It's been a long time coming but, finally, it feels like flip flop weather is here. However, after an extended winter wearing boots, many of us have feet that may not look their best in the hot weather.
Vegan-friendly natural beauty company Plantfique has come up with the answer in time for the start of summer and it's already proved a hit with thousands of shoppers who have given it an average score of 4.4 out of 5 stars.
Available on Amazon in a range of scents including lavender, strawberry and jasmine as well as a unisex aloe vera, tea tree and lime option and a vitamin-laden jasmine flower version, the quirky exfoliating foot masks painlessly remove dry and cracked skin and calluses over the course of a few days and fans of the brand swear by them for getting their feet sandal ready - no matter how bad their feet were previously.
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One five-star reviewer said the mask was 'absolutely marvellous,' adding: "I truly have baby soft feet. Treatment is effective for weeks after use. I certainly recommend this brand, I've tried many and Plantifique is the best one I have used."
While not everyone got fairytale results first time the packs, which cost £12.95, include two sets of masks meaning you can tackle tougher skin over a period of time.
Another reviewer added: "My feet have been neglected over the winter months and there are (sorry if this description is too graphic) patches of hard skin on my soles and also on the back of my feet around the heels that would be visible if I was to wear sandals.
"I feel I will need to use the second application to get the results I want but even after one there's a big improvement. I'm confident that I will be able to wear sandals and not be worried about any unsightly hard skin being on show."
As someone who usually lives in Ugg boots from around October to April and then flip flops and sandals the rest of the year, the rubbish weather and constant rain of 2023 and the fact my feet haven't seen daylight outside since last autumn means my feet aren't in a great state.
I have hard skin, especially on the heels, that I know from bitter experience will crack as soon as the weather finally warms up, so when I was given the chance to try the Plantfique strawberry mask I leapt at the chance.
Over the years I've tried going for pedicures and even a chiropodist appointment to kick start the warm weather in previous years, while my bathroom cupboard has various foot soaks, scrapers and files which have been tried and abandoned as either ineffective or actually too aggressive and seen me filing too far.
Believe me when I say nothing says 'summer casual' quite like limping in a pair of flip flops because you've made yourself bleed and taken too much skin off your heel with an industrial strength file.
Using the foot masks was surprisingly easy. You soak your feet in warm water for 20 minutes or so and then, having dried them, put an individual plastic booty filled with - for the version I tested - a strawberry scented gel onto each foot. Seal it up with some adhesive strips at the ankle and then leave it for 90 minutes.
It was initially a slightly cold and squidgy sensation wearing them and the rustling as I walked made my children laugh but it didn't feel unpleasant wearing the boots - and I was impressed that there was plenty of room for even larger shoe sizes.
You could definitely smell the strawberry but it reminded me more of the kind of fruit flavoured Body Shop bath sets given at Christmas rather than an actual fresh one. I didn't mind though and, having put a big pair of socks over the booties to keep everything secured, settled down in front of the telly for 90 minutes to wait.
The one down side with this mask is that you really do have to wait. A lot. What's more, as everyone's skin is different some people's feel will start peeling in a few days, some will take longer.
By day seven I was fielding emails from my editor asking if my feet were flaking yet and I had to sheepishly keep saying it hadn't as, seemingly, my feet were rhinoceros-like. But on day nine, well let's just say I took my socks off at the end of the day and the result was quite something to behold.
I'm not going to include pictures of my flakey feet in this review - although anyone curious about exactly how peely the mask makes feet can admire some of the frankly epic or grim (depending on your mindset) pictures customers have added to their Amazon reviews.
What I will say is once the peel started working the results were remarkable, with skin coming off, painlessly, in large sheets. I found it oddly satisfying but I fully concede it will depend on your perspective.
Basically, if at school you found it fun peeling dried PVA glue off your fingers then this might be the kind of thing you really enjoy, although Plantfique do point out if you soak your feet daily the skin should come off without any 'help' meaning only the dead skin will come off.
The one thing is it can be quite messy. I found I was shedding skin around the house for a good week once the process finally started. But my feet were much softer and the hard skin on my heels was much improved by the end.
I'd definitely use the Plantfique foot masks again as the end results were incredible. But you definitely need to plan ahead. I've got my eye on doing a second treatment ahead of wearing strappy sandals to a wedding later next month and I'll definitely be making sure to plan ahead so it's all done and I'm not leaving a trail of foot dust in my path at the reception.
If you can work round it and don't mind the mess though it's definitely worth trying - and totally worth the wait.
Plantfique foot masks are available now on Amazon.
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