They are always forgotten… but this summer, they are in the spotlight as part of the ‘mask mania’! Soaked socks to be adjusted on the feet with adhesive strips are getting more and more common. Exfoliating, moisturizing, regenerating… they provide everything you need for a ‘spa foot treatment’ at home… and to repair (a little) the damages due to negligence the rest of the year.
Ready to slough?
No grater, no pumice stone, no scary fish… only fruit acids and/or a high dose of urea to remove callosities. Exfoliating foot sock masks come from Asia (Japan or Korea), and they have become a real phenomenon.
It all started with Baby Foot (two 35ml socks, €15.49), no 1 in Japan, and then they multiplied like hot cakes.
You can now find these disposable masks both in pharmacies (Xerial Exfoliating Foot Mask by Laboratoires SVR, €19.90; Luxiderma Exfoliating Foot Socks, €11.99), and supermarkets
(Mercurochrome Pedi-Peeling Exfoliating Mask, €11.90; SOS Pied Exfoliating Sock Mask, €15.59 in Monoprix stores).
The principle is always the same. Slip the generously soaked socks on dry and clean feet, keep them on for an hour (if you need to move with the socks on, put on real cotton socks as well not to slide on the floor), and then remove the formula with water and soap. Then, just wait four to eight days, depending on the stratum corneum thickness. The slough is impressive and lasts several days. Strips of skin fall to the ground… Now, that is not very glamorous, but quite efficient to restore softness. Sceptics will say the top of the feet does not need these strong exfoliating agents, only the soles, but SVR asserts their
‘soaking technique is rigorously studied to only target rough, thickened areas under the feet and preserve sensitive areas.’
Be it as it may, do not use them more than once every three months.
Give yourself a fresh start with masks
Same conditioning, but this time, the socks are soaked with nourishing, moisturizing, repairing, or refreshing actives… and can be left on. Just wait 15 to 30 minutes and let the excess of product penetrate.
They are available at Sephora’s (Almond or Lavender Foot Mask, €3.95 each), Monoprix’s (SOS Pied
Moisturizing Mask, €10.39), Loua (Fabric Foot Mask, €3.90), and Qiriness (Wrap Pieds Hydra-Repair, €4.90).
Right now, Joliderm’s are the only ones to combine several actions (Masque Tissu Pieds Exfoliant, Purifiant et Adoucissant – exfoliating, purifying, and softening fabric foot mask, €11.90).
Foot masks are even spreading to the green segment, with Kure Bazaar’s Natural Pedicure Ritual Foot Care Mask & Utensils (€6). Thanks to these slippers soaked with an exclusive cream based on natural extracts of organic barley, aloe vera, and avocado oil, the file, and the wooden cuticle pusher, you will definitely recover your baby’s skin! Here is an idea to follow up…
Ariane Le Febvre
