With the gift of aging, you may notice your fingernails are getting thinner and more brittle, while your toenails get thicker and harder to trim. If you’ve hung around HuffPost Shopping, you may know that fingernail strengtheners are a constant top-seller. If you’ve ever wondered if there’s something similar, but opposite, for managing your feet, you’ll be happy to know we spotted a user-loved aloe vera-based cream that temporarily softens toenails—for just under $9. Shoppers with “extraordinarily long” toenails that felt “almost impossible to cut,” even after soaking for hours, are amazed by how effective the cream is at making their toenails easier to trim.
The cream is especially loved by older reviewers and those caring for elderly parents for relieving discomfort and aiding in maintaining thick, ingrown, curved or just dense toenails. As a reviewer in their late 70s wrote: “Rock hard nails? Yeah, this will work.”
According to the Mayo Clinic and government studies, thicker toenails are incredibly common with aging, likely due to changes in your nail plates and blood circulation.
Additionally, as Healthline’s Medical News Today describes, because your toenails spend more time in warm, moist areas than your fingernails (i.e., socks and shoes), they’re far more prone to fungus and yeast, which can also cause thickening. The article adds that years of working on your feet, wearing uncomfortable shoes, and general bumps and stubs can also cause your toenails to harden, making them uncomfortable and more difficult to trim.
“I have learned that many elderly people get the same problem of thick, hard toenails,” reviewer Wanda Osborne wrote. “This product helps solve the problem.”
The overnight treatment does its thing while you slumber, saving you time and effort.
Made with 60% pure aloe vera gel (which government studies show to have a “significant antifungal effect”), tea tree oil for soothing and a blend of mineral oil, neatsfoot oil, glycerin and petrolatum, the cream is designed to temporarily soften your nail tissue, while hydrating and protecting the nail.
The brand recommends generously applying the cream to your toenails before bed, leaving it on overnight, then trimming your toenails in the morning. For particularly thick nails, the brand says you may still want to soak your feet in warm water for 30 minutes before applying the gel. While some report wearing socks over the gel as they sleep, the brand says socks aren’t required as the formula should not stain bedding.
Of course, people are finding the best ways to add the cream into their (or their elderly loved ones’) routine, with some citing it takes less than two hours to work.
“This morning I slathered it on my biggest toenail challenge (left big toe), left it for 1.5 hours (probably didn’t need to wait that long) and the nail flexed like a piece of paper,” Colonel H. wrote. “Five seconds with a pro-grade pair of nail clippers (lots of good ones, I picked the Wanmat Toe Kit via Amazon) and it was good to go. I have tried several other products, but this one simply does the job better.”
Another reviewer reports their elderly mother had hard and overgrown toenails that desperately needed trimming. “I could not cut them well and it caused her pain,” they wrote. “I found this product and used it every day for 2 weeks before cutting and trimming her nails. The difference was remarkable. I do recommend this product to anyone aging or taking care of someone aging.”
Reviewers with arthritis in their hands who have trouble cutting their toenails or who just “dread” the task say the cream makes nail trimming so much easier, as well as a reviewer with a parent in the triple-digits. “This helped my Dad with the discomfort of when I trim his nails,” they wrote. “He’s 100 years old so his nails have gotten thick.”
Reviewers love this $9 aloe cream for making toenail trimming easier. Read more 5-star reviews and grab some for yourself to treat your feet.
“Great for hard toenails which seem to grow fast. My arthritis hands make it so hard to handle my hard toenails. This makes it easier.” — Betsy
“I have learned that many elderly people get the same problem of thick hard toenails. This product helps solve the problem.” — Wanda Osborne
“My elderly mother let her toe nails grow too long due to being too embarrassed to ask for help. When she asked the nails were very over grown and hard. I could not cut them well and it caused her pain. I found this product and used it every day for 2 weeks before cutting and trimming her nails. The difference was remarkable. I do recommend this product to anyone aging or taking care of someone aging.” — Theresa Hannigan
“I purchased this product, because I dread cutting my toenails. I have tried soaking my toenails first, before cutting them, but that wasn’t working. So , I went on Amazon and found this little gem. This stuff truly works. It softend them up to the point, where I could almost just pull some of the toenails out without using the nail clipper. I will purchase this product again.” — carla e.
Looking for more budget-friendly foot care? I asked podiatrists how to make walking a little more comfortable, here are some on-sale and under $10 options.
A pair of arch support orthotic inserts
Michael J. Trepal, professor of surgical sciences at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine, previously spoke to HuffPost about the best products for dealing with plantar fasciitis and said that arch support inserts might be worth trying to make walking more comfortable.
These highly-rated insoles use a high arch and deep heel cup to offer support and maintain correct foot positioning so that the heel is better protected from impact. The inserts are available in both men's and women's sizing.
A heavy-duty emollient
You may be used to putting lotion on your feet after a shower or before bed, but Dr. Michelle Castiello, a podiatrist at Scarsdale Medical Group, an affiliate of White Plains Hospita recommends giving your piggies a little product before hitting the streets. "Moisturize your feet before a long walk," she said. "Apply creams or ointments to areas that are at risk for blisters, such as bunions and hammertoes." Per Castiello, having moisturized feet can help prevent blisters, cracking, corns and calluses while you work out.
One possible option is O'Keeffe's Healthy Feet foot cream, an unscented and non-greasy lotion intended to keep your feet from cracking or drying out. Castiello recommends putting a thin layer of Vaseline on the back of your heels to prevent blisters or discomfort.
A soap or foot wash to ward off fungus
When you come in from a walk, you may automatically head to the shower to get the sweat off. But even if you don't fully bathe, Castiello recommends giving your feet a foot scrub after every walk.
"After exercise, take off your socks and shoes as soon as possible, [and] wash and dry your feet well, especially between the toes, to avoid fungus," she said.
This Daily Defense foot wash contains tea tree oil and Epsom salts to help clean and deodorize your feet.
The Real Deal: We use deal trackers and commerce experience to sift through “fake” hike-and-drop deals and other deceptive sales tactics. Products will usually be rated at least 4 stars with a minimum 15% discount. (And when there’s an exception, we’ll tell you why.)