I’m going to be honest, up until the mesh shoe trend, my feet were not acquainted with any foot creams. Feet are not my thing, and mine were in pretty bad shape until these dainty little shoes were all over my social feeds, coaxing me to become part of the action. In fact, up until recently, even the word pedicure wasn’t in my vocabulary.
After falling in love with mesh shoes, I quickly got to grips with the concept of foot care, despite it being an unsexy beauty category. Through a lot of trial and error, I developed a list of the 10 best foot creams—the ones that made my feet look and feel soft and cared for after their fair share of neglect. In fact, I’ve found looking after my feet and applying a foot cream to be a lovely moment of self-care, and regular application has really improved the look of mine.
But before we get into my definitive list of the best foot creams, let’s take a look at why foot creams are important and what ingredients you should look out for. (Spoiler: Not all are made equal.)
Why Is It Important to Use a Foot Cream?
“Regular use of a targeted foot cream plays an essential role in managing xerosis (dry skin) and maintaining the health and resilience of the skin on your feet. The soles—particularly the plantar surface—are prone to dryness because the skin there is thicker and has fewer sebaceous (oil) glands. This makes it especially vulnerable to scaling, cracking and discomfort when it’s not properly hydrated,” says Dr Anna Persaud, CEO at This Works.
Foot creams moisturise and hydrate your feet in a plethora of ways, but notably by “increasing skin hydration, reducing transepidermal water loss and helping to restore the lipid barrier”, says Dr Persaud.
What Ingredients Should You Look Out for in a Foot Cream?
“Great foot creams blend emollients, humectants, and active ingredients that work together to hydrate, soften and support real skin repair,” says Dr Persaud. She advises that you particularly look out for foot creams that contain some of these ingredients—”urea (effective for softening thickened skin); glycerin (a go-to humectant that draws in moisture); betaine (supports moisture retention and defends against environmental stress); Saccharide Isomerate (mimics the skin’s own natural moisturising factors); allantoin (a gentle yet effective ingredient that encourages cell turnover and softens rough skin); and panthenol (hydrates, soothes and supports skin barrier repair). Finally, tamanu oil (calophylluminophyllum seed oil) is a standout ingredient—rich in fatty acids, it’s anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and an antioxidant, which makes it brilliant for cracked or stressed-out skin.”
The Best Foot Creams, Tried and Tested
BEST FOOT CREAM OVERALL
AMELIORATE
Intensive Foot Therapy
A brilliant all-rounder, this foot cream does so much. It gently exfoliates with lactic acid, hydrates and moisturises with ingredients like urea and shea butter, and it deodorises feet too, due to the inclusion of farnesol.
Pros
- Moisturises for 12 hours
- Dermatologically tested
Cons
- A bigger tube would be ace
- The floral scent won’t be for everyone
BEST RELAXING FOOT CREAM
L’OCCITANE
Shea Butter Foot Cream
This foot cream has an extremely relaxing aromatherapy scent, so it is perfect to apply at bedtime to wind down with. It’s also a good one to apply when you’ve been on your feet all day, as anti-inflammatory arnica reduces swelling, and the mint has a cooling effect. The key ingredient is the divinely moisturising shea butter.
Pros
- You get a good amount of product for your money
- A thick, lucious texture enriched with 15% shea butter
Cons
- Not one for lavender-haters
- Not suitable during or post-pregnancy
BEST MOISTURISING FOOT CREAM
CERAVE
SA Renewing Foot Cream
This affordable gem both moisturises and strengthens your skin’s natural skin barrier to keep that moisture locked in. It contains barrier-fortifying ceramides, hydrating hyaluronic acid and salicylic acid to exfoliate dead skin.
Pros
- Very affordable
- Non-greasy
Cons
- It’s not particularly luxurious, but it does the job very well
BEST REVITALISING FOOT CREAM
If your feet need a pick-me-up, this foot cream from Weleda is the one. Instant cooling and soothing relief after a hot day or a day on your feet. Plant extracts and essential oils deodorise, antiseptic calendula targets bad odour-causing bacteria and myrrh helps protect against blisters and strengthen nails.
Pros
- Non-greasy
- Dermatologically tested
- Free from synthetic preservatives and fragrances
This cooling foot cream from Aveda does a great job at exfoliating dead, dry skin, as well as calluses, with its exfoliating fruit extracts and lactic acid. In addition to this, plant-derived jojoba and castor oil moisturise, and essential oils from lavender and rosemary deodorise.
Cons
- It’s expensive for a foot cream
- Contains peppermint and tea tree, which could irritate sensitive skin
SOL DE JANEIRO
Samba 2-Step Foot Fetish Care
This foot cream smells heavenly. The texture is pretty glorious, too. It, of course, has the brand’s nourishing cupuaçu butter, but also contains antioxidant-rich açaí oil and hydrating coconut oil. With this two-step system, you’ll have baby-soft feet in no time.
Pros
- Smells absolutely heavenly
- A double-duty two-step system
Cons
- It’s pricey, but you do also get the Foot Smoothing Board to buff away hard skin
- Not for those who don’t like strong gourmand fragrances
BEST INDULGENT FOOT CREAM
CLARINS
Foot Beauty Treatment Cream
This cream feels like a special, indulgent treat for your feet. The texture is rich and creamy, as well as deeply moisturising, from its virgin cashew nut oil and shea butter. It also contains anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal arnica extract, exfoliating tamarin, myrrh to strengthen nails and bitter orange flower to protect the skin’s hydro-lipidic film to promote optimal hydration.
Pros
- Treats both feet and toenails
- Suitable for all skin types
MARGARET DABBS
Foot Hygiene Cream
This foot cream has been designed by podiatrist Margaret Dabbs. It focuses not just on moisturising your feet, but it also treats symptoms of Athlete’s Foot and the symptoms of excess sweating. It repairs and moisturises the skin with renewing emu oil, while relieving itchiness and reducing foot odour. If you need to improve the hygiene of your feet, this is for you, as it has pure tea tree oil for antifungal and antibacterial benefits.
Pros
- It is a great hygiene cream
Cons
- Specifically designed for increased foot sweating
- It smells quite medicinal
9. This Works Perfect Heels Rescue Balm
THIS WORKS
Perfect Heels Rescue Balm
This moisturising and hydrating foot cream is formulated with the hard, stubborn skin on your heels in mind. Cotton thistle extract helps tackle dry and rough skin, tamanu oil helps to restore moisture, and lavender helps to strengthen the skin barrier.
Pros
- Vegan
- Contains refreshing lemon extract
- 100% recyclable
Cons
- The scent of bergamot, orange and lavender won’t be for everyone
NEAL’S YARD REMEDIES
Comfrey & Mallow Foot Balm
This is a soothing salve that’s formulated for hard, cracked skin that needs some nurturing and nourishment. Comfrey has excellent soothing benefits—relieving pain, reducing inflammation and speeding up the healing of some skin conditions. Mallow extract is also an anti-inflammatory, as well as being hydrating and softening.
Pros
- Certified organic
- You can intensify the results by layering it on and wearing socks on top overnight
Cons
- The fragrance won’t be for everyone
Why Trust Us?
At Who What Wear UK, we know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our editors have tested thousands of products, including skincare, makeup, hair and nails, over the years and work closely with trusted experts—dermatologists, make-up artists and leading industry insiders—to ensure every guide is well-researched, inclusive and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they’re affordable favourites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how and what we’d truly recommend to a friend.
