When TikTok tells you to put a facial toner on the soles of your feet – namely The Ordinary glycolic acid 7% exfoliating toner (£6.75, Beautybay.com) – you, of course, give it a go. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.
The craze first came to my attention when TikToker Elle McNamara appeared on my FYP, pointing out the sub-£10 product as the key to quick, exfoliated feet. As someone who’s spent many an evening pre-holiday with pumice stones, foot files and sugar scrubs in hand, I was naturally intrigued.
In the video, McNamara says, “This is the most underrated hygiene product. Apply glycolic acid onto a cotton pad onto damp feet. It eats away your dead skin. Follow with a layer of vaseline, put some socks on and thank me later.”
With my glycolic, cotton pads, Vaseline and socks ready to go, I thought to myself: “It can’t be this easy. Can it?” Keep reading to see how I got on.
How I tested The Ordinary glycolic acid 7% exfoliating toner:
With an aim to use the product over the course of three nights, I applied The Ordinary’s glycolic acid to the soles of my feet using a cotton pad, saturating it generously. I then rubbed a pea-sized amount of Vaseline onto each foot and quickly slipped on some cotton socks to lock in the moisture and left the duo of products on my feet through the night. During and after testing, I recorded the following details:
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Lucy Smith is a skincare expert and has been reviewing the industry’s newest and most popular products for more than five years. For IndyBest, she’s demonstrated her exfoliating know-how with expert-led pieces on salicylic acid and, after speaking with Kate Somerville, the benefits of lactic acid. She’s tested several of The Ordinary’s best-sellers, from its multi-active delivery essence to its SPF serum.
Read more: I’m a beauty writer, and I’m fully on board with the Rhode glazing mist hype
The Ordinary glycolic acid 7% exfoliating toner
Size: 100ml
Key ingredients: 7% glycolic acid, antioxidant Tasmanian pepperberry to soothe, glycerin and rose water
Fragranced: No
Cruelty-free: Yes
Why we love it
- Visible results within 12 hours
- Heels appear and feel smoother
Almost like applying a nail varnish remover, using The Ordinary’s glycolic acid 7% toner is as simple as can be and, I might add, much simpler than using a scrub, foot pumice, etc.
Waking up the morning after I’d applied the toner and Vaseline, I was wowed to see how the previously ashy texture of my heels had completely disappeared, and my soles felt smooth to the touch.
I repeated the steps for night two, but after waking up to smooth feet once again, I opted against a third night on the trot, deciding that the first night alone had been sufficient. Yes, it’s really that easy. I think the process works better if you use around 1-2mm of the solution each night (using the transparent bottle as a guide).
Read more: How to get your feet summer ready
I will say that this treatment isn’t a permanent fix. If you frequently step outside in bare feet, you will notice the dry skin building back up after a few days. Then again, I’ve found this is the case with pumice stones and, ultimately, TO’s toner was a much less grimy treatment.
The packaging is easy to use, aesthetic in my bathroom, and the formula is fragrance-free.
Buy now £6.75, Beautybay.com
Does The Ordinary’s glycolic acid 7% toner live up to the hype?
All in all, The glycolic acid 7% toner couldn’t have exceeded my expectations more. I expected minimal results and a need to repeat the process several nights in a row, whereas in actuality I saw instant and dramatic results. What more could you want from a product for less than £7? I suppose I owe a big thank you to Bambi Does Beauty. Pampered paws, incoming.
Looking for more skincare tips? Here’s everything you need to know about salicylic acid
