Sandal season is upon us, which means your feet (and toes!) are on display and soft soles and non-cracked heels are a must. If you're in need of some extra exfoliation, here's my favorite quick and easy homemade foot scrub to give your toes some TLC.
What the heck is that stuff you ask? This is the goop you get when you combine coffee grounds, banana, and oil for an exfoliating and softening homemade foot scrub - and your feet will love it! I know, it kind of sounds like some bizzaro-world recipe for banana bread, but it's not. It's the perfect homemade foot scrub recipe for super-smooth feet.
A while back I experimented with a banana foot mask and loved it—my rough feet were so smooth!—but wrapping yourself in banana is a tiny bit messy. This time I've combined the mask with a scrub so you can apply it, finish reading People, and then let the salt and coffee do their scrubbing magic.
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Ingredients
I love using coffee grounds because a) it's cheap and eco-friendly and 2) the caffeine can help tone your legs. You can use already brewed grounds, or buy some cheap grounds to set aside just for this.
Unlike more sensitive skin areas, rough feet can handle larger granules like coffee and salt for exfoliation. So scrub away with coarse salts and leftover grounds!
And banana has amazing natural softening abilities—you can use this magic mask ingredient for softer skin head to toe!
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Soak first! Before you start scrubbing, soak your feet for a few minutes to soften dry skin, so your exfoliation can be even more effective.
All you need is 1 cup of white vinegar and ¼ cup sea salt or Epsom salt in a bowl of warm water. Add a few drops of essential oils for your feet if you want.
Gather your salt, banana, coffee and oil.
Then sit on the side of the tub with a magazine for 10 minutes and let the acidic water soften your soles and prep them for a foot-scrubbing session.
Combine ingredients in a bowl and slather all over your feet and lower legs. Then give your feet and legs a really nice, long scrub.
Massage into your skin and then let it sit for 10-ish minutes. Then rinse yourself and the tub well.
To seal the moisture in, apply a generous layer of your favorite foot cream and pop some socks on before you go to bed. This really locks in all the extra hydration from the bananas and ensures that your feet aren't left looking crusty or ashy!
Hint: I highly recommend doing this scrub/mask in the tub to keep the mess contained.
Hard Calluses? Scrub with Salted Citrus
Soak in a solution with a few aspirin to let the salicylic acid break down calluses. Or use a pineapple soak. Combine the manual exfoliation of sea salt with the natural citric acid of grapefruit to buff them away.
- ¼ cup sea salt
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon grapefruit zest
- 2 teaspoon fresh grapefruit juice
Mix salt with the oil and stir in grapefruit zest and juice. You could also use lime or lemon juice.
While seated (try the edge of the tub), vigorously massage a bit of scrub into the soles while using a softer touch on the tops of your feet. Rinse well.
Cracked Heels? Soothe + Repair with Oatmeal
Gentle exfoliation is key when your feet are already cracked and sore! Oats exfoliate dry skin while their hydrating, anti-inflammatory, and soothing compounds help heal cracked skin [source]. Mix with mangoes to slough off dead skin.
- 2 tablespoon ground oatmeal
- ¼ cup mango
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon raw honey
Cut up an entire mango into chunks, and puree it in a blender or food processor. Mix in the oats, turmeric, and honey, and stir well with a spoon.
While in the shower, you can use this as a scrub first and then a mask by leaving it on the skin for 5 to 10 minutes. Or sit by the tub and cover feet with plastic wrap and relax for 10–15 minutes.
Then rinse with warm water and follow up with your usual moisturizer. Repeat twice a week for baby soft feet in two weeks.
Stinky Feet? KO odor with a Margarita Lime Scrub
Soak with tea tree and ACV first to kill bacteria. The tequila and lime juice are natural antiseptics, the sea salt exfoliates dead skin, and the olive oil calms any inflammation [source] and locks in moisture.
- ½ cup sea salt
- Juice from 1 lime
- 2 tablespoon tequila
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 drops tea tree essential oil
Mix all ingredients together in small bowl until you have a paste. Add more olive oil if needed. Then scrub away in the shower.
Tired Feet? Revive with a Peppermint Scrub
Sea salt works to exfoliate the rough, hard skin on the feet. Coconut oil hydrates dry areas, while peppermint [source] and tea tree [source] act as an antiseptic for clean skin. Plus, the peppermint creates a cool, tingly feeling.
- ¼ cup sea salt
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 6 drops peppermint essential oil
- 4 drops tea tree essential oil
Combine coconut oil and the essential oils in a small bowl, then add the sea salt and cornmeal. Add more coconut oil if needed for a spreadable texture. Massage into damp feet, and then rinse and pat dry.
Yellow Nails? Whiten with Strawberry
First, soak your feet with with 3 denture tablets or with hydrogen peroxide. Then use a natural remedy for whitening your teeth (strawberries!) to treat your toes.
- 2 mashed strawberries
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
Combine strawberries and baking soda in a small bowl. Buff onto nails with a clean toothbrush for 1 minute, let sit for 15 minutes then rinse. Use twice a month.
Storage
These scrubs are meant to be mixed up and used immediately. If you do have extras, store them in the fridge and use within 2-3 days.
FAQ
For most people, using a foot scrub 2-3 times a week is sufficient to maintain smooth feet. However, individuals with sensitive skin may prefer using it less frequently.
Of course. But a specialized foot scrub may be more effective because the skin on your feet is thicker and may require a more potent exfoliating mixture.
Yes, foot scrubs can contribute to reducing foot odor by removing bacteria and dead skin cells from the feet. Additionally, some ingredients, like tea tree oil or peppermint, have natural antibacterial properties.
Hand + Feet Recipes
Looking for more ways to treat your feet? Try these recipes:
Coffee Banana Homemade Foot Scrub + Mask Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing bowl and spoon
Materials
- ¼ cup fresh coffee grounds
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ banana
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a bowl and slather all over your feet and lower legs.
- Pack the banana around your feet and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Then give your feet and legs a really nice, long scrub.
- Rinse yourself and the tub well.
Notes
- ¼ cup sea salt
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon grapefruit zest
- 2 teaspoon fresh grapefruit juice
- 2 tablespoons ground oatmeal
- ¼ cup mango
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon raw honey
- ½ cup sea salt
- Juice from 1 lime
- 2 tablespoon tequila
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 drops tea tree essential oil
- ¼ cup sea salt
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 6 drops peppermint essential oil
- 4 drops tea tree essential oil
- 2 mashed strawberries
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
References
1. Manivannan A, et al. Versatile nutraceutical potentials of watermelon—a modest fruit loaded with pharmaceutically valuable phytochemicals. Molecules. 2020.
2. Mandal MD, et al. Honey: its medicinal property and antibacterial activity. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2011.
3. Singh R, et al. Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of Mentha piperita L. Arab J Chem. 2015.
4. Carson CF, et al. Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil: a review of antimicrobial and other medicinal properties. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2006.
5. Lin TK, et al. Anti-inflammatory and skin barrier repair effects of topical application of some plant oils. Int J Mol Sci. 2017.
6. Penniston KL, et al. Quantitative assessment of citric acid in lemon juice, lime juice, and commercially-available fruit juice products. J Endourol. 2008.
7. Pazyar N, et al. Oatmeal in dermatology: a brief review. Ind J Dermatol Vener Leprol. 2012.
