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Common Skin Care Myths and the Facts [INFOGRAPHIC]

We are exposed to lot of skincare information, especially on the Internet. There are plenty of misconceptions about what should and shouldn’t be used on skin. Knowing the difference between myth and fact can lead to better decisions when caring for your skin.

Here are some common skincare myths that you need to stop believing.

Check out the infographic below

Skin Care Myths and the Facts

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Can Facial Exercises Preserve a Youthful Look?

Facial aging is a natural process and halting this is beyond us. However, there are ways to improve telltale signs of aging and even delay their appearance. Yes, you heard right! Harvard Health reported on a new study published in JAMA Dermatology found that routine facial exercises showed promising results and may slow the unrelenting tide of time.

In addition to external factors such as skin type, sun exposure, facial movement, and routine skin care, changes in facial skin such as sagging and wrinkles are caused by loss of fat and soft tissue or muscle. The researchers assessed whether facial exercise could address the loss of fat and soft tissue and improve skin appearance.

Facial Exercises Preserve a Youthful Look

The main objectives of the study were to:

  • Determine the association of a facial muscle exercise program with the appearance of the face and neck
  • Measure participant satisfaction with facial appearance before and after completion of the exercise program

The researchers enrolled 27 women between the ages of 40 and 65 to perform 30-minute facial exercises every day for eight weeks, and then continue every other day for a total of 20 weeks. Following this, the participants’ before and after photos were reviewed by dermatologists who did not know the participants. The dermatologists:

  • Reported an improvement in cheek fullness
  • Estimated the age of the participants at 51 years of age at the start of the program and 48 at the end of the 20-week study.

All the participants themselves felt that their facial appearance had improved at the end of the study.

Your face has over 50 diverse muscles which might be rarely used. Regular facial muscles exercises promote the circulation of blood to the different areas of the face, replenishing the oxygen supply in the muscles and the skin, which in turn, results in a bright complexion and beautiful healthy glow.

Here are five anti-aging facial exercises that experts recommend:

  • The V: Press both middle fingers together at the inner corner of the eyebrows. Then, apply pressure to the outer corners of the eyebrows using the index fingers. Look to the ceiling, and raise the lower eyelids upwards to make a strong squint, and then relax. Repeat this activity six times and finish by squeezing eyes shut tightly for 10 seconds. This facial exercise may help with drooping eyelids, crow’s feet, eye bags and puffiness and serve as a great alternative to Botox and eye surgery.
  • The Smile Smoother: This exercise start by hiding your teeth with the lips to make an ‘O’ shape with the mouth and then smiling widely while keeping the teeth hidden. Repeat six times. Next, hold the smile shape while placing one index finger on the chin. Then start to move the jaw up and down as the head tilts gently back. Relax and repeat twice more. Being an excellent alternative for lower face lift and fillers, this exercise is good for cheek lines and sagging skin.
  • Smooth the brow: Place both hands on the forehead facing inwards and spread all of the fingers out between the eyebrows and hairline. Gently sweep the fingers outwards across the forehead, applying light pressure to tighten the skin. Relax and repeat 10 times. This exercise is good for horizontal forehead lines.
  • Flirty eyes: An alternative for eyebrow lift, this facial exercise is good for deep eye hollows and drooping eye brows. Start by placing an index finger under each eye, pointing towards the nose and hide the teeth and tease the top lip and bottom lip away from each other at the mouth. Flutter the upper eyelids while gazing at the ceiling for 30 seconds.
  • The giraffe: Looking straight ahead, place the finger tips at the bottom of the neck and lightly stroke the skin downwards with the head tilted back. This facial exercise is good for correcting lines and loose skin on the neck.

Facial exercises are free and almost certainly not harmful. However, they could be too time-consuming, and might not work for some people. Fortunately, there are various minimally-invasive cosmetic surgery treatments that can address facial aesthetic concerns safely and effectively, and help take years off your face. Using broad-spectrum, SPF 30 or higher sunscreen daily can protect the skin from harmful UV rays.

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Tips to Prevent Quick Aging of the Skin around Your Eyes

Skin is the largest organ of our body that acts as a barrier against any infections. The skin round the eyes is thinner and more delicate than that in other parts of the body and it can get easily damaged by vigorous rubbing, not moisturizing, and not getting enough sleep. This may lead to wrinkles, puffiness, and dark circles that can make you look aged. Today, people spend most of their time on mobiles, TV and other smart devices that can be tiring for the eyes. Similarly, continuous blinking and repeated expressions can also lead to premature aging of the skin around the eyes. So, it is important to take preventive measures and follow a skin care regime to keep the skin around the eyes moisturized and youthful.

