There’s nothing worse than trying to navigate gracefully in a pair of high heels while having to deal with sweaty feet.
The good news is that there are a number of tricks you can use to stop sweaty feet in high heels. If one doesn’t work, simply try one of the others.
Let’s have a look at some of the best ways to make wearing high heels more comfortable in summer or if you have feet that naturally sweat a lot.
1. Buy Shoes Made of Breathable Material
We recommend choosing a pair of high heels made from leather if you can. Leather is the most breathable option for high heels.
Also, be sure to check the material of the inner lining. Polyester, cotton, and plastic linings can contribute to sweating.
Leather and mesh linings will help wick away moisture and keep the shoe well-ventilated.
2. Use Antiperspirant Spray
Surprisingly, antiperspirant spray can effectively prevent perspiration on the feet as well.
Spraying a little on the bottom and the top of your feet or even using a roll-on could help prevent excessive sweating. This trick works for all types of shoes including sandals.
You should take care not to spray so much that your feet are wet when you put them into your shoe. This could cause your feet to be slippery, which isn’t safe or comfortable in a high-heeled shoe.
The bonus is that this will also help reduce foot odor, although it may be more of a masking effect than actually preventing odor-causing bacteria.
3. Make Sure You Have Wiggle Room
Wearing high heel shoes that are too small for you can cause your feet to sweat more.
Not only does it mean that your toes don’t have space to breathe, but it also means that there’s no room for air to circulate throughout the rest of the shoe.
When you buy high heels, make sure you have some room to wiggle your toes. Also, check that the width is your correct. You can always widen high heels, but it’s not easy to do.
As well as having a breathable upper and lining, the extra space will give your feet some room for air to flow, cooling your feet down.
4. Use Foot Powder
If you don’t like the thought of using antiperspirant spray or roll-on on your feet, you can try foot powder.
It’s often more comfortable than antiperspirant as it doesn’t feel slippery. Simply sprinkle some into your shoes every time you wear them.
Foot powders like Lotrimin Daily Sweat & Odor Control Medicated Foot Powder help to absorb sweat, keeping your feet dry for longer.
As a bonus, foot powders also help reduce odor by inhibiting the growth of bacteria that causes your feet to smell.
Remember that you may not want to use foot powder if you’re wearing open-toed or sandal-type heels. The powder may be visible and could make you feel self-conscious.
5. Wear Socks Strategically
Not all high heels can accommodate socks. But if you can get away with wearing a pair of secret socks like the Peds Women’s Essential Low Cut No Show Socks, you may find that they help absorb sweat and keep your feet cooler and drier.
Cotton absorbs moisture, so it can help to absorb sweat in your shoes. However, if your feet sweat profusely, this can cause you more discomfort as you will be standing in damp socks. Cotton can also run warm, which may cause you to sweat more.
A cotton blend is the best choice, as the cotton fibers will absorb moisture by the blended material should remain breathable enough to keep your feet cool.
6. Wear Cotton Tights or Liners
If you can’t wear socks with your high heels, you can try a pair of cotton tights. This looks more natural than visible socks.
Cotton is known to run warm in socks, but the natural fibers are comfortable and more breathable because tights are so thin.
The material not only allows air to flow through and around your feet, but it also helps to absorb small amounts of sweat as you’re wearing your high heels.
2. Try Absorbent Inserts
You can also add an insole to your high heels.
This will help absorb sweat and make your shoes fit slightly tighter, and prevent your feet from moving around.
Adding an insole increases the cushioning and shock absorption of every step. It’s a good choice if your high heels have slightly too much space in them or if you need more cushion underfoot.
Choose a breathable, absorbent insole. Some also come with anti-odor technology that helps eliminate or inhibit the growth of odor-causing bacteria.
Some of the best insoles to wear for reducing sweat are insoles that contain charcoal—like Dr. Scholl’s Odor X—or bamboo. Both of these materials are excellent for both absorbing sweat and reducing odor.
If you choose to wear an insole, you should ensure that it offers the right support for your arch.
If you don’t need a full insole, you can wear absorbent toe filler inserts if you need to fill up space in the front of your high heel shoe.
8. Rest
While it’s not always possible to take your high heels off during the day—especially if you’re working in a corporate environment—if you get a chance, you should remove them and allow your feet to breathe for a few minutes at a time.
Just 5 to 10 minutes of being barefoot can help reduce sweating on your feet. You should try to take your shoes—and any socks—off for a few minutes 3 to 4 times a day if possible.
Make sure that it’s appropriate before you take your shoes off at work or in professional environments.
