Likely, your feet aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you’re shopping for new skincare products. After all, we spend hours on our feet every day, and they deserve some self-care. The easiest addition you can make: a foot cream.
The simple addition of a foot cream can make a big difference in common skin conditions that we all experience. “Foot conditions can include thickened heels, calluses, dry cracked heels, and more,” explains Dr. Muneeb Shah, Dermatology Resident at Campbell University. The good news? There is a cream for every type of foot concern out there, and it only takes adding a couple of minutes into your daily routine to help heal them.
Meet the Expert
Dr. Muneeb Shah is a Dermatology Resident at Campbell University.
Keep reading for our picks for the best foot creams that’ll help get rid of calluses, cracked heels, and more.
Best Overall
Elemis Treat Your Feet Foot Cream
Treats rough, dry heels
A little goes a long way
Smells good
Strong scent
Who else recommends it? Insider also picked the Elemis Treat Your Feet Foot Cream.
Eliminate dry, rough heels, calluses, and more with this foot cream from Elemis. Its formula packs a punch with shea butter and jojoba oil to moisturize and keep your feet feeling ultra-soft. The best part? Only a small amount of product is needed with each use, so it’ll last you quite a while. Fragranced with a blend of patchouli, eucalyptus, and lemon oils, it leaves a delicious yet not overpowering scent.
Price at time of publish: $42
Size: 2.5 ounces | Scent: Patchouli, lemon, and eucalyptus | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Budget
Eucerin Advanced Repair Foot Cream
Non-greasy
Absorbs quickly
Gentle enough for all skin types
Doesn't smell good
When you want to nourish your feet without breaking the bank, reach for this foot cream. Its ability to deeply hydrate (thanks to ceramides), while also breaking down rough or callused skin has earned its fan-favorite status. It’s also a favorite of Dr. Shah due to its ability to hydrate and smooth dry, rough feet. “This cream is formulated with ceramide-3 and natural moisturizing factors that enhance the skin barrier—and it’s fragrance-free, making it great for sensitive skin.”
Price at time of publish: $18
Active Ingredients: Lactic acid, urea | Size: 3 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Drugstore
Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Crème
Treats rough, dry heels
Rich, thick texture
Absorbs quickly
Must wear with socks
Hear us out: While the Burt’s Bee lip balm may have a permanent spot in your bag, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with their foot cream. Formulated with a mixture of coconut and olive oils, its consistency is thick yet feels more like a balm, allowing it to give a hefty dose of moisture with each use. And, its light, refreshing scent of peppermint and rosemary only adds to its appeal.
Price at time of publish: $30
Active Ingredients: Coconut and olive oils | Size: 4.3 ounces | Scent: Rosemary and peppermint | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best for Moisturizing
L'Occitane Shea Butter Foot Cream
Relieves soreness
Treats rough, dry heels
Great for daily application
Leaves a bit of residue
Shea butter, the hero ingredient of this product, has long been known for its ability to instantly hydrate skin. Only a dime-sized amount is needed to go a long way in moisturizing, which is why this foot cream should be in everyone's arsenal. While other rich formulas may have you sliding across the floor, you’ll watch in amazement as this one sinks into the skin in seconds. The cream’s soothing lavender scent essential oil scent is a bonus, too.
Price at time of publish: $30
Active Ingredients: Shea butter, coconut oil, and lavender essential oil | Size: 5.3 ounces | Scent: Lavender Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best for Calluses
AmLactin Foot Repair Foot Cream Therapy
Exfoliates
Treats calluses, splits, and cracks
Non-greasy
May irritate sensitive skin
Knock out pesky calluses with this foot cream from AmLactin. Its formula helps heal any calluses, splits, and cracks with just a tiny bit of product. Another bonus: Its formula is non-greasy and fragrance-free, making it ideal for use on everyone (and avoiding sliding all-around your house). Dr. Shah is also a fan of this cream as it contains lactic acid to help moisturize and exfoliate.
Price at time of publish: $19
Active Ingredients: Lactic acid | Size: 3 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Scented
Footnanny Tea Tree Foot Cream
Treats dry feet and heels
Absorbs quickly
Smells good
Pricey
When you apply a foot cream, you want a scent that smells good without being too overwhelming, which is where this pick from Footnanny comes in. Aside from working well on repairing dry feet and heels, it also provides a delicious refreshing scent from the mixture of essential oils within its formula. Also nice: It absorbs speedily without leaving any residue, greasiness, or gross stuff.
Price at time of publish: $48
Active Ingredients: Vitamin C, E, A, and F, shea butter, aloe leaf, cocoa seed, chamomile, and essential oils | Size: 8 ounces | Scent: Tea tree | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Balm
Olive & June Heel Balm
Mess-free application
Travel-friendly
Treats rough, dry heels
Small product amount
If you’re not a fan of messy foot creams, snag this balm from Olive & June. Aside from its incredibly soothing and hydrating formula, this balm offers the simplest, mess-free application. By locking in moisture, it’s intended to repair and rejuvenate dry, cracked skin. Plus, it’s an overnight treatment so it only needs to be applied once a day.
Price at time of publish: $20
Active Ingredients: Sunflower and meadowfoam | Size: 1.8 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Mask
Baby Foot Exfoliation Foot Peel
Exfoliates
Drastic softening results
Smells good
A tad gross watching your foot peel
For a foot that feels as soft as a baby, put on these foot masks from Baby Foot. With each use, it’ll use a whole slew of AHA’s (like glycolic and lactic acids) to exfoliate every inch of dead skin off of your entire foot (yes, entire!). It may look like an ordinary foot mask when you first put it on, but for 48 hours after you apply it, you’ll watch your entire foot peel. The results? Feet that look renewed and feel ultra-soft.