Tips to Prevent Quick Aging

  • Keep it moisturized: Many people use moisturizers on their face to keep it radiant and glowing but they often ignore the area near the eyes. Keeping the skin around your eyes moisturized is important to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. You may use a face cream for the skin around the eyes but it can cause irritation or a stinging sensation or make your eyes watery. So, the ideal solution is to use a good eye cream.
  • Know the ingredients of your eye cream: There are many eye creams available in the market and choosing the right eye cream is vital to treat your issues.
    • For fine lines look for ingredients that provide a plumping effect. Use creams that have potent ingredients and stimulat collagen production. It includes retinoid (prescription-based), retinol (over-the-counter options), vitamin A derivate, peptides.
    • For hyper pigmentation due to the sun’s UV rays, use products that have arbutin, vitamin C, soy, kojic acid, hydroquinone, niacinamide, azelaic acid.
    • Puffiness of the eyes is usually caused by not getting sufficient sleep or drinking water. But you can treat puffiness of eyes with eye creams that contain caffeine, green tea and coffee berry polyphenols, dipeptide-2, willow herb.
    • For general concerns of skin around your eyes, consider using antioxidants. These are potent ingredients that will remove free radicals in the skin generated by UV radiation, smoking, and pollutants. Look for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, greentea, Vitamin B-3 (niacinamide).
  • Always be gentle: Be gentle on the skin around the eye and avoid continuous and vigorous rubbing because the skin in that area is very delicate and extra pressure from our daily activities can lead to fine lines. For removing make-up, use a cotton pad and a make-up remover to gently press in an outward motion slowly; and repeat it until the makeup is gone. Similarly, use your pinky finger or ring finger to gently massage your eye cream into the skin.
  • Use sun block: Exposing your face to the sun can lead to aging and darkening of the skin. It can make your skin look dull and gloomy. So, use a good sunscreen and make it an indispensable part of your skin care routine. Make sure to apply sunscreen cream on your upper eyelids gently as it is one of the most overlooked areas. You can also use a good pair of sunglasses with UV protection to avoid tiring of the eyes and protect your skin and eyes from UVA/UVB rays.
  • Consider massage: Apart from not getting enough moisture, there are many other factors also that lead to the puffiness of your eyes like having ameal high in salt or even too much sleep and some other genetic factors like fluid retention. So, gentle massaging of the skin around your eyes is important to improve circulation. The pressure from the massage may help drain excess fluid around this area and reduce puffiness. To make the massage more effective, you can use jade rollers also to relax the tension around that area.
  • Eat, exercise and sleep well: Getting six hours of sleep, regular exercise and eating healthy are very important for achieving a natural and glowing skin. Make sure that you get at least six hours of sleep so that your blood circulation improves. Maintaining a healthy diet with fruits and vegetables that are high in potassium and drinking enough water is also important to keep your skin healthy.
  • Use face or eye masks: Today, Korean eye and face masks are popular all around the world. These masks are a quick way of getting instantly glowing skin and it also minimizes the appearance of under eye bags and dark circles.

Having a radiant and glowing skin is everyone’s dream and good skin care is essential at any age. Healthy habits in your 20s and 30s can strengthen and prepare your skin for the effects of aging down the road. So, include these tips into your daily skin care regime to ensure healthy and youthful skin.

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5 Tips to Get Healthy, Glowing Skin [Infographic]

Beautiful-looking, glowing skin can make a positive impact on your overall appearance. However, not everyone is blessed with attractive, healthy skin and you may have to put in serious effort to achieve and maintain good skin. Following these skin care tips can provide you with healthy, glowing skin.

Check The Infographic Below

Tips For Glowing Skin

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Role of Essential Oils in Skincare

Role of Essential Oils in SkincareTo have a beautiful-looking, healthy, glowing skin is everyone’s dream. For that, most women fill their makeup kits with the best concealer, foundations, serums, night creams, and more. But we forget the key component of a good skin care routine – essential oils.

Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts that retain the natural smell and flavor or “essence,” of their source. They are obtained through distillation (via steam and/or water) or mechanical methods, such as cold pressing. They have been around for centuries using in health enhancement, spiritual practices, and improving general well-being. The aromatic scents, natural healing and cleansing properties of essential oils also make them a perfect supplement for your skin care routine. The benefits of essential oils in skin care are:

  • Effective option to treat acne
  • Are antifungal and have antibacterial properties
  • Contain antioxidants
  • Reduce inflammation
  • Have anti-aging benefits

There are hundreds of essential oils available on the market, with benefits ranging from topical uses to healing scars and clearing up acne. According to a study by National Center for Biotechnology Information, of the 98 essential oils that are recommended for topical use, 88 can heal skin infections. No matter what type of skin you have, there’s an essential oil that can enhance and balance your complexion. The key to adding essential oils to your skincare routine is to use them properly by determining which type of oil suits your skin type and need for it.

  • If you are looking for an essential oil for acne-prone skin, helichrysum is an excellent option. It’s incredibly cleansing, and comes with antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory benefits.
  • For soothing irritated skin, lavender is best. Its versatile properties support all skin types and relieve itchiness and skin irritation. It also reduces inflammation from hives, ingrown hairs, sunburns, and even eczema.
  • Lemon essential oil is best for dry skin people. It can brighten and hydrate skin that tends to be on the drier side.
  • The best essential oils for oily skin are clary sage, rosemary, frankincense, geranium and Nneroli. Factors like humidity, heat, and hormones can also make oily skin worse. Using these essential oils you might help alleviate this issue.
  • If you are looking for essential oils for sensitive skin, then lavender, frankincense and sandalwood are recommended. Sensitive skin can be either dry or oily, and can sometimes occur alongside allergies, eczema, and other skin conditions. If you are looking essential oils for sensitive skin, don’t choose oils that are highly acidic, such as lemon and lemongrass.
  • Lavender, cinnamon or geranium essential oils are good options for skin rash including atopic dermatitis (eczema), and psoriasis. These essential oils have the ability to balance out moisture and alleviate itchiness due to rash. Essential oils that have pain-relieving properties such as Peppermint, Wintergreen, Eucalyptus or Patchouli are recommended for pain is associated with skin rash.

These essential oils will provide benefits only if they are used correctly. They are either inhaled or used directly on the body, but it’s not safe to ingest them. When applying the oils topically to your skin, be sure to dilute them because direct use can cause skin irritation. Use a patch test ahead of time to make sure you’re not allergic and don’t use them around your eyes.

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Beat the Heat with these Summer Skin Care Tips

Beat the Heat with these Summer Skin Care Tips
Skin care rules change according to the season. In summer, you need a proper skin care routine to protect your skin from the blazing sun and the scorching heat. The sun’s UV can damage the skin’s cells, and cause sun burn and cancer. Pollution and other environmental contaminants can rob your skin of its natural radiance, leaving it oily, dull, and blemished. Here are some tips to keep your skin healthy in summer:

  • Moisturize your skin: Moisturize your skin properly with a good quality moisturizer. Moisturizers provide much-needed hydration to your skin, especially in summer when the skin loses water due to sweating. A water based moisturizer which seals in the moisture levels, gets absorbed quickly, and keeps your skin non-greasy throughout the day is a good choice.
  •  Change Your Face Wash: You should consider changing your face wash in summer. While a nourishing face wash is best for winter, you would require a face wash that can draw out the excess oil from your skin in summer. A non-foaming cleanser which would be ideal for combination skin. Washing your face frequently will keep your skin clean and refreshed.
  • Use sunscreen correctly:  Winter or summer, sunscreen is a must to protect against the sun. It penetrates the skin and absorbs the UVA rays, giving them no chance to reach and damage skin. So don’t ever skip applying sunscreen on your face and body before you step out.
    However, just wearing sunscreen doesn’t count. You need to make sure you’re applying it at the right time in your beauty routine. Physical sunscreen needs to be applied after your makeup and chemical sunscreen need to be applied under your makeup. Moreover, you should choose sunscreen with the appropriate SPF number to protect your skin from tanning. Your lips and hair need sunscreen too. Use a lip balm with at least 15 SPF and invest in hair products that have good UV protection abilities.
  • Exfoliate: Exfoliate your skin at least twice a week. Clogged pores, blackheads, and white heads are common in summer. Exfoliating your skin can get rid of dirt and dead cells and unclog pores. Natural exfoliators like fruit scrub are best.
  •  Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water to flush out the toxins from your body. You can have healthy fluids, juices and water, but avoid colas and fizzy sodas as they may contain artificial sugars which can cause skin aging. Health authorities recommend drinking 8 ounce glasses of water or two liters of water every day.
  • Take extra care of overexposed skin: In your skin has been overexposed to the sunrays, splash your face with cold water and soothe it with a hydrating gel-based moisturizer or a lotion that contains aloe vera gel.
  • Avoid tanning beds: Tanning beds are linked to cancer. There are self-tanning towels and lotions that can provide a healthy-looking tan and glow.
  • Take frequent, cold showers throughout the day: Prickly heat, rashes, and fungal infections are common challenges in summer. These issues arise due to the excessive sweating and oiliness, resulting in clogging of sweat glands. Taking frequent cold showers throughout the day can keep these issues at bay. Use anti-fungal powder and wear cotton or linen garments as they absorb the sweat and keep the body cool and dry.
  • Use minimal makeup: Use minimal makeup in the summer. If you do use makeup, try to use a waterproof product. Keep makeup brushes clean to avoid microbial growth and simultaneous manifestation on your skin.
  • Wear sunglasses: Wearing UV-blocking sunglasses can protect your eyes and the surrounding skin. Sunglasses will also ensure good visibility on a bright, sunny day.
  • Sleep well: Don’t skip sleep. Lack of sleep can lead to increased levels of stress hormones that slow the production of collagen.
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7 Easy and Simple Tips for Spring Skin Care

