The Best Foot Cream for Cracked Heels and Dry Winter Feet

Feet are the part of the body most people ignore until sandal season, and by then heels have usually cracked. The best foot cream is thicker than an ordinary lotion because the skin on the soles needs more occlusion to stay soft. L'Occitane's Karite Confort foot cream uses shea butter, the ingredient the brand has built its reputation on, and comes in a generous tube. Ahava's Mineral Foot Cream softens rough soles with Dead Sea minerals and plant extracts and is designed to help prevent cracks. Either is a good default if you only want one.

Origins' Reinventing the Heel is an intensely hydrating cream for rough, dry heels. Lavido's Thera Intensive is a therapeutic formula for cracked skin and chafing, with avocado among its oils.

When heels are actually split, a balm-like texture under socks overnight does more than a quick rub before bed. Hey Honey's Walk the Walk is a propolis foot cream that softens, protects and works on dry, cracked heels. Lizush's foot cream combines shea butter and eucalyptus in a natural formula with a cooling scent that makes the ritual more pleasant. Apply after a shower when the skin is still slightly damp, then put on cotton socks to keep the cream where it belongs. What I would skip is aggressive scraping or razor tools on cracked heels, which usually make things worse.

The best routine is short enough that you actually keep it, which usually means a tube by the bed and a minute before sleep. Use a richer cream at night and something lighter in the morning if you wear closed shoes all day. A gentle foot file once a week on dry skin, followed by cream, keeps calluses from building into cracks. Results show within a week or two of nightly use, which is faster than most people expect. If cracks are deep, bleed, or you have diabetes, see a doctor or podiatrist rather than treating them at home.