Finding a foot scrub to suit your needs

You’ve got to hand it to Cleopatra, the woman was clearly ahead of her time when it came to realising the benefits of beauty rituals.

We’re all aware of her legendary skin softening milk baths, but it’s less well-known that good old Cleo was also a big fan of the scrub – heck, she pretty much invented it. Apparently the queen regularly requested a mixture of sea salt and cream to be rubbed into her skin with the idea that it would slough away dead skin cells. Turns out she was onto something!

If you want Cleopatra-worthy feet, it’s important that you pick the foot scrub that’s right for you. While some scrubs are gentle, others can irritate sensitive types, so it’s vital to find a foot treatment with the ingredients to suit your needs. Read on to find out which type of scrub is your perfect foot fit…

Sugar scrubs
Great for first-timers and those with sensitive skin, sugar scrubs have smaller, softer particles than other foot scrubs on the market and are great for scooping into your foot bath as a sweet smelling foot treat. A sugar-based foot treatment is not ideal for someone with overly rough or course skin as the sugar crystals start to dissolve in hot water, making them less coarse and abrasive – but they always smell positively delish and leave you with soft, sweet-smelling feet.
Pick this if your feet are: sensitive and/or mild – moderately dry. Try: Garnier Body Tonic Sugar Scrub.

Salt scrubs
Salt-based foot scrubs are perfect if you’ve got really dry, cracked skin, as they contain large, rough particles. The natural mineralisation properties of salt make it a great choice for achieving fresh, healthy feet. A salt scrub can also effectively attack and break down nasty toxins lurking beneath the skin. Pick this if your feet are: moderately dry and cracked. Try: ULittleBeauty Body Care A Bit of Rough Exfoliating Salt Scrub.

Pumice scrubs
Some scrubs contain tiny pumice particles – the same stuff that your regular pumice foot stone is made from. These particles are quite sharp, so they’re great for attacking callused skin. Pumice particles are often used in combination with salt crystals in scrubs to increase the abrasive properties of the foot treatment. Pick this if your feet are: moderately – severely dry and cracked or callused. Try:  The Body Shop Peppermint Cooling Pumice Foot Scrub.