Your Guide to Using a Pumice Stone for Your Softest Feet Yet
When we think about exfoliation, we are often quick to focus on our face, arms, legs, and other parts of the body—but the one place that is often overlooked is the feet. Dry skin on more prominent areas of the body is easier to see, but when it comes to the feet, we don’t really notice the dead skin and calluses that are hanging around. When the buildup of dry, dead skin becomes too much, our first instinct is to reach for a pumice stone to buff away rough skin on cracked heels to leave us with soft feet. You’ve likely had one used on you when you’ve gotten a pedicure and noticed smooth skin immediately after walking out of the salon. So what do you do if you want to give yourself a deep cleaning at home? We spoke with licensed esthetician and skincare brand founder Emme Diane Burg to get the 411 on what a pumice stone is, the benefits of using one, how to use it properly, and more. Keep scrolling for your complete guide to pumice stones.
Meet the Expert
Emme Diane Burg is a licensed esthetician and founder of the skincare brand EMME DIANE.
So, What Exactly Is a Pumice Stone?
Whether you’ve used one on your feet or have had one used on you, you might recognize what a pumice stone looks like, but may not be totally sure what it is. Burg tells us, “A pumice stone is a type of volcanic rock that is often used for manual exfoliation.” Makes sense, but what makes it ideal for exfoliation? “It’s very porous and has a rough surface, which makes it great at buffing and smoothing thicker areas of the skin, like the feet,” answers Burg. Talk about the ultimate foot-care product.
5 Benefits of Using a Pumice Stone
1. It Easily Smooths Rough Skin
As a manual exfoliator, the biggest benefit of using a pumice stone is its ability to slough away dead skin cells that lead to dryness and rough patches. Burg shares that “a pumice stone can buff away even the toughest skin, leaving you with soft and smooth feet.” So if your feet are dry and cracked, use pumice stones to get rid of rough skin.
2. It Reduces Calluses & Corns
Apart from smoothing dry skin, pumice stones are effective at reducing calluses and corns. For those who may be unfamiliar, corns and calluses are thick areas of tender skin that are often sensitive and caused by friction or too much pressure on the feet. If you’re unsure whether you have one of these skin issues, be sure to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist (aka a foot doctor) so they can help determine the best treatment for you.
But for those who have had experiences with calluses and corns—and know they have one—Burg shares that a pumice stone can help reduce these sensitive areas so that your feet don’t cause you as much discomfort.
3. It Can Make Moisturizer & Body Lotion More Effective
Once your pumice stone has sloughed away dry, cracked skin, it’s time to moisturize. Burg notes that “by exfoliating the rough dead skin, a pumice stone can leave the skin primed for moisturizers or lotions to work more effectively.” This means your feet will soak up the moisture better and continue to be less dry over time.
4. It Might Work for Hair Removal
Did you know you can use a pumice stone as a way to remove body hair? We didn’t either until now. Turns out, many swear by using pumice stones for hair removal over waxing or shaving. However, Burg does stress that a pumice stone is best used on the feet and not on more sensitive skin areas like the face. So while you can get away with using it on less sensitive areas, the esthetician does urge you to be extra cautious and apply as gentle pressure as possible to areas that aren’t the feet. But if you’re hoping to remove hair on your feet, you should be good to go.
5. It Can Prevent Ingrown Hairs
Because a pumice stone is effective at hair removal and exfoliation, this means it can help prevent ingrown hairs. Should you already have an ingrown hair, you can use the stone to help get rid of it. Exfoliate the area using the stone and be sure to be as gentle as possible, especially depending on where the ingrown hair is.
Subsection 3: Are There Any Side Effects Associated With Using a Pumice Stone?
It bears repeating: A pumice stone is best used on rough areas of the skin, like the feet. “Using them on delicate skin like your face can be a recipe for disaster,” says Burg. “Most areas on the body outside of the feet are just too sensitive for something as rough as a pumice stone.” Using it on more sensitive skin areas can lead to irritation, redness, and increased sensitivity in these areas. You can still exfoliate other areas of the face and body, but Burg recommends you use a less abrasive option. We love the SYMBIOSIS SKINCARE Prestige Ultra Fine Balancing Sorbet Facial Cryo-Exfoliator for how gentle yet effective the formula is. For our body, we can’t get enough of the REFRESHMENTS Brightening Body Scrub because it helps remove dead skin cells, dirt, and impurities thanks to exfoliating pineapple and papaya enzymes.
Even if you do stick to using it on your feet, Burg notes that “there are still some risks, because overuse in any area can cause microtears, potentially leading to irritation or infection.” You don’t need to use it more than once every two weeks if you have mild to moderate dry skin. If you experience calluses and corns more regularly, you can use a pumice stone on them once or twice a week.
How to Use a Pumice Stone, Step by Step
Step 1: Soak Your Feet in Warm Water
Burg says the best way to start your pumice stone experience is by soaking your feet in warm water for five to 10 minutes. “This will soften the skin, making the exfoliation process much easier,” she shares.
Step 2: Check That Your Skin Is Soft
Before you use the pumice stone on your skin, you want to make sure your skin is soft. After you’ve soaked your feet for at least five minutes in warm water, touch the area to feel the texture. If it isn’t soft at all or still feels a little rough, soak it for a few more minutes until it feels soft to the touch.
Step 3: Wet Your Pumice Stone
Similar to your feet, you should soak the pumice stone in warm, soapy water so that it isn’t too rough to rub on the targeted area. This ensures that the stone is not only gentler on the skin but also reduces the risk of injury or tears.
Step 4: Rub the Stone in a Circular Motion
Burg encourages you to be gentle with your feet and apply light pressure so you don’t cause irritation. Rubbing the stone in a slow, circular motion will gently slough away dead skin and rough spots. It shouldn’t take long for the stone to buff out dry areas.
Step 5: Rinse Your Skin
Once you feel like you’ve gotten rid of all the dead skin on your feet, rinse your exfoliated skin in the shower. If you still notice some dry spots, repeat steps 1 to 4 until you notice the dead skin is completely gone from your feet.
Step 6: Apply Moisturizer to the Area
“While your feet are still slightly damp, apply moisturizer to keep the skin feeling soft and hydrated,” says Burg. This step is critical to ensure you lock in all the hard work the pumice stone just did.
Step 7: Dry Your Pumice Stone
Now that you’re done using your pumice stone, be sure to rinse it off thoroughly with hot water and soap. Let it dry outside of the shower so it doesn’t remain wet, as this can trap bacteria.
Some Final Things to Consider
While a pumice stone is effective at removing dead skin, Burg urges you to never use it on your face. “Really the only area I would recommend a pumice stone is the feet. The rest of the skin should be exfoliated with a less abrasive option.” We recommend these 11 face scrubs for your smoothest complexion yet. And if you need something for your entire body, these are the 12 best body scrubs on the market.
Should you feel like using a pumice stone on skin that is already irritated from over-exfoliation, put the stone down immediately. Burg shares that using it “can make things worse.” Instead, take a break from exfoliating and focus on moisturizing the area. Don’t forget to visit your dermatologist as well if you need some extra guidance.