Whether you’re dealing with the discomfort of swollen feet after a long day, the throbbing pain of overuse, or the annoyance of dry, cracked skin, essential oils may offer the relief you’re seeking.
In this article, we’ll explore the properties of different oils, how they can be applied, and the science behind their effectiveness, providing you with a comprehensive guide to these potent foot-care solutions.
Why use essential oils for your feet?
Discomfort and health issues with feet can get overlooked. While over-the-counter and prescription products exist to address problems such as feet swelling, infection, soreness and more, some of these products may be expensive. Plus, they may not always be easily accessible right when you’d need them, or they might not be as common to find as products for other health issues.
Some products are also not always made with all-natural ingredients. This can be a challenge for those favoring a more natural and holistic self-care regimen. Other issues can involve skin allergies or reactions to non-natural products, which creates more discomfort than relief.
Essential oils, however, can be effective for addressing all these problems. They are all-natural products (when sourced from a high quality, reputable company). Research on certain types shows they can support or relieve health issues or discomfort that can affect your feet.
Essential oils are also affordable and widely available at most grocers or health food stores. Because there is a variety of different essential oils for feet you can choose from, you can more easily avoid ingredients that could cause an allergy, and favor a different botanical ingredient for home treatment if you have a reaction with another.
Best essential oils for feet
Essential oils are used to address a wide range of foot issues. The 7 oils below are the ones I would recommend to help with common problems such as pain, swelling, damaged skin, and fungal infections.
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Calendula
This golden flower remains an herbalist go-to for skin issues of many types, including issues that could affect feet. Calendula may protect skin, reduce dryness, and speed the healing of wounds when topically used—including as a diluted essential oil.
Research on diabetic foot patients also showed that topical calendula helped speed the healing of sores and broken skin, while relieving dryness, itchiness, redness, and pain. The herb also helped reduce the appearance of scars as the result of feet issues, wounds, and sores.1
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Chamomile
Like its close relative calendula, chamomile has been a favored botanical for skin issues, inflammation, and more—and yes, for feet problems too. The daisy-like flower has an affinity for inflammation, dryness, allergies, and pain as a natural topical remedy.
One study on chamomile oil showed it helped with pain and fatigue as an ingredient during foot massage, making quality of life far better in patients who received the massage compared to those who didn’t.2 The essential oil is a top choice for feet issues involving itchiness, redness, and pain.
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Cinnamon
Not just for spiced apple cider, cinnamon is also a powerful natural healer on many fronts. That signature aromatic “spiciness” is a hallmark of its antimicrobial properties that can keep issues like bacterial or fungal infection at bay—an issue that can affect your feet from time to time, and research on cinnamon oil confirms this.3
Cinnamon’s fragrance may also help with feet odor. Herbalists have also used it to stimulate circulation, which can help with some feet pain issues.
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Clove
You’ll want clove essential oil on your side if your feet issues involve pain or infection. Clove contains a natural numbing agent called eugenol. This botanical ingredient is also used as a topical anesthetic in dental offices, making the essential oil a fantastic choice for pain without open sores (best for closed skin only) such as with nerve pain.
Research shows that clove essential oil is both very antibacterial and antifungal.3 4 It may help with issues like diabetic foot ulcers, athlete’s foot, and more.
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Eucalyptus
Whether it’s odor, infection, or just simple cleanliness and hygiene, eucalyptus essential oil may help with all of these for feet. The oils from this Australian tree’s leaves have a very strong fragrance that many find clean, pleasant, and clarifying.
A wash or ointment made with eucalyptus is also strongly antimicrobial: keeping away (and even killing) certain pathogens, bacteria, fungi, and more. Recent research confirms that the tree’s oils are highly antiseptic and even antioxidant, meaning they could speed the healing of skin.5
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Myrrh
Gold and frankincense may not help your feet. But it’s very likely that myrrh essential oil could. A healing resinous sap extracted from the Commiphora tree, the oils made from these resins have been used for topical issues for thousands of years.
This is because myrrh is known as a healing balm for chapped, red, dry, or itchy skin, while adding a protective and healing effect. Research confirms this, and also shows that myrrh could help speed wound healing and protect against fungal infection.6
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Tea tree
For top natural care against infection in feet, tea tree essential oil will be your best ally. Research shows that tea tree oil has broad-spectrum protective effects as an antimicrobial: against fungal infections, bacterial infections, parasites, and more.7
Like its relative eucalyptus, tea tree also has a very fresh and clean scent, which can be great for dealing with both infection and odor—such as with athlete’s foot.
