Vault

Max value reached

Adding this item would put you over your total vault limit of $250. please review your cart to stay under the limit.

Is there a right way to file your feet?

3 December, 2017 - 09:45pm by - First Lady | 25 Comments

by BR Amelia

Destined to be dry.

Here's a foot fact for you - the skin on our feet has no oil glands.  This means the skin is naturally dry.  Ever wonder why your feet seem sweatier than the rest of your body?  Your feet rely on the thousands of sweat glands to keep them cool and moisturised.

This fun tidbit means if you don't moisturise your feet on a regular basis you're going to end up with very dry feet.  And very dry feet lead to 3 things - cracked skin, flaky skin and thick skin.   Mmm sexy.  It's amazing people don't like feet.  Cough.

Now prevention is better than cure, regular moisturising and gentle exfoliation should keep the unholy trinity at bay, but if you've let things fall by the wayside beneath your ankles do not fear.  It just means its time to file those feet.

Gross Satisfaction.

We all have those 'cringe' beauty habits that are incredibly satisfying.  From popping a pimple to biting your nails, to filing your feet.  There's something to be said about the almost instantaneous shift from hard, rough heels to smooth, sandal-ready feet, especially if you do it dry and create a cloud of skin-dust as you file!

When it comes to our beauty routines we all have slightly different habits - different methods and techniques work better for some than others.  Foot filing is no different.  Some of us swear by metal files, others by glass.  Some of us will only file thoroughly soaked feet, others like to do it on completely dry feet.  So is there a right way?

Well no, not really.  Some people believe that by filing on wet feet you run the risk of removing too much skin, and by filing dry feet you might cause cracking or pain.  It really seems to be a case of experimentation - different files will work on different feet in different ways.  The rougher/more grater-like the file you're probably going to want to use on wet feet.

What file is best for me?


Foot files really come down to personal preference.  Now my ultimate is the Scholl Velvet Smooth Express Pedi, and the 131 Kiwis who've rated it 4.7/5 in their reviews agree with me.  But it does come with a bit of a price tag, so lets look a little more closely at manual files.

  • Sandpaper Files. Essentially a sandpaper file is a small  wood or plastic paddle with 'sandpaer' glued on.  Usually these have a fine grit, they're The grit is fine, making these good for feet that are rough, but not hard/thick skinned.  These are generally more effective on dry feet, plus depending on the quality, exposure to water can loosen the glue.
  • Metal Files. are usually made from stainless steel which is hard wearing durable and resistant to rusting. Great for those who like to file wet feet.  Metal files are more durable than wooden or plastic but they can err on the 'sharp' side, as the rasping properties come from the metal itself, much like a cheese grater.  These are great for when you need to pull out the big guns and tackle some super rough, heavily built-up skin.

Talk Gritty to Me.

Generally speaking the other decision you need to make, whatever type of file you go for is simply - coarse or fine?  Coarse files are great for feet that have built up areas of hard skin or really, really tough thick areas.  A fine grit file will neatly buff and polish your skin from mildly-rough to super smooth.  Do not try to tackle winter feet with a fine file - it'll be dull and useless by the time you've done one heel!



Do you file your feet regularly? What do you use? Get chatting below!

back

Comments

Please sign in or register to add a comment.

17th December, 2017

Those Scholl foot files look incredible, just cant justify spending though when the pumice works for the now

13th December, 2017

I tried the baby foot foot peel but it didn't work for me. My feet have become very dry and cracked since a spinal fusion made it difficult and painful to take good care of my feet. Another surgery later and it has become much easier again and I've always used a pumice as much as I was able to while in the shower but it might be too late as now my feet are so badly cracked and they get painful sometimes. I got a Scholl Express Pedi file at Countdown at half price ($25) which is a good deal worth keeping an eye out for as I've seen it a few times now, but it hasn't helped with the cracking so I am trying a foot cream by Neat Feet that says it heals cracking. I tried the Scholl foot cream along with the Express Pedi File but while it made my feet nice and soft it didn't help the cracking. I was hoping for a quick fix I think, shave the cracks away! I think the more I file the worse the cracks get so fingers crossed this new cream works because my feet look terrible! Any tips anyone has gladly welcomed!

12th December, 2017

Pumice here! But I have started using a heel balm and it seems to do the trick

11th December, 2017

I don't do foot filing lol. I just make sure I moisturise and I don't seem to have a problem with dry cracked heels

10th December, 2017

I have been filing my feet for years and what a difference it makes. I always do it in the shower so my feet are softer and easier to file. I have a few different ones. The ones with razor blades are too scary though and it is too easy to over file and cut your skin. Leave that to the professionals, I say. My favourite is from a dollar store. It has a plastic handle and a slightly cupped paddle with a rough granular surface. It is gentle but rough enough to get rid of all the extra dry skin. I moisturise afterwards and I'm good to go for several weeks. Easy. No need to buy expensive creams. I'm a DIYer.

10th December, 2017

I also love a good pumice!

7th December, 2017

I’m a neglectful foot person and wait until they start to crack and then remember I should look after them. I’m a sandpaper all the way girl!

5th December, 2017

I use a pumice or a sandstone file once or twice a week. And moisturise my feet after shower as well at night. Can't moisturise enough.

5th December, 2017

literally sandpaper and a wooden block to wrap it around is what I use files wear out fast and I have really bad feet. They got the worst when I was pregnant and actually the heal painfully split open

5th December, 2017

I use a ceramic file which seems really good

5th December, 2017

Im a scholl fan, i used to use a wooden file as i thought the metal ones seemed to harsh. Since i got the scholl velvet smooth thing its been great, I've got quite dry feet years of being around swimming pools will do that i guess. Im slowly getting softer feet :)

5th December, 2017

I don’t file my feet regularly but I think I need to start!

5th December, 2017

This is a timely reminder that I need to get my tootsies summer ready!!!

4th December, 2017

I make good use of my Scholl pedi foot device. Thank you BR for that trial it was amazing and still is . Worth every cent .

4th December, 2017

I've never filed my feet and I moisturise my feet roughly a couple times a year...best I start doing this more regular!

Julieal
8th December, 2017

I bought one but unfortunately mine broke so i have since purchased a ceramicmanual file with coarse one side and fine the other and is really good too.

Macs
9th December, 2017

Oh so sorry to hears your broke. Mines still going strong. I haven’t changed batteries either.

WELCOME TO NZ'S BIGGEST BEAUTY GUIDE!

READ AND WRITE REVIEWS ON YOUR FAVOURITE (or not so favourite!) PRODUCTS!

Sign up to receive our newsletter and stay up to date with all of the latest happenings here at Beauty Review!

You'll be the first to know about Trial Teams, Vault restocks and Giveaways.

We promise never to spam you - only to share the best in NZ beauty!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE MAILING LIST!