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Before I waste anymore money....
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I've whined before about the calluses on my feet and since right this second they are driving me absolutely batty I thought I'd come here looking for those members, whom, like the BBs, know enough about chemistry to tell me if this stuff works.
So I searched and keep coming back to this Be Natural stuff - the majority of the reviews are good and it seems that it's the stuff they put on your feet in spas and such, but I could be wrong and the reviews could be paid. Unlike all the other gels and liquids on Amazon it's the only one with a full ingrediant list which makes it seems more legit - but before I spend the money, especially since the very first ingrediant is water, I want to see if anyone thinks it'll work.
Ingredients
Purified Water, Potassium Hydroxide, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Disodium EDTA.
The other reason I want my calluses gone is I bought, at mom's insistance, some strappy heels. (I've learned it's just easier to agree with her.) And she insists, even though the shoes are black and the dress I'll be wearing them with is black, I can't wear black nylons - I have to wear those stupid tannish ones. (Why? Why can't I wear black nylons? Sounds so stupid to me.) Which means a pedicure - unless I can remove the calluses myself. Then it's just a manner of filing my toe nails. Save myself $30 + tip.
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Hi Jami,
I don't know if that stuff will work, needless to say--we'll have to wait on the brains' response. I know you said before you have tried ped egg. I'm not sure how well it works. What other types of callus shavers have you used? I swear by a callus rasp (the kind I use is less than $10, but if you want to spend some money, this one http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp/ItemId=105672/Foot_Callus_Rasp_ gets great reviews on mua; its only advantage over a pedi service is if you buy it, you get to use it over and over). I have to say, I don't agree with your mom. I think if the dress and the shoes are black, then it's black hose.
Sarah -
Hi Jami! Actually my daughter would say nice pedicure and no nylons with a black dress and strappy heels! Just use either a self tanner or a bronzer of some sort. If you have several days before to let it work Jergens Natural Glow Revitalizing Daily Moisturizer works beautifully.. If you need more of a right now color Sally Hansen makes a product called Salon Airbrush Legs that gets good reviews. (I haven't tried the Sally Hansen product myself. The Jergen's product is great though!)
As to the calluses a pumice stone used every day in combination with something like Eucerin Plus Intensive Repair Foot Creme should work. It has AHA's in it. Here is a page with a picture of what the tube looks like for reference.
http://www.drugstore.com/qxp139640/eucerin/plus_intensive_repair_foot_creme.htm
I went to look up info about the ped egg and found this: http://sparkleshelf.com/2008/6/18/should-you-buy-the-ped-egg--i-vote-no.
The pumice stone and the foot creme would take time to work but definitely should be safe.
Beauty Brains what do YOU say?
lindy -
The PedEgg works pretty good, but it really doesn't do the miracles that it shows on the tv. I suppose if you have the dried, cracked heels that they show in the commerical it's different. I just have thick, dry skin with a greyish cast to it. And Heel-Tastic, forget it. I would put it on, put spa socks over it, and it wouldn't do a bit of good. It sits on top of the skin and never soaks in like it claims. Again, I suppose if your heels are cracking it's different, but not if your skin is callused but whole.
The shoesales lady freaked out when I said I'd wear black nylons with them - I had brought black calf high stockings for trying on shoes. So now it's 2 against 2. Of course the "experts" say you shouldn't wear nylons at all - but I think women who wear dressed without nylons look trashy. -
I can't go without nylons. I know I'm suppose to be of the "no nylon" crowd but it doesn't feel like a complete look without nylons - it brings it down if you ask me. Like wearing ratty jeans with a really dressy silk blouse.
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If the ped egg works pretty good, I'd use that, or a rasp, followed by a finer abrasive (like a pumice) to buff it smooth. I have thick calluses, so on me, starting off with a pumice doesn't cut it. I somehow can't believe that any chemical that won't burn you is really going to do much for calluses except maybe to soften them and make removal easier. If you callus easily, I'd say invest in a good quality callus rasp and it will make it easier to keep up with it. Or get a pedicure this time but ask the person who does it what tools they recommend to keep up with them (if they'll tell you).
I like the no-hose look myself (or maybe I should say, I like the no-hose feeling, having air circulation and a waist that is not constricted), but if hose are to be worn, I don't like nude color; I only like cream, black, or a color. Just my personal preference. -
Well, according to the reviews the chemical will burn you. LOL But in salons they always use something to soften the callus. Which is what I'm looking for. Especially since I can also use it on my corn.
