Strong acid formula lifts thick, stubborn skin so moisturizers can finally work.
Cracked heels that snag on socks and never quite soften with cream alone often need a reset, not just another layer of lotion. The right foot peel mask can shed thick, stubborn skin so your moisturizer finally has a chance to work.
Cracked, rough heels can make every step uncomfortable and turn sandals into a no-go zone. A good foot peel mask softens thick, built-up skin so you can actually see and feel smoother heels within a week or two.
This guide focuses on peel masks that work for stubborn, dry, or callused heels without asking you to live barefoot at home for days on end. You will find options for heavy-duty peeling, gentler exfoliation, and deep moisture so you can match the strength of the product to the condition of your feet.
None of these products is a magic cure for deep, painful heel splits, but the right peel can remove the dry, rigid skin that keeps those cracks from healing. Used with a rich foot cream and socks at night, they can be a powerful reset for feet that feel beyond regular lotion.
Quick picks
Baby Foot Original Exfoliant Foot Peel – Best overall for thick, cracked heels. A strong acid blend that makes even stubborn calluses shed in sheets, ideal if your heels feel rock hard but do not have open cuts.
Soft Touch Foot Peel Mask – Best value peel with strong results. Comes with multiple pairs and delivers Baby Foot level peeling at a lower price, good if you want regular treatments through the year.
Patchology PoshPeel Pedi Cure Intensive Foot Peel – Best controlled peel for sensitive feet. Lets you control how much exfoliating essence you use so you can focus more on heels and less on areas that get irritated.
Aveeno Repairing Cica Foot Mask – Best non-peeling mask for split, sensitive heels. A deeply moisturizing sock mask for when acids are too harsh and your feet mainly need barrier repair and comfort.
How to choose the right foot peel mask for cracked heels
Start by looking honestly at what your heels need. If they are thick, yellowed, and hard with shallow surface cracks, a true chemical foot peel can lift off layers of dead skin. If your heels are very thin, red, or split to the point of bleeding, focus on healing creams first and wait on peels until skin is closed and stable.
Most peel masks rely on alpha and beta hydroxy acids like glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acid to dissolve dead skin. Stronger formulas and multiple acids tend to give more dramatic shedding but are more likely to sting or dry out already fragile skin. If you know your skin is reactive or you only have mild roughness, choose a peel that leans gentler or a mask that mainly hydrates and soothes.
Think about the practical details too. Peel masks usually stay on for about 60 to 90 minutes, so pick a night when you can sit and relax without walking around. Check sizing if you have very small or very large feet, and decide how much fragrance and botanicals you are comfortable with if you have sensitive skin or allergies.
In-depth reviews
Baby Foot Original Exfoliant Foot Peel review
Baby Foot is the classic foot peel that many people think of when they picture that oddly satisfying shedding phase. It is best for heels that are thick, heavily callused, and dry all over rather than for a few tiny cracks.
The formula combines glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acids with a long list of fruit extracts to dissolve dead skin. You soak your clean feet, slide them into the filled booties, secure the tops, then sit for about an hour before rinsing well. Peeling usually starts around day three to five and can continue for a week or more, especially around the heels.
On the plus side, Baby Foot can reveal impressively smooth heels with one treatment when your skin can tolerate acids. The tradeoff is that the fragrance, botanicals, and acid strength can be too much for very sensitive or compromised skin, and the peeling phase looks messy if you are wearing sandals or going barefoot.
Compared with Soft Touch, Baby Foot feels a bit more polished in terms of bootie quality and overall experience but the results are similar. If you want maximum exfoliation and do not mind fragrance, this is the one to start with, while more reactive skin may prefer Patchology PoshPeel or a non-peeling mask.
Soft Touch Foot Peel Mask review
Soft Touch Foot Peel Mask is a strong, budget-friendly alternative to Baby Foot. It is a good fit if your heels are very rough and you want multiple peels in a box so you can repeat the treatment a few times a year.
The formula also leans on glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acids with added moisturizers, and peeling tends to be dramatic on thick heel skin. The booties are thinner and more generic than Baby Foot, so you will want to wear socks over them to keep everything snug and avoid leaks.
Many people find Soft Touch just as effective at lifting calluses, which makes the lower price appealing. The downside is that the experience feels a little less luxurious and the strong acid blend can still be too intense for thinner or freshly cracked skin.
If you are mostly choosing between Soft Touch and Baby Foot, go with Soft Touch if you want value and plan to peel again in a few months. Choose Baby Foot if you prefer a more refined fit and feel or if you are nervous and want to follow a very widely used option for your first peel.
Patchology PoshPeel Pedi Cure Intensive Foot Peel review
Patchology PoshPeel Pedi Cure is a smarter choice if you like the idea of a peel but want more control than you get with a pre-filled bootie. It suits people whose heels are rough but not extreme, or who have had irritation from stronger peels in the past.
Instead of sealed, pre-filled socks, you get dry booties plus a separate packet of Activating Essence that contains glycolic, lactic, citric, and salicylic acids. You pour more of the essence into the areas that need the most help, like your heels and balls of the feet, and less where your skin is thinner. That flexibility helps you tailor the strength of the peel without buying a separate product.
Peeling tends to be a bit more gradual and less shocking than with Baby Foot or Soft Touch, which many people appreciate when they still need to go to the office in closed shoes. The drawback is a higher price per treatment and less of that single massive shedding moment if you are hoping for dramatic before-and-after photos.