Spring Skin CareWith each changing season, new skin concerns emerge. As winter goes and spring arrives, we make a shift in our wardrobes; likewise it’s the time to change our skin care routine too. Spring is the time to show off your skin and bring out the fashions. Before you get to that stage, you should first say goodbye to your dry winter skin. Beautiful-looking, glowing skin can make a positive impact on your overall appearance. However, not everyone is blessed with attractive, healthy skin and you may have to put in serious effort to achieve and maintain good skin. We hear many suggestions regarding what to do and what not to do when it comes to a comprehensive skin care package.

Here are some effective steps you can include in your skin care regimen in spring to see noticeable results.

  • Exfoliating: Don’t forget to scrub your face, because scrubbing plays a vital role in skin care routine. The cold season and rains may have caused considerable build-up of dead cells on your skin, and exfoliating will remove the dead skin cells and also encourage new cell growth which will give your skin that extra glow.
    Use natural exfoliating scrubs like sugar, oats and coffee to avoid side effects. Such scrubs also help nourish your skin and clear clogged pores to give back your charm.
  • Moisturize: The key to glowing and healthy skin is moisturizing. In spring, try to use a light moisturizer that helps to keep your skin healthy and hydrated without weighing it down.
    Apply moisturizer to damp the skin for better penetration and hydration and if you have dry skin, look for a water-based moisturizer for a boost of hydration, and apply it after cleansing morning and night.
  • Always protect your skin from sunrays: According to many health and beauty experts, spring is the time when people experience sunburns and sun damage, as the sun’s rays would be more powerful. Protecting your skin from harmful sunrays is crucial for maintaining skin health and therefore use a quality sunscreen on your skin whenever you step out. Using a sun protection product that works against both UVB and UVA rays is best. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends the use of a sunscreen that has an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 or greater that protects against UVA and UVB rays.
  • Hydration is very important:  Keep your skin hydrated by drinking at least 7-8 glasses or 2 litres of water a day. This will help prevent inflammation and blemishes and also provide other necessary nutrients such as oxygen to the cells. Following this skin care tip is helpful not just for spring, but in the long run too, as it will prevent premature aging. Just as inner hydration, it’s also important to hydrate your skin by cleaning it with any natural foods such as rose water, milk, honey and curd before going to bed. It soothes our skin, protects from sun damage and hydrates it.
  • Indulge in a healthy, nutritious diet: Eat a well-balanced nutritious diet that includes lots of seasonal vegetables, fruits and nuts. These foods can provide you with essential nutrients. Choose foods high in water content that help to hydrate your skin from the inside out. Try fruits and watery veggies such as watermelon, cantaloupe, apples, oranges, kiwi, celery, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and carrots. Foods that are rich in vitamin C and zinc support the healthy production of collagen and elastin.
  • Vitamin C foods are your skin savior: One of the most powerful antioxidants, Vitamin C plays a significant role in slowing the progression of skin aging. It helps avoid wrinkles and aging and also helps in the production of collagen. Good food sources include orange, berries, cabbage, coriander leaves, capsicum, green chillies, guava, and gooseberry.
    You can either use these Vitamin C foods as natural ingredients in a face mask or eat them directly. Make a natural face pack by taking 1 teaspoon ground orange peel; mix it with 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel and half teaspoon lemon juice. Apply it on your face and wash when it dries off.
  • Update your makeup: Your natural skin is healthy and beautiful, so try not to wear too much makeup on your face. If you want to apply makeup, make sure you are using healthy options, like mineral makeup without parabens and mineral oil. And of course, don’t forget to take it off at night. Moreover, update your makeup. Updating is a crucial part of beauty transition – not just for a new spring color palette, but to ditch any germs that can build up in your makeup over time.

