 180-degrees and it uses the turquoise strips to gently buff. Essentially, what this means is you now get two different roller heads in just one.
You can use it on wet or dry skin and there are two-speed settings to choose from that rotate the head 360° - filing and buffing away hard skin no matter how thick. Cleverly, if you apply too much pressure the roller will stop so you can’t really go wrong. It relies on four AA batteries, but they come in the box, so you have everything you need to get started.
Buy now £26.66, Boots
Silk’n VacuPedi Electric Callus Remover
Best for: Luxury electric foot file
For those with regular tough build-ups of hard skin, this is well worth the investment. Not only does it speedily buff away dead skin leaving them silky smooth to the touch, but it does so mess-free thanks to the built-in vacuum system.
It couldn’t be easier to use, it’s rechargeable so no batteries are needed, and comes with three rotating discs (fine, medium and coarse), so you adapt it to suit your feet’s needs. Rotating at 1,550 per minute on its high setting, simply hold it in place and let it do all the hard work for you, while the filter catches all the dead skin debris.
Buy now £69.00, Silk’n
Mii remove and smooth callus peel
Best for: Callus softening
This callus-softening spray is designed to be used in conjunction with a foot file, and boy does it give it a helping hand if you have tough hard skin. Packed with glycolic acid, it gets to work penetrating build-up, while at the same time, a cocktail of moisturising ingredients softens.
Simply mist over problem areas, leave for three minutes and let the refreshing zesty fragrance fill the senses, before filing. Not only does it make it much easier and speedier to remove hard skin, but it also leaves them feeling well moisturised for a professional pedi finish. Once you try it, you won’t want to be without it!
Buy now £25.00, Sephora
Glowxie Glass Foot File
Best for: Glass foot file
Made of tempered glass, this small and mighty foot file fits comfortably in the palm of the hands and buffs away hard skin in minutes. On one end you’ll find the first step, a coarser side for stubborn, thick dead skin build-up. Flip it for the second step, the finer end for a gentle exfoliation.
Use as a two-step process on wet or dry feet to obliterate hard skin and leave them baby soft. Simply wash with warm water when finished, and it’s good to go again, and the brand even promises it will last anywhere between one and two years.
Buy now £19.95, Glowxie
Tweezerman Sole Smoother Antibacterial Callus Stone
Best for: In-shower hard skin remover
If you’re looking for a foot file to use as part of your shower or bathing routine, look no further. Think of this as your next-level pumice stone, it’s made from a ceramic stone infused with silver for its antibacterial properties and comes attached to a handle so you can easily get to back of your heels when standing up.
It’s fully waterproof and designed to be used on feet that have been soaked, softened and still damp. On one side you’ll find the coarse stone, for buffing away more stubborn calluses. On the other side, there’s a finer side for smoothing over. Use as a two-step process, for rejuvenated soft and smooth heels, soles and tootsies.
Buy now £18.00, Beauty Bay
Flexitol rescue hard skin and callus balm
Best for: Hard skin remover cream
An alternative to filing off hard skin, this intensive foot balm delivers softer feet with results after just one use. When it comes to hard-skin softeners, urea is the superstar ingredient to look out for and this formula has a whopping dose of 22 per cent.
Not only does it have the ability to penetrate tough calluses and slough away dead skin, but it’s a humectant so it’s super hydrating. Add to this a blend of chemical exfoliants salicylic and glycolic acid, and it’s no wonder this is such a fast-acting formula – with feet looking better and better the more you use it.
Buy now £5.49, Amazon
Footner Exfoliating Socks
Best for: Foot peel socks
If you haven’t seen Footner’s exfoliating socks in action, you haven’t spent much time on social media – spoiler alert the peeling process is fascinating to watch. Put simply, these are active foot masks full of Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) which help loosen dead skin, while moisturisers in the formula condition the feet. Simple to use, slip the plastic socks over your feet, leave for an hour, remove and wash your feet – that’s all you have to do!
Anywhere between one to seven days later, be prepared for the magic to happen, as peeling of the feet takes place – your feet will literally shed the dry, hardened skin from their top layer. It’s a good idea to keep feet hidden from sight in this period which can take up to 10 days. You’ll then be left with velvety soft tootsies.
Buy now £9.99, Boots
CCS Cracked Heel Repair
Best for: Cracked heels
Too much pressure on the foot pads can cause dry, thick skin on the heels to crack so a hard-working targeted treatment like this balm is the way to go if you’re suffering. Delivering a blast of 25 per cent urea and lactic acid to both break down the calluses and give the skin an intense hit of hydration.
It gets to work quickly too, when applied twice daily on clean feet you should see an improvement in just three days – with better results the more and more you regularly use it. Not only will the moisturising-formula leave you with softer, smoother heels, but it strengthens the skin barrier too, preventing cracked heels from reoccurring.
Buy now £4.91, Amazon
Footlogix Callus Softener and Double Sided Foot File Kit
Best for: Hard skin removing kit
From the pediceutical foot care line used by professionals in salons, comes this fast-acting hard-skin removing kit designed to be used at home in between their Footlogix pedicures – which really are one of the best comprehensive hard-skin removing pedicures around.
The kit contains a urea-based callus softener that you spray on using the 360-degree angled nozzle that allows you to get to heels and soles of feet easily. Simply, leave it on for three to five minutes while it gets to work softening dry, hard areas. Once feet no longer feel wet, but still slightly tacky, they are ready for the stainless steel, yet lightweight, foot file. It’s double-sided, so start with the coarse side to tackle tougher areas and finish with the finer side for smoothness.
Buy now £43.95, Nail Polish Direct
Verdict
The Margaret Dabbs London Professional Foot File is the winning combination of a fast-acting hard skin remover that also allows you to really get to every hard-to-reach area on the foot. Crucially, it also provides a beautifully silky, smooth finish that lasts – keeping build-up at bay longer than its competition. Plus, you can replace the pads, so as long as you don’t lose it the stainless steel file will last you a lifetime.
