The Ingredient Derms Use When Their Feet Need Saving (& It’s Not Glycolic Acid)
There’s a new foot-care darling in skincare, and it’s not glycolic acid. Sure, it’s considered the ingredient du jour for summer-ready feet, with products like The Ordinary’s 7% Glycolic Acid Toner and The Inkey List’s Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Stick making their way onto the soles of skincare enthusiasts, dermatologists, and beauty editors alike. But it’s also something of a spotlight hog. Just ask urea. While most skincare experts I’ve spoken to think glycolic acid is excellent for feet, they always seem to stop short. You see, it’s actually urea that they refer to as the “gold standard”, alleviating dryness and banishing calluses and cracks. Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about urea, including the best urea foot creams for parched feet. What is urea and what are the benefits of using it on feet? Consultant dermatologist Dr. Derrick Phillips considers urea to be one of the most effective foot-care ingredients around: “Urea is a naturally occurring compound,” he says, which means the body actually produces it as a moisturizer. But when our natural reserves run low, skincare comes to the rescue. “Urea is often used in foot creams,” says Dr. Phillips, “but it’s different to many other moisturizing ingredients because it doesn’t only hydrate the skin.” He adds, “At higher strengths, it also helps to soften and break down hardened keratin, the protein that contributes to hard, thickened skin on the heels.” Dr. Phillips says that since urea helps chip away at this thickened skin, it makes rough heels feel softer, smoother, and more supple, while also reducing the likelihood of cracking, which can be as painful as it is inconvenient. “This is one of the reasons why urea is such a popular ingredient in foot creams,” adds Dr. Phillips, “because it’s both preventative and corrective.” What concentration of urea works best on feet? Unlike glycolic acid, which works best on feet in higher concentrations, even lower levels of urea can be beneficial. But it’s all relative. “The right percentage depends on how dry or thickened the skin is,” says Dr. Phillips. For mild dryness, he suggests a foot cream containing around 10% urea or less. “At this strength, urea mainly acts as a humectant, helping to draw water into the skin and improve hydration,” says Dr. Phillips. Higher concentrations are better for hard calluses — essentially thickened areas of skin on the soles or toes — or cracked heels. “Here, a 20% concentration of urea is often more useful,” says Dr. Phillips, because at these mid-range concentrations, urea has more of a keratolytic effect. “This means it helps to soften and break down thickened, compacted skin,” more likely on feet, which work hard. For severely cracked heels, some foot cream formulations contain 30 to 40% urea. “These can be effective,” says Dr. Phillips, “but they are more potent and are usually best used for short periods.” Who shouldn’t use urea? If the skin on your feet is very painful or bleeding, Dr. Phillips would recommend avoiding urea. “People with diabetes, poor circulation, or reduced sensation in the feet should also seek medical advice before using strong urea creams, as they may be less able to feel irritation or early skin damage,” says Dr. Phillips. Those with eczema, dermatitis, or very sensitive skin should also be careful, adds Dr. Phillips. “Higher concentrations can sting or irritate, especially if the skin barrier is already compromised,” he says. As a general rule of thumb? “High-strength urea creams should not be applied to open, bleeding or infected cracks unless this has been recommended by a healthcare professional.” What are the best urea foot creams for dry, cracked feet? You’ll find urea in plenty of body lotions thanks to its ability to smooth keratosis pilaris, or KP (also known as chicken skin) on the arms, but dedicated foot creams often combine urea with nourishing ingredients like glycerin and shea butter for further softness. Here are the best. Onyx Sole Soother Massaging Foot Cream, $10.99 Dry soles and flaky skin don’t stand a chance against this foot-cream-meets-massager, which is meant to be rolled over hard-working soles and massaged in. Not only does it smell divine, but it features a megamix of moisturizing, exfoliating urea alongside hydrating hyaluronic acid, dry skin-quenching shea butter, and nourishing vitamin E, making it one of the most conditioning, replenishing foot creams around. No really — reviewers can’t get over the way it transforms flaky feet and softens hard calluses in just a few days of consistent use. Flexitol Heel Balm, $14.29 Flexitol pirouettes off the tongue when I ask dermatologists which brand they recommend most. It’s for good reason; they’re true experts in foot care. The Heel Balm boasts a 25% concentration of urea to not only hydrate from the inside out, but also smooth over any cracks and whittle away hard calluse
Black News 
There’s a new foot-care darling in skincare, and it’s not glycolic acid. Sure, it’s considered the ingredient du jour for summer-ready feet, with products like The Ordinary’s 7% Glycolic Acid Toner and The Inkey List’s Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Stick making their way onto the soles of skincare enthusiasts, dermatologists, and beauty editors alike. But it’s also something of a spotlight hog. Just ask urea. While most skincare experts I’ve spoken to think glycolic acid is excellent for feet, they always seem to stop short. You see, it’s actually urea that they refer to as the “gold standard”, alleviating dryness and banishing calluses and cracks.
Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about urea, including the best urea foot creams for parched feet.
What is urea and what are the benefits of using it on feet?
