The hack
Lockdown gave rise to many DIY beauty treatments, but it was the foot-peeling mask that helped us with bad feet – and boredom. These socks, which contain a mix of exfoliating ingredients such as lactic and glycolic acid, remove the dead skin to leave you with baby-soft feet – and a pile of dead skin to terrorise people with. It’s certainly cheaper than a pedicure, but is it worth the time and the grossness?
The test
There are several foot-peel masks around, but for this test I used SRV Xerial Peel Exfoliating Socks. I slipped my feet into the plastic sock/bag provided for an hour – any longer risks irritation – then put big socks over the plastic ones so I could wear shoes and get on with my day. An hour later I rinsed my feet and noticed they did indeed feel softer. But the magic was yet to come; over the next few days my feet began to peel. We’re not talking light flaking here: huge bits fell off, like a snake sloughing its skin.
The verdict
After around four days of peeling, I was left with super-soft feet. But the key is maintaining that softness, so get a foot cream with exfoliating urea to keep them that way and see a podiatrist if the hard skin causes discomfort. As for the socks, overdoing them could potentially cause irritation; so my advice is to do them a few times a year, max. If you’re into this peculiar mix of gross and delight, then peeling socks are for you.
