When it comes to skin care, we often focus on our face — but what about the rest of our body?
Your feet deserve just as much attention, especially in the colder months, and this “foot facial” I gave myself really transformed dry skin in just 20 minutes.
Here’s my 3-step, 20-minute foot facial which completely improved the texture of my skin and brought it back to life. From bumpy and dry, to silky smooth feet. Voila.
Because my feet got really dry and needed a foot treatment
As an esthetician, I am all about taking good care of my skin, whether on the face or the body. However…I recently ran out of shaving cream and shaved my legs with water and ended up with razor burn. Right after I got out of the shower, the skin on my legs stung and was red and irritated for hours afterward. Ouch.
Normally I would treat this with a good body lotion for dry skin, however, I do a full body workout three times a week with these electric pads for increased muscle stimulation and you can’t have body lotion for the skin as the adhesive pads don’t stick. So I wasn’t putting too much lotion on and my leg showed.
So what does an esthetician do best? Get a facial! I needed some serious help, so here’s what I did to get smooth legs — fast.
Facial products for feet
How to get smooth legs with a leg facial – step by step
Step 1: Loosen dry skin cells with a chemical exfoliating scrub pad
On dry skin, I used it DERMAdoctor KP Duty Body Peel Pads and wiped them on my feet. These powerful exfoliating pads are specially formulated to dissolve rough, dry bumps and dead cells using a blend of glycolic, lactic, salicylic and lactobionic acids. It is normal that I felt a tingling sensation. After all, the skin barrier has been severely damaged and the pH of the patches ranges from 1.5-2.5. One pad was enough for both feet, but I worked quickly to avoid the pad drying out.
Step 2: Remove dry skin with a “natural” exfoliator
Then, on dry skin, I rubbed it on Back & body polishing towelabove my feet. This towel is quite abrasive (which I like) so it really buffs away all those dry, damaged skin cells. You can really feel it working. I used it for about four minutes per foot to give them a great polish.
I didn’t apply too much pressure as the texture of the towel is quite strong, so take it easy – especially if you’re giving your feet a facial for the first time. I could already see the skin looking smoother before my eyes. So transformative!
Step 3: Continue exfoliating with a chemical peel mask
Ok, now I used a body lotion, the DERMAdoctor KP Duty Lotion. This is a body lotion, not an actual mask. Since I had already done two exfoliating steps, I used it as a 10 minute mask.
This lotion is super strong (pH ranges from 3.5-4.5) and is packed with glycolic and lactic acid (AHA’s) along with gluconolactone and lactobionic acids (PHA’s) to really dissolve dry, rough skin even deeper. I massaged it into my feet and left it on for 10 minutes. It definitely stung my legs, but I’m used to the feeling of using acids and I know this is what I needed to resurface the rough, bumpy texture on my legs.
After 10 minutes, I got into the shower and rinsed it off. My feet definitely felt sensitized, but that’s a normal feeling when doing three steps of exfoliation. After showering, I put mine on body balm to treat the skin and the texture of my skin was indeed transformed. The results were absolutely incredible! If you have dry skin on your body, I encourage you to try it. I’m obsessed.
A few final notes about the face of my feet…
- The results in the before and after photo were from just one treatment. I repeated this foot facial three days later to further renew the skin for even more improved results.
- For maintenance, I recommend a foot treatment twice a month but you can keep with it Back & body polishing towel and the DERMAdoctor KP lotion (used as a body lotion) at least once a week.
- Always listen to what your skin is telling you. I am very familiar with the feeling of acid peels, but if it feels overwhelming the first time, then stop using it.
- Peeling acids can increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun So avoid sun exposure for two days after doing this foot treatment.
All in all, exfoliating acids can give you a head-to-toe glow. As you can clearly see, the results were incredible! You can do it twice a month, especially in winter. Enjoy your dry feet becoming so touchable and smooth!
Note to self: I’ll be sure not to skip using shaving cream the next time I shave so the skin on my body doesn’t dry out again!
Want to transform the texture on your face? As an expert beautician, do it once a week on your face. Here’s how to give your skin a facial at home
Celebrity Esthetician & Skin Care Specialist
As an esthetician trained in cosmetic chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 35 years researching skin, educating her audience and building an award-winning line of products. Her hands-on experience as an esthetician and trusted skin care expert has created a real solution — products designed to nine different skin types so your face will have exactly what it needs to look and feel its best. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare enthusiasts around the world, her vast real-world knowledge and constant research is why Marie Claire calls her “the most passionate skin professional we know.”
