Exfoliating foot masks: what are the benefits and how to make them?

Well-groomed legs are the pride of any woman. Neat pedicure, delicate skin of the heels speak not only of cleanliness, but also of the health of its owner. Psychologists say that the parts of the body that are hidden from view most of the time determine the level of a woman's love for herself.

The answers to the questions: is your gait easy, are your everyday shoes comfortable, does the skin of your feet hurt, according to experts, often lie in psychosomatics. Eastern yogis echo Western psychologists. In the traditions of the East, the feet are a link between the Cosmos and the Earth, and also serve as an indicator of a person's direction.

The feet of the feet daily experience the heaviness of the whole body, especially if, due to the profession, you have to constantly walk or stand. For women, the matter is aggravated by a tribute to fashion - high-heeled shoes make the legs slim, but often we forget about the increased load that we put them under.

The human body created by nature is designed in such a way that the layer of the epidermis of the feet is constantly subjected to pressure, compression and even abrasion. Metabolic processes are disrupted in the upper layer of the epidermis, which coarsens or begins to exfoliate. Rough skin, dryness, painful cracks and calluses become frequent companions of the legs.

Several factors lead to dry and flaky skin. The most unpleasant of these is fungal or infectious skin diseases. You cannot do without medical methods of treatment, and you should approach the problem very seriously.

But there are also more common and modifiable factors.

• Lack of vitamins. Especially in the spring.
• Tight shoes. And also shoes with heels, in which the foot is in an unnatural position.
• Exposure to ultraviolet radiation and road dust which is typical for the summer period and open shoes.

Systematic foot care, including nourishing creams, peeling, and relaxing baths, helps your legs and avoids troubles with the skin. Modern cosmetology offers a wide range of spa treatments and foot care products. The recipes of traditional medicine of our great-grandmothers have not lost their relevance.

One of the most common and effective foot care methods of all time has been an exfoliating foot mask.

Exfoliating masks are a type of peeling that can be done in a beauty salon or at home. Peeling is a cosmetic procedure to remove dead skin cells. Translated from English literally means "to remove the husk." During the peeling process, the pores are cleansed, blood flow is stimulated, the cells are saturated with oxygen and begin to actively regenerate.

Foot masks are designed to cleanse the epidermis, soften dead skin areas, and remove dead particles. Dry skin plates on the feet not only give the legs an untidy look, but also block the access of oxygen, inhibit the formation of a new layer of the epidermis.

A special feature of exfoliating foot masks is the active ingredients that can be applied on the sole, but not on other parts of the body. For example, the composition of some masks can cause a burning sensation even on hardened heels, therefore, using them on the delicate skin of the face or hands is categorically contraindicated.

There are a huge number of recipes for exfoliating masks that you can do yourself. For this, ordinary products are suitable, which can be found on the shelves of any housewife. Some of our grandmothers' recipes can be found in pharmacies or markets. This applies to masks made from fresh and dried herbs, fruit pulp and plant petals.

But also the modern beauty industry offers all kinds of cosmetics and whole sets for home peels.

You can alternate masks, try a new one every time until you find a recipe that suits you. Don't worry if you can't choose the right one right away, because each of them will have a positive effect anyway.

Foot masks should be applied gradually, extending the complex of procedures for several weeks. In the process of removing the upper layer of the epidermis, microcracks can form, followed by inflammatory processes in the damaged areas of the skin. To avoid this, cosmetologists recommend arranging a peeling procedure for the feet no more than once a week, and the entire course should be carried out for 2 months.

Therefore, if you are going to put your legs in order for the summer - do not delay, start in the spring.

To achieve the maximum effect, but at the same time not to damage the skin of the feet and not experience subsequent discomfort when walking, you should adhere to certain rules for masks of all types. The rules are to limit the time and sequence of stages of the entire peeling procedure.