The best pedicure I've ever had was in a little salon in the La Plaza in Palm Springs, CA. I think the majority of the reason is because it was a man who did it. I'm really ticklish and most women when they find that out go really lightly with the pumpice stone - making it tickle more and not really remove anything. He went harder, which made it not tickle and stripped off several years worth of calluses.
The PedEgg works - but it doesn't really remove enough. Only thing other then this guy that removes enough is those callus razors.
The other option is this Medipad thing but it's really expensive and you have to buy waterproof tape to keep it in place.
Product Description
2 x 3-inch. Pads 40% Salicylic Acid; Physician recommended; Cut-to-fit pads.
But after the stuff I'm thinking about buying this has the best reviews. However instead of instant results like the other is suppose to give - just like getting a pedicure - this one may take months. (Or at least two weeks.)
I hate nude nylons too - or any light color. I have big, fat, ugly legs and I don't like them being seen. That's why I wear jeans all year round no matter what the tempature. I only like to wear black nylons. So no one can see my gross legs. -
I have never tried the Eucerin Foot Cream myself but I have used AHA's on my face. Despite the word 'acid' being in the name, these products will not burn you. This is noted here: http://thebeautybrains.com/2010/06/02/which-aha-is-most-effective/
"Hopefully all our readers recognize AHA as the abbreviation for Alpha Hydroxy Acid, a class of chemical that is used to loosen dead skin cells and increase cell turnover. " -
I've tried callus shavers (the razor blade kind) and find that they remove the callus too unevenly--might have just been my lack of skill using it. That's why I like the rasp way best. Also, no risk of cutting yourself with a rasp. But yeah, if you can find a good chemical product that will soften it first, it might make it easier removing it. AHAs or BHAs (salicylic acid) sound like good bets to my lay person's thinking.
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Calluses are the body's way of trying to protect the area covered by the callus. http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/calluses-and-corns-topic-overview
An interesting point in the above article: Your doctor may use a small knife to pare (trim) the callus or corn. You may reduce the size of the callus or corn yourself by soaking your foot in warm water and then using a pumice stone to rub the dead skin away. Never cut the corn or callus yourself, especially if you have diabetes or other conditions that cause circulatory problems or numbness.
My lay person's guess is that persistence is the key to dealing with calluses, meaning dealing with the problem on a daily basis. I use a pumice stone and moisturize with a creamy petroleum jelly daily.
I do want to hear what the Brains have to say on this topic! -
I already use a pumice stone daily, but at the end of the day they're so thick that all the pumice the Mono Craters won't help. Which is why I want to soften/loose them first.
And yeah, the razors leave it very uneven but sometimes I get desperate.
I've tried Eucerin and like with everything else, I didn't see a darn bit of difference. I honestly think you have to remove the callus first then use all those lotions and stuff as a preventive. Otherwise it just sits on top of the skin and makes your socks squishy. -
Brains--do you vote 1) cutting tool (knife, shaver), 2) rasp/abrasive, 3) pumice and/or 4) chemical softeners/exfoliants?
Also, here's another option. Motorized pedicure tools like this one. http://www.amazon.com/Viatek-PS01G-Pedi-Spa-Operated-Electronic/dp/B002MUAG3M/ref=pd_sim_hpc_4 , this one http://www.amazon.com/Electric-Callus-Remover-FootFile-Pedicure/dp/B002JE62ZM/ref=pd_sbs_hpc_1 or this one http://www.amazon.com/Pedi-Quick-Salon-Pedicure-Kit-Pedifx/product-reviews/B000GCNCI4/ref=dp_db_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1 Some of them are pricey, but if it worked and was durable and had a good warranty, I might spring for it if pretty feet were important to me. -
Done the motorized thing as well. Unless I hold it in one spot for a long time, it really doesn't help.
I don't mean to sound like a negative nelly, it's just that I've tried these things and I probably should have mentioned that before. I just really want to know if this chemical option will make removing the callus at home easier so I don't have to shell out money for a pedicure.
Plus, though I'm sure it's not suppose to be used there, I have calluses on my KNEES from kneeling a lot at work. So I'd like to remove them as well and trust me, the PedEgg is NOT meant for knees. I tried. -
Trust me, I'm pretty negative too. Though I think with tools, the quality of the tool makes all the difference (especially motorized ones). I have a motorized pedicure tool that does nothing, too (it works for grinding down my ingrown nail edges, which is what I mainly use it for if that isn't TMI, but not for much of anything else), I just think it's possible a higher quality one would work better. But yeah, the right chemicals might make the job easier.
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Mom has bought me some pretty darn high quality ones, but like you, I only find them good for filing toe nails, especially the ingrown parts.
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