So look at the change of season as an opportunity to review your skin care routines and follow these seven simple and easy steps to get glowing skin in no time.

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Tips to Improve Your Skin after You Quit Smoking

Quit SmokingSmoking is the number one cause of preventable death in the US and the world. There are about 4,800 toxic substances in cigarettes, which increases your risk of developing serious diseases such as heart disease and lung disease, along with other health issues like infertility, immune disorders, and arthritis.

In addition to affecting your health, smoking can damage your facial appearance and skin in many ways. Regular smokers are bound to lose that glow on their face at some point of time. The damage is not limited to a few eye wrinkles – it extends to skin cancer, wound infection, and gum disease. Quitting can lead to positive changes in your health, fitness, and risks of heart disease and cancer and also improve skin tone and skin health.

The skin damages that smoking causes ranges from dark circles under the eyes to yellow fingers. Quitting smoking can reverse some of these effects. Changes you can expect to see in your skin when you quit include brighter eyes, tighter skin, a smoother complexion, stainless fingers, and better hair. However, even after they have stopped smoking, some people find that their aging symptoms and skin damage caused by years of smoking continue to persist. Reversing these effects soon after quitting smoking might not be possible, but there are certain ways to minimize their appearance over time.

  • Watch your diet: The food you eat can impact the appearance of your skin. Eat foods that are rich in vitamins, like broccoli, oranges, and green leafy vegetables. Vitamin A and vitamin C are very important to skin health as they protect the skin from free radicals while supporting collagen development.
  • Take prescribed daily supplements: If you are not able to get vitamins from your food, take prescribed daily supplements.
  • Stay hydrated: Make sure your body stays properly hydrated, as this is essential for keeping the skin looking youthful and vibrant. Moreover, a hydrated body can better cope with the skin dryness or dullness, issues common among many ex-smokers. Experts recommend drinking at least 8 eight-ounce glasses of water over the course of a day.
  • Apply sunscreen: Whenever you step out into the sun, apply sunscreen to safeguard your skin from the ultraviolet (UV) rays. Long-term aggregation of UV exposure can result skin damage, aging symptoms, and skin cancer development. So, to protect your skin from further damage, shield it from the sun.
  • Maintain a good daily skin care regimen: To rejuvenate and restore your skin maintain a proper skin care regimen. Do a basic CTM routine and exfoliate regularly as this would help your skin appear more vibrant.
  • In-office treatments: Finally, there are many great cosmetic treatments which can counteract severe skin damage and aging. Long-term smokers may benefits from in-office treatments like Botox, dermal fillers, dermabrasion, and laser skin resurfacing.
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5 Tips to Resolve Dry, Chapped Lips

LipsThe lips tend to lose moisture every second of the day, and become dry and chapped especially in cold weather and low humidity levels. The skin on your lips is very thin and has no oil glands to prevent them from chapping. Cold weather and low humidity levels result in dry air and can lead to dry, flaky and chapped lips. Apart from the cold weather factors that lead to chapped lips include:

  • Excessive licking of lips
  • Sun damage
  • Smoking and drinking
  • Skin irritants in toothpaste
  • Allergies
  • Certain medications, such as retinoids and chemotherapy drugs

Chapped lips can be annoying and painful, but the good news is that the condition is easy to treat. There are many things you can do to prevent and resolve dry, chapped lips. Here are some natural tips that can help restore, soften and moisture your lips quickly.

  1. Don’t lick your lips, as it actually makes them more prone to dryness. The enzymes in saliva are meant to digest food and would be too harsh on your delicate lips.
  2. Stay hydrated, inside and out. Maintain a healthy diet and drink lots of water. Eat food which is rich in vitamin A and vitamin C as this would help to repair the skin tissues and increase collagen production to keep your skin and lips supple.
  3. Try changing your toothpaste – synthetic flavors can cause an allergic reaction.
  4. Lips need exfoliation to get rid of dull and flaky skin. Regular exfoliation will speed up the process of skin renewal and keep your lips soft and pink. Use a sugar and honey scrub or toothbrush to gently remove the excess skin. Take care not to overdo the exfoliation.
  5. Lock in moisture by using lip products that could keep the water in and hydrate your lips. Popular hydrating and healing ingredients recommended for dry lips include beeswax, shea butter, moringa oil, dimethicone, and petroleum jelly.