Compared with the other peels in this guide, PoshPeel sits in a comfortable middle ground: more targeted and thoughtful than Soft Touch, but still a real peel instead of a simple moisturizer like the Aveeno mask. If your heels are cracked but you also want to protect more delicate areas of your feet, this is a smart compromise.
Aveeno Repairing Cica Foot Mask review
Aveeno Repairing Cica Foot Mask is not a chemical peel in the dramatic sense, but it earns a place here because many people with cracked heels cannot safely use strong acids. This mask is designed for deep moisture and barrier repair, which is exactly what fragile, split heels often need first.
The serum inside the sock-style mask is packed with shea butter, glycerin, and ceramide-supporting ingredients, and it is fragrance free. You wear the mask for about 10 minutes, then massage the remaining lotion into your feet, leaving a cushiony, coated feeling rather than any sting.
The main advantage is that you can use it on heels that are healing from cracks, as long as the skin is not actively bleeding or infected, and there is no messy shedding phase. The limitation is that it will not remove a thick, hard callus on its own, though it can soften edges and make a gentle file or pumice stone work better.
Think of Aveeno Cica as a partner, not a replacement, for a true peel: you might use Baby Foot or Soft Touch once to remove heavy buildup, then use this mask weekly plus a strong cream to keep new cracks from forming. If your skin is highly sensitive or you are simply not interested in visible peeling, this is the safest pick in the group.
How to use a foot peel mask safely and get better results
Safety should come first, especially with cracked heels. Skip chemical foot peels if you have open or bleeding cracks, infections, eczema on your feet, uncontrolled diabetes, poor circulation, or nerve problems, unless a medical professional has cleared you. If you decide to proceed, you can protect stubborn hairline cracks by dabbing a thick ointment right on the split before putting on the peel socks so acids stay mostly on the surrounding callused skin.
For best results, soak your feet in warm water for 10 to 20 minutes, then dry them completely before putting on the mask. Slip into the booties, secure them at the ankle, and wear them for the amount of time listed in the directions, usually 60 to 90 minutes. Sit or lie down as much as possible so you are not sliding around on plastic feet.
After you rinse the acids away, your heels may feel dry or tight for a few days before peeling begins. When skin starts to shed, a daily warm soak plus gentle rubbing with a washcloth is usually enough to encourage flaking without overdoing it. Avoid picking or peeling large pieces of skin, since that can expose tender new skin too soon and actually worsen cracking.
To help prevent cracks from coming back, moisturize your feet every night once peeling has finished with a thick cream or balm and cotton socks. Light maintenance with a foot file once or twice a week on fully healed skin can keep hard buildup from returning, so you may only need a big peel once or twice a year.
Final thoughts
If your heels are thick, callused, and not actively bleeding, a classic peel like Baby Foot Original Exfoliant Foot Peel or the more budget-friendly Soft Touch Foot Peel Mask can strip away layers of dead skin so creams finally sink in. For feet that are a bit sensitive or unevenly rough, Patchology PoshPeel Pedi Cure Intensive Foot Peel gives you more control over where the acids go.
If your main issue is soreness, redness, or fragile splits, start with a repairing mask like Aveeno Repairing Cica Foot Mask and a serious daily foot cream before you consider any peel. Choose the option that matches how tough your heel skin really is, give yourself a solid two weeks for the process, and then lock in your new soft heels with consistent moisture and socks at night.
See also
If your heels stay dry even after peeling, pairing one of these masks with a rich option from our guide to the best foot cream for dry, cracked feet and a targeted product featured in our Eucerin Advanced Repair foot cream review can make your results last much longer.
- Everyday body care tips for softer feet and smoother skin
- Rich body butters that comfort dry winter feet without staining sheets
- Affordable under-15 dollar routine for dry body and foot skin
FAQ
Will a foot peel mask fix my cracked heels or do I still need cream?
A foot peel mask can remove thick, rigid layers of dead skin that keep cracks from closing, but it does not replace daily moisture. Think of the peel as a reset that makes creams work better, not as a cure on its own. For lasting results, you still need a rich foot cream or balm every night once peeling is finished.
How long does it take to see results from a foot peel mask on thick heels?
Most people notice the first peeling between day three and day seven after using a foot peel mask. The heaviest shedding on the heels often happens around days five to ten, and your feet usually look and feel their best after about two weeks. Plan your treatment at least two weeks before a vacation or event if you want smooth heels without visible flakes.
Is it safe to use a foot peel mask if my heels are bleeding or have deep splits?
No, strong chemical foot peels should not be used on actively bleeding, infected, or very deep heel cracks. The acids can sting badly, delay healing, and raise the risk of complications, especially if you have diabetes or poor circulation. Focus on closing the cracks with ointments and protective socks first, and only consider a peel once skin is fully closed and healthier.
Can I speed up the peeling on my heels with a pumice stone or foot file?
Gentle use of a pumice stone or soft foot file on wet skin can help loosen flakes, but you should avoid aggressive scrubbing. Over-filing can strip away fresh new skin under the peel and leave your heels sore or more prone to cracking again. Short, light passes once or twice a week while peeling is active are usually enough.
How often should I repeat a foot peel mask if my heels crack every winter?
Most people only need a strong foot peel once or twice a year, with daily cream and light filing in between to maintain results. If your heels build up very quickly, you might repeat a peel every 8 to 12 weeks, as long as your skin has fully recovered and is not irritated. If you feel you need peels more often than that, it is worth talking with a podiatrist or dermatologist about other ways to manage your heel cracks.
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