How to get soft, beautiful feet

As the cooler weather approaches, our feet often get neglected and end up looking dry and cracked.

We spoke to Brenda Chirere, a nail technician at Sorbet Somerset Mall in Cape Town, about how to pick the salon treatment best suited to your needs and why homecare is important in maintaining healthy feet.

What causes dry feet? 

Brenda says the main culprits are lack of moisture in the skin, the choice of footwear (a good balance between wearing closed and open shoes and walking barefoot is key in combating dryness and avoiding too much moisture) and, of course, the natural effects of ageing.

How can you treat dry skin and cracked heels?

Cracked heels can take up to two weeks (or more) to improve, says Brenda, depending on the severity. The key to seeing an improvement is applying moisture consistently, which makes homecare so important in between pedicures.  

She notes the following Sorbet treatments as top choices for treating dry, damaged skin: 

- Anti-ageing pedicure: This makes use of chemicals to remove dead skin cells and is more effective than scrubbing alone. She explains that normal exfoliators remove about 2% of dead skin cells, while this treatment takes off up to 10%.

- DMK MediPedi: This non-invasive chemical peel makes for a deeper penetration, leading to a more effective removal of dry skin and callouses. Brenda says that dry skin will benefit from having this treatment done 2-3 times per month and that homecare is essential. 

- Summer Heel: Your Sorbet therapist will apply patches to your heel and wrap your feet in a plastic wrap to allow the moisture to soak in. After the necessary absorption time, the patches will be peeled off and the dead skin cells will be gently removed with a foot file.

Top maintenance tips

Brenda says that a trained therapist would be able to advise on the best treatment course for your needs, adding that a good place to start is with a salon pedicure every three weeks. If you’re struggling with very dry skin or heels that are already cracked, it’s ideal to have a treatment done every two weeks – and to follow it up with at-home care. 

When it comes to choosing the products you’ll apply at home, Brenda suggests looking for creams and butters that contain these hydrating ingredients:
• Vitamin E
• Coconut oil
• Shea butter 
• Urea 

In addition to choosing ingredients that work, another tip to ensuring your feet are well-hydrated is the timing of product application. After a long day on your feet, kick back and apply a nourishing cream to your feet and heels – cover your feet with some clingwrap to give it enough time to deeply penetrate the skin (and to prevent those greasy tracks all over your floors!). Leave your feet covered for a few minutes and before you go to bed, replace the clingwrap with socks overnight – they will allow for further absorption of moisture. 

Click here to book an appointment at Sorbet.

IMAGE CREDIT: 123rf.com