These $6 Aquaphor foot masks are my secret to smoother, sandal-ready feet

In the summertime, I'm a flip-flops gal. From my cushy Havianas to my sleek TKEES, most days, I'm wearing a pair of sandals. That said, I make sure my toes are primped and polished before slipping on a pair. But regular pedicures can get a little pricey, so I usually go the DIY route, and that's how I came across the Aquaphor Advanced Therapy Repairing Foot Mask. For just $6, this 10-minute mask can soothe dry heels and soften skin. And with regular use, they've helped me get my feet sandal-ready sans salon.

Aquaphor Advanced Therapy Repairing Foot Mask

$8

These foot masks are easy to put on, non-irritating and really help with dry, cracked heels.

Pros

• Mess-free
• Moisturizing
• Fragrance-free
• Hypoallergenic

Cons

• Pricier than buying standard Aquaphor ointment

$8 at Target

Aquaphor Healing Ointment Skin Protectant and Moisturizer

$8

You can use Aquaphor on your hands, feet, lips — anywhere! If you put it on your feet though, you may want to put on a pair of socks to prevent the ointment from greasing up your floors.

$8 at Target

I especially like that this foot mask is completely mess-free. Instead of a cream or a serum you slather on, the "mask" is actually a set of paper booties filled with Aquaphor. Just open them up, slip them on and put your feet up for 10 minutes. When time's up, you can take them off and rub the leftover lotion in or wipe it off. The mask contains nourishing shea butter, avocado oil and Aquaphor's signature ingredients like provitamin B5, glycerin and bisabolol, a soothing, anti-inflammatory oil that is extracted from chamomile.

Now, I have a few personal recommendations. I suggest putting your feet up with these booties on, because you don't want to slip and fall. However, if you want to walk around while you moisturize, just slip a pair of socks on over the booties to hold them in place or put on a pair of slippers. (I usually put a pair of socks on over mine and wear them while I do my hair or makeup.) For best results, I also like to use a callus remover or a foot file in the shower, and put these on right after I've dried off.

You can use these booties in between pedicures or as a special treat to yourself here and there, but I try to use one at least once per week in the summertime. I'm a runner and I walk a lot, so these help prevent cracked heels and soften calluses.

"This worked better than other foot masks I’ve tried, and without any burning," said one of the 330 five-star reviewers at Target. "I use thick fuzzy socks on top of the booties to hold them in place, and that seems to work really well, especially if you need to move around for those 10 minutes. This is a really great foot mask in between pedicures!"

Another shopper shared that they wore these while they slept. "These are amazing! I put them on my feet and wore them overnight and my dry, cracked heals are no more! Nothing works on them ever. This did the trick in one night. Already purchasing more."

"Love these! I have a lot of problems with very dry, cracked skin on my feet. These help soften it, and then I can use other Aquaphor products to keep it soft. My feet feel amazing after I use these," said another shopper.

Of course, there is another alternative that's slightly cheaper, albeit a little messier: You can just apply regular Aquaphor ointment to your feet and put on a pair of socks. In a pinch, I've done this or even used Vaseline instead. While the regular Aquaphor doesn't have the shea butter and it's a little greasy feeling, it's still meant for dry, cracked skin and can beautify your feet.

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.