Cracked heels are the most stubborn dry skin on your body: the skin is the thickest, it takes your whole weight all day, and it's the spot everyone treats last. Lotion has almost no chance here. A dense balm does.
Why heels crack
Heel skin builds thick callus for protection. When callus dries out completely it stops flexing, and when stiff skin has to bend under bodyweight, it splits. The math is simple: keep the callus supple and it bends instead of cracking.
The routine that actually works
- Night one through seven: after a shower (skin slightly soft), work balm firmly into the heels. Socks over the top. Sleep.
- That's it. That's the routine. The socks are non-negotiable: they keep the balm on your heels instead of your sheets, and a week of nights beats a month of mornings.
- Once things settle, two or three nights a week holds the line.
Why tallow over the drugstore stuff
Heel products are usually either water-based lotion (evaporates before it penetrates callus) or urea creams (work, but read the rest of that label). Tallow with beeswax is dense enough to stay put all night, made of fats your skin actually uses, and the same tin also handles your hands, face, and everything between.
Which tin
For feet, scent is irrelevant. Grab whatever's in the tin by your bed, or Raw if you're starting fresh. Made by hand in small batches in Wakarusa, Indiana.