Consultant dermatologist Dr. Derrick Phillips considers urea to be one of the most effective foot-care ingredients around: “Urea is a naturally occurring compound,” he says, which means the body actually produces it as a moisturizer. But when our natural reserves run low, skincare comes to the rescue. “Urea is often used in foot creams,” says Dr. Phillips, “but it’s different to many other moisturizing ingredients because it doesn’t only hydrate the skin.” He adds, “At higher strengths, it also helps to soften and break down hardened keratin, the protein that contributes to hard, thickened skin on the heels.”
Dr. Phillips says that since urea helps chip away at this thickened skin, it makes rough heels feel softer, smoother, and more supple, while also reducing the likelihood of cracking, which can be as painful as it is inconvenient. “This is one of the reasons why urea is such a popular ingredient in foot creams,” adds Dr. Phillips, “because it’s both preventative and corrective.”
What concentration of urea works best on feet?
Unlike glycolic acid, which works best on feet in higher concentrations, even lower levels of urea can be beneficial. But it’s all relative. “The right percentage depends on how dry or thickened the skin is,” says Dr. Phillips. For mild dryness, he suggests a foot cream containing around 10% urea or less. “At this strength, urea mainly acts as a humectant, helping to draw water into the skin and improve hydration,” says Dr. Phillips.
Higher concentrations are better for hard calluses — essentially thickened areas of skin on the soles or toes — or cracked heels. “Here, a 20% concentration of urea is often more useful,” says Dr. Phillips, because at these mid-range concentrations, urea has more of a keratolytic effect. “This means it helps to soften and break down thickened, compacted skin,” more likely on feet, which work hard.
For severely cracked heels, some foot cream formulations contain 30 to 40% urea. “These can be effective,” says Dr. Phillips, “but they are more potent and are usually best used for short periods.”
Who shouldn’t use urea?
If the skin on your feet is very painful or bleeding, Dr. Phillips would recommend avoiding urea. “People with diabetes, poor circulation, or reduced sensation in the feet should also seek medical advice before using strong urea creams, as they may be less able to feel irritation or early skin damage,” says Dr. Phillips.
Those with eczema, dermatitis, or very sensitive skin should also be careful, adds Dr. Phillips. “Higher concentrations can sting or irritate, especially if the skin barrier is already compromised,” he says. As a general rule of thumb? “High-strength urea creams should not be applied to open, bleeding or infected cracks unless this has been recommended by a healthcare professional.”
What are the best urea foot creams for dry, cracked feet?
You’ll find urea in plenty of body lotions thanks to its ability to smooth keratosis pilaris, or KP (also known as chicken skin) on the arms, but dedicated foot creams often combine urea with nourishing ingredients like glycerin and shea butter for further softness. Here are the best.
Onyx Sole Soother Massaging Foot Cream, $10.99
Dry soles and flaky skin don’t stand a chance against this foot-cream-meets-massager, which is meant to be rolled over hard-working soles and massaged in. Not only does it smell divine, but it features a megamix of moisturizing, exfoliating urea alongside hydrating hyaluronic acid, dry skin-quenching shea butter, and nourishing vitamin E, making it one of the most conditioning, replenishing foot creams around. No really — reviewers can’t get over the way it transforms flaky feet and softens hard calluses in just a few days of consistent use.
Flexitol Heel Balm, $14.29
Flexitol pirouettes off the tongue when I ask dermatologists which brand they recommend most. It’s for good reason; they’re true experts in foot care. The Heel Balm boasts a 25% concentration of urea to not only hydrate from the inside out, but also smooth over any cracks and whittle away hard calluses with consistent use. Thanks to moisturizing shea butter, vitamin E, and lanolin, you’ll feel the softening benefits straight away, while the urea works behind the scenes. Unlike other balms, it’s not heavy or greasy, so you can pull on socks and shoes without getting stuck.
O’Keeffe’s for Healthy Feet Foot Cream with Urea, $14.56
I swear by O’Keeffe’s Working Hands, and the foot cream version is just as effective because it features not one but two powerhouse exfoliating ingredients: urea, of course, as well as lactic acid, a gentle alpha-hydroxy acid that also hydrates as it sloughs away at hard skin. Together, they make feet smooth, soft, and more supple — even after just a couple of days of use.
Eucerin UreaRepair Plus Foot Cream 10% Urea, $13.75
A hydrating 10% urea takes center stage in this top-rated foot cream, but ceramides deserve just as much credit. Acting like the glue between skin cells, they keep the skin barrier intact and healthy — and by extension, soft and smooth. Without them, skin turns dry, rough, and flaky. The formula also features exfoliating lactic acid and moisture-locking glycerin, making it one of the most quenching foot creams around. I love the silky texture, too; it absorbs in moments.
Dr. Scholl’s Dry, Cracked Foot Repair Ultra-Hydrating Foot Cream, $5.29
You’ll find Dr. Scholl’s inside top podiatry clinics thanks to its ability to banish — and prevent — dry, cracked heels. It’s all down to a high concentration of urea (25%, to be exact), plus nourishing beeswax and lanolin, as well as smoothness-restoring lactic acid. The added peppermint oil feels like a cooling relief for hardworking feet.
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