How to use olive oil to soften feet
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With winter finally being a thing of the past (can we hear a hallelujah?), taking with it the frigid temperatures and the need to wear larger-than-life snow boots, we can look forward to busting out our spring and summer wardrobes.

This means waltzing around in light floral dresses and rocking some gorgeous sandals. But we can't attempt anything like that until we do a little something (or a lot) about our feet, which, for the most part, have been hibernating for winter. We’re talking talons as long as our cat’s claws and skin as rough as sandpaper.

Before you claw your way (pun intended) to the nearest nail salon, consider these at-home remedies that involve an item most of us already have sitting right in our kitchen: olive oil. It’s time for a little R&R for your feet.

How to use olive oil to soften hands and feet

The beauty of olive oil lies in the fact that it serves so many different purposes. This includes helping us fry up tasty meals in the kitchen, removing makeup, and now helping soften our skin.

It achieves skin-softening benefits by being packed full of antioxidants and squalene, which is harvested from plant and animal sources such as olives. It's extremely beneficial for hydrating our skin as squalene is already found in human sebum (the oil our skin naturally produces).

Since olive oil contains vitamin E, which is very beneficial for quenching parched skin, you can use olive oil on your hands and feet to cure any dryness and soften things up using what Tony Nakhla, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and founder and CEO of EIGHTH DAY, calls "occlusion therapy."

Simply apply 1 tsp of olive oil to washed skin and then cover your hands or feet with plastic wrap so the oil can fully absorb into the skin.

If you're struggling with severely dry feet, use this overnight olive oil for cracked heels treatment to help. Simply rub olive oil onto your feet before bed and then cover them with socks.

How to use olive oil for an at-home pedicure

If you're using olive oil for an at-home pedicure, you can start by softening the cuticles. Women's Health magazine advises starting with a white vinegar and warm water soak (use equal parts) for five minutes and then applying a few drops of olive oil to the cuticles and letting it absorb for approximately 10 minutes.

If you have yellow-stained nails, applying olive oil to the tips can also help. A daily application of olive oil to your nails may also speed up nail growth.

How to have an olive oil bath

Baths are a great way to get in some cozy relaxation as you can fill the tub with all sorts of goodies such as bath bombs, bath bubbles, essential oils, and bath salts. If you want to kick things up a notch and provide your skin with some serious skin-softening benefits, try an olive oil bath.

It’s easy to do. Simply add a few drops of olive oil into your next bath or make your own body scrub using olive oil and salt or sugar. Some women even shave their legs in the tub with olive oil to get baby-soft skin.

Tip: keep a towel handy nearby in case the tub gets so oily that you struggle to get out.

Add olive oil into your beauty routine and you will reap the benefits from head to toe.