Careful attention and preventive measures are the keys to getting your lips looking and feeling good. However, if you find that your chapped lips don’t heal with these natural tips see a doctor. Chapped lips can get infected, as bacteria can enter through cracks and abrasions. This is known as cheilitis and must be treated by a doctor.

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6 Effective Home Remedies for Cracked Heels

Cracked HeelsOur feet carry the burden of our daily lives from the moment we wake up until we sleep. Lack of care and hygiene can cause cracked heels. According to Healthline, a survey found that 20 percent of adults in the United States experience cracked skin on their feet. The primary cause of cracked heels is believed to be dry skin, but it’s not only the culprit. Prolonged standing, wearing shoes or sandals with open backs, having calluses, and being obese puts pressure on the heels, also causes the skin to split. Deep cracks along the back edges of the heel can lead to bleeding feet and infection, and cause pain while walking. The good news is that there are simple but effective home remedies for cracked heels that use common kitchen ingredients.

  1. Vegetable oil: Vegetable oils contain vitamins such as provitamin A, D, and E, and fats and are readily absorbed by the skin, which will help nourish the skin, create new cells, and heal cracked feet. Before going bed, first, clean your feet thoroughly and then dry them using a soft towel. Apply a thick layer of vegetable oil to your heels, toes and on the cracked parts of your feet, and wear a pair of thick socks overnight.
  2. Banana Foot Pack: Banana is a natural skin moisturizer as it contains vitamins A, B6, and C, which all help to maintain the elasticity of the skin and keep it hydrated. Coconut oil are loaded with natural enzymes that help to encourage cell turnover and moisturize skin. Make a foot mask using bananas, or by mixing bananas with coconut oil. Mash 2 ripe bananas into a smooth paste and gently rub the paste all over your feet, including the nail beds and sides of the toe. Keep it on for 20 minutes and after that rinse your feet with clean water. Or, mash a banana and combine it with 2-3 tbsps of coconut oil and apply it on your cracked heels. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes and then wash your feet with warm bath (no soap) and pat dry. Use this mask every night before going to bed for 2 weeks or until you are satisfied with the results.
  3. Aloe vera: Aloe vera contains vitamins A (beta-carotene), C, and E and soothes dry and dead skin effectively. The amino acids present in it are responsible for the skin-softening action and it heals the ridges and cracks that have formed and increases collagen synthesis. Soak your feet in warm water, and scrub using a pumice stone to remove dead skin. Pat dry, and apply a thick layer of aloe vera gel to your feet. Wear cotton socks and leave the gel on your feet overnight. Repeat this every night for 4-5 days to see the results.
  4. Honey: Research shows that honey has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties that promote wound healing. Honey is also a moisturizer and can work as a natural remedy for cracked heels. Its soothing properties help revitalize the skin. Honey can be used either as a scrub after soak your feet or applied as a foot mask overnight.
  5. Epsom salt: Epsom salt softens the skin, reduces inflammation and also soothes tired feet. Add half a cup of Epsom salt to warm water in a foot basin and soak your feet in it for 15 minutes. Scrub to remove dead skin. Repeat this exfoliation process 2-3 times a week.
  6. Oatmeal: Oatmeal used along with vegetable, coconut, or olive is another great remedy for exfoliating cracked heels. Oatmeal has anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties that help remove dead skin cells and soften the skin.

    Mix 1 tbsp of powdered oatmeal with 4 to 5 drops olive oil and make a thick paste. Apply this over your feet, especially over the cracked areas of the heels. Leave it on for about half an hour. Rinse off with cold water and pat dry. Apply this exfoliating mask every alternate day till the results appear.

Here are some measures to prevent cracked heels:

  • Use a good moisturizer on your feet at least once a day.
  • Apply heel balm in the morning to increase skin elasticity before you start your day
  • Wear footwear with a robust, wide heel that supports and protects your heels
  • Avoiding excessively hot showers and harsh soaps
  • Avoiding peeling or shaving calluses, especially if you are diabetic, as it can cause infection
  • Drink plenty of water
  • Exfoliate your feet with a pumice stone to prevent your heel skin from thickening
  • Wear good quality or clinically-tested padded socks
  • Using silicon heel cups will keep the heels moisturized and prevent the heel pad from expanding.

If the condition does not respond to home remedies, they could be caused by a medical condition. Consult a podiatrist to get the right treatment.