Price at time of publish: $30
Active Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid | Size: 1.2 fluid ounces | Scent: Lavender | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best for Sore Feet
Dr. Bronner's Arnica Menthol Balm
Relieves soreness
Multi-purpose product
Slight tingling feel
While this multi-purpose balm can be used on just about everything, we love how well it works for soothing sore feet. Its infusion of hydrating ingredients—think beeswax, avocado, jojoba, and hemp oils—alone make it worth it, but the blend of arnica, camphor, menthol, and peppermint oils are what truly works the magic. For some extra pampering, soak your feet in the tub before applying on.
Price at time of publish: $15
Active Ingredients: Organic beeswax, arnica, camphor, menthol & peppermint oils | Size: 2 ounces | Scent: menthol | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best for Blisters
Aquaphor Healing Ointment
Multi-purpose product
Safe for sensitive skin
Affordable
Sticky formula
Confession: applying moisturizer to your feet while having blisters is not fun by any means, but you can rest assured knowing that this cream from Aquaphor will help heal them. Although it’s not specifically intended for feet, Dr. Shah advises that this cream is a staple for most dermatologists—especially at healing really dry areas. “It combines petrolatum jelly with panthenol, glycerin, and bisabolol,” he says. And with the added healing (and moisturizing) benefits, your blisters will be gone before you know it.
Price at time of publish: $18
Active Ingredients: Petrolatum | Size: 14 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Best for Exfoliating
CeraVe SA Foot Cream
Exfoliates
Affordable
Gentle
Contains parabens
With all the dry skin on our feet, it’s no surprise that exfoliation is necessary. Make the process a bit less tedious by incorporating an exfoliating foot cream like this one from CeraVe. “It contains salicylic acid and other exfoliants to help smoothen skin on the feet,” explains Dr. Shah. And, we’d be remiss to mention that it’s also moisturizing, affordably priced, and made with a gentle, non-irritating formula.
Price at time of publish: $22
Active Ingredients: Salicylic acid, ceramides, ammonium lactate, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid | Size: 3 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Splurge
Susanne Kaufmann Warming Foot Cream
Warming and cooling sensation when applied
Improves circulation
Treats calluses and dryness
Pricey
For a truly luxurious experience, slather on this warming foot cream from Susanne Kaufmann. Aside from aiding circulating, dryness, and healing, it makes a great addition to your self-care routine due to the warming and cooling sensation you’ll feel when it’s applied. Add to your foot massage routine or as a little daily luxury at the end of a bad day. One thing is for certain: It's worth every single penny.
Price at time of publish: $115
Active Ingredients: Camphor bark oil, thyme, wheat germ oil, marigold, rosemary, and witch hazel extract | Size: 7 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Natural
J.R. Watkins Foot Repair Salve
Made with natural ingredients
Works overnight
Travel-friendly
Small product amount
If you’re looking for a foot cream that’s made with all-natural ingredients, opt for this one from J.R Watkins. Packed with rich ingredients like olive oil, beeswax, and candelilla (a type of flower) wax, it’ll keep feet hydrated long after you apply it. Another bonus: It’s housed in a tin that’s super easy to take on the go or in your suitcase. Warm it up in your hands before you apply it so it goes on super smoothly.
Price at time of publish: $10
Active Ingredients: Olive and peppermint oils | Size: 2.1 fluid ounces | Scent: Peppermint | Cruelty-Free: Yes I Byrdie Clean: Yes
Final Verdict
Foot creams offer a simple way to get rid of calluses, eliminate dry skin, and help keep your feet in tip-top shape. Our top pick is Elemis Treat Your Feet Foot Cream (view at Amazon), as it helps heal a barrage of foot conditions and only requires a tiny bit of product for tons of benefits. Another top choice is Eucerin Advanced Repair Foot Cream (view at Walmart). The affordably priced formula deeply hydrates, while breaking down rough skin and calluses on the feet effortlessly. You can also treat your feet with a bit of TLC by slathering on Susanne Kaufmann Warming Foot Cream (view at Mr Porter) or by using the Baby Foot Original Exfoliation Foot Peel.
What to Look for in a Foot Cream
Formula
Opt for a formula that’s fragrance-free, advises Dr. Shah. "The feet aren’t very sensitive, but I still prefer fragrance-free moisturizers."
Consistency
The skin on our feet tends to be very thick compared to the rest of our body, which is why Dr. Shah recommends a thicker moisturizer. “I look for thicker moisturizers and advise creams and ointments over lotions and gels.”
Ingredients
Every foot cream should contain some exfoliating ingredients, says Dr. Shah. “I also look for exfoliating ingredients like lactic acid, urea (an emollient), or salicylic acid to penetrate that thickened layer of skin.”
How We Researched & Tested
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. Our team also incorporated their own personal experiences testing products in their own lives. We then used these insights from our research and testing to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
Why Trust Byrdie
Byrdie contributor Rachel Dube has written for some of the biggest beauty publications out there. Although she’s a fan of regular salon pedicures, she combines the treatment with foot cream application to prolong the benefits (and keeps calluses away) as long as possible.
According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find enough foot creams from Black-owned and/or Black-founded businesses to meet this percentage. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com and we will evaluate the product ASAP.