• The mask is applied only to clean feet, slightly damp after washing. A hot foot bath with herbs or sea salt will dramatically increase the effect of the mask. Hot water will steam out your feet and open your pores, allowing the product to penetrate better under the top layer of your skin. In addition, the baths relieve fatigue and swelling.

• If there are painful injuries, deep abrasions or cuts on the feet, then it is better to refuse masks until the wounds are completely healed. The active substances in the mask mixture can corrode already damaged skin. In this case, you should be especially careful about purchased peeling products.
• After applying the mask to the feet, put on plastic bags or medical shoe covers. This will prevent contamination of the surfaces of household items and allow you to move around during the procedure. Now on sale there are special masks-socks, which are already filled with the necessary composition for peeling - you just need to put them on. Socks greatly simplify the entire procedure as a whole, but the reviews about them are ambiguous.

• The mask is kept strictly according to the time specified in the drug's instructions or prescription. As a rule, the process of interaction of exfoliating substances with the skin lasts no more than 15-20 minutes. This time is sufficient for the mixture to be absorbed and effective. It is not recommended to keep the mask over the prescribed time - aggressive substances can damage the skin, and softening ones will not give in excess of what they have already given.
• After completing the procedure, the legs need to be rinsed under warm running water., if necessary, treat problem areas with pumice. Wipe your feet dry with a soft absorbent towel. Apply cosmetic oils or nourishing cream.

Exfoliating masks don't lend themselves to precise classification, and every woman chooses a remedy to her taste by familiarizing herself with the different options and combinations of ingredients. However, there is a factor that unites the most popular and time-tested remedies for rough skin of the feet. These are mixtures containing one of the components:

• glycerol
• clay
• paraffin.

On their basis, you can make masks with the addition of various oils or herbal ingredients that nourish the skin with vitamins.

• Moisturizing mask with glycerin. Glycerin is an excellent emollient for painful cracked heels and the balls of your feet. The drug costs a penny, but the effect is colossal. In its pure form, glycerin is not used; it is diluted with oils, vinegar, honey or fruit pulp. The remedy for cracked heels is a simple mixture of equal proportions of glycerin and 9% vinegar. A couple of tablespoons are enough for one session. The mixture is rubbed into hardened places, wrapped in plastic wrap, and put on warm socks.

• A clay mask is used for deep peeling, it cleanses the skin, removes the top layer of dead cells. A couple of tablespoons of clay are boiled with boiling water to soften it and allowed to cool. Mix with a few drops of olive oil and massage onto the feet. As it dries, the clay will begin to draw in excess particles on the sole. To enhance the effect of the feet, it is advisable to massage through the socks. The mask should be kept for 15-20 minutes, then washed off with a sponge (a porous sponge made from natural material).

• Paraffin mask. Paraffin in peeling acts like clay - it collects dead skin particles. Raw materials for the mask can be purchased at the pharmacy or you can grate regular candles. Paraffin is melted to a liquid state in a metal container, allowed to cool to a tolerable temperature. To avoid scalding your skin, you should test a few drops on your wrist. If the mass is not too hot, lower both feet into the container. It is necessary to lower it several times, during this time the paraffin will begin to cool down and form "socks" on the feet. Next, we wrap our legs in foil and let stand for 15-20 minutes, after which we remove the mask with dry hands.

Exfoliating masks will have an effect only when carried out regularly and in combination with other procedures. Do not neglect daily foot creams, weekly soothing baths. The feet, although hidden from view for most of the year, nevertheless require the same care as the face or hands.

Pay special attention to shoes. It should not hinder movement, rub or have a squeezing effect. In too narrow shoes, the foot is in an unnatural position, the blood cannot circulate normally, and this threatens not only with corns, but also with serious diseases.

If high-heeled shoes are your daily shoe, try to loosen your feet as often as possible, allowing them to relax and "breathe".

Take regular care of your legs, because your easy gait, beauty and femininity depend on their health.

For an overview of the exfoliating foot mask, see the next video.