How to use essential oils for feet
The easiest way to use essential oils for your feet is to simply dilute your chosen oil or oils in a carrier oil and apply to the feet. However, you may be interested in one of the methods below as a more comprehensive alternative.
- For a quick home treatment of essential oils for feet problems, make a foot wash by diluting 2-3 drops of your chosen essential oil (or essential oil blend, below) in every cup of clean water used for your wash. Mix well and place the wash in a clean properly sized bowl, submerge and soak feet, rub wash thoroughly into all corners and crevices, then wash again with soap and rinse. Dispose of the essential oil wash after use. Repeat this 2-3 times per day until symptoms improve or the condition improves.
- If you’re looking to moisturize dry feet in addition to a home treatment, mix 1-2 drops chosen essential oil (or blend) with every silver dollar-sized dollop of lotion or foot cream you apply to your feet, then rub into feet thoroughly and evenly like you typically would with your lotion or cream.
Best essential oil blends for feet
Essential oils can offer even more potential benefits for your feet when combined together. Here are 3 blends you can try for different foot problems.
Dry or inflamed skin protection blend
Combine chamomile, calendula, and myrrh essential oils together. (dilute 1 drop each in carrier oil or add 1 drop each per cup of water or silver dollar-sized dollop of lotion/foot cream).
Pain-relief blend (closed skin*)
Combine cinnamon and clove essential oils together. (dilute 1 drop each in carrier oil or add 1 drop each per cup of water or silver dollar-sized dollop of lotion/foot cream).
*Do not use this blend if you have cuts or open sores on your feet.
Infection-fighting blend (Athlete’s foot, etc.)
Combine eucalyptus, tea tree, and myrrh essential oils together (dilute 1 drop each in carrier oil or add 1 drop each per cup of water or silver dollar-sized dollop of lotion/foot cream).
Using essential oils for non-foot-related issues
While this article covers the use of essential oils for foot problems, oils applied to the feet are often used to address other issues throughout the body as well. This is a popular way to apply oils because the skin is less sensitive on the soles of the feet, making it less likely that you’ll have an allergic reaction to an oil. (However, it’s still important to dilute oils properly to avoid any potential negative reaction.)
In addition, you may have heard of what’s known as reflexology. In reflexology, different parts of the foot have an energetic connection with certain parts of the body. You can support lung health, for example, by applying a respiratory blend to the pad of the foot just below the toes.
When to see a doctor for foot problems
Especially when it comes to severe pain or infection in feet, do not solely rely on essential oils for feet for treatment at home. Talk to your doctor and follow their advice on the issue. If you try using essential oils for feet at home and your issues become worse, contact your health professional immediately for treatment and next steps.
About Adrian White
Adrian White is a certified herbalist, organic farmer, and health, food, and agriculture freelance writer—and upcoming author. She is a past contributor to Healthline with bylines in The Guardian, Civil Eats, and Good Housekeeping. Adrian is also the co-owner and operator of Jupiter Ridge LLC, an organic farm growing diverse vegetables, mushrooms and herbs.
Sources:
1. Cioinac, S.E. “Use of calendula cream balm to medicate the feet of diabetic patients: Case series.” International Journal of Nursing Sciences 1, no. 3 (2016): 102-112.
2. Hbibzadeh, H., O.W. Dalavan, et. al. “Effect of Foot Massage on Severity of Fatigue and Quality of Life in Hemodialysis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” International Journal of Community Based Nursing and Midwifery 8, no. 2 (2020): 92-102.
3. Purkait, S., A. Bhattacharya, et al. “Synergistic antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant efficacy of cinnamon and clove essential oils in combination.” Archives of Microbiology 202 (2020): 1439-1448.
4. Obuotor, T.M., O.A. Sarumi, et. al. “Efficacy of the Essential Oils of Curcuma Longa and Syzygium Aromaticum against Bacteria Implicated in Diabetic Foot Ulcers.” Journal of Pharmacy and Biological Sciences 1, no. 12 (2017): 21-28.
5. Dhakad, A.K., V.V. Pandey, et. al. “Biological, medicinal and toxicological significance of Eucalyptus leaf essential oil: a review.” Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 3, no. 98 (20217): 833-848.
6. Ande, S.N., & R.L. Bakal. “Potential herbal essential oils: Are they super natural skin protector?” Innovations in Pharmaceuticals and Pharmacotherapy 10, no. 2 (2022): 19-24.
7. Ardiana, Dian. “The Role Of Tea Tree Oil as A Skin Antimicrobial: A Literature Study.” Medical and Health Science Journal 5, no. 1 (2021): 26-33.
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