Pumice Stones buying guide

Are you tired of dry skin and calluses on your hands and feet? Don't worry. Pumice stones are here to the rescue.

If you love to spend time in the wilderness or love to climb, then you should take proper care of your hands and feet. These calluses can ruin your experience if they are ignored.

Pumice stones allow you to get rid of these irritating calluses and other dry skin issues. A pumice stone is variously used. To make the most out of it, you need to make yourself aware of a few critical factors.

To surpass the tedious task of browsing through several documents and wasting time on misguiding reviews, refer to this guide. You will get answers to all your questions and know much more.

Before we waste more time, let us rush and see what the magical stone holds.

What do you mean by Pumice Stones? Why do you need them?

Are you upset with your dry and cracked feet? Does your 9 to 5 job restrict you from paying a visit to the nearby spa? Are you unable to wear your favorite Gucci sandals? Spend a lot of time in outdoor activities and want to get rid of calluses?

The one solution to end all your problems has arrived. Visit the nearby retailer shop and buy yourself a pumice stone.

A pumice stone is a solid material formed when hot molten lava from the volcanoes come in contact with water. Upon cooling down, the lava becomes stone-hard. Then stones are formed that have a foamy texture and consist of various pores.

These scrubbing stones are not new. They have been used since time immemorial. Because of their lightweight and rough texture, these are widely used at homes.

Our skin, the largest organ, is highly exposed to the elements. Your elbow, knee, and feet are the areas that often come in contact with hard surfaces. To protect your delicate skin from any harm, the dead cells gather together and form hard patches called calluses.

These calluses are scaly in texture and feel very rough when touched. If not taken care of, these develop cracks and give an ugly appearance.

Pumice stones, due to their rough texture, help in scrubbing out the dead cells and remove the calluses. You can easily use these stones and gently exfoliate your skin to make it smooth and soft.

Top Benefits of Pumice Stones

Besides improving the condition of your skin, a pumice stone plays many significant roles. These help you clean your pantry and much more. Feeling surprised? Hold your breath and read till the end.

Listed below are the top benefits of these stones. So, the next time you come across a pumice stone, don't forget to purchase one.

1. Oven and hob cleaning

If you are new in the cooking world and create a lot of mess around, nothing can match these stones' efficiency.

Be it your oven or the granite platform; a pumice stone cleans them all in no time. The spotless cleaning is what these stones are known for.

Make your stone a little wet and soft, not to scratch the glass or the marble. Gently scrub your stone on the dirty stains. You can do the whole cleaning effortlessly.

2. De-pill your sweaters

Small ball-like structures are always seen whenever you use winter sweaters. While many recommend that you remove them with razors, using a blade on a fragile fiber like wool is not good.

To get the same results and a brand new sweater, use a pumice stone. The porous texture and the soft surface of this stone easily remove all the lint and the protruding structures from the sweater.

3. Cleaning dirty toilets

A toilet bowl is known to house mineral residues. These stay for a long duration and are very hard to remove.

Since the regular toilet cleaners need to be used several times, a pumice stone helps you get done in one go. You can use this stone to scrub out the tough stains and stuck minerals.

4. Boost the soil's power

To yield a good harvest, the soil needs to be healthy. A plant acquires the nutrients from the soil. If that is not rich in nutrients, what will your plant yield?

A pumice stone is used to scrub away the unwanted cells and dirt. But do you know that it has a high water-retaining property? Yes, it does, and this is the intention behind using a pumice stone to boost the soil's power.

You can use small pieces of a pumice stone and mix them with the soil. These pieces will retain water and absorb all the necessary vitamins and minerals. This way, you can also contribute to the well-being of our environment.

5. Remove hair

Rather than splashing enormous amounts of money in a lavish salon, you can rely on an ordinary pumice stone to remove the delicate strands of hair.

Using a pumice stone is far better than paying for the pain that you will get. Follow these steps to remove every single strand.

1. Use a scrub to exfoliate the skin of that area and clean with lukewarm water.

2. Tap a soft towel to absorb the water, but don't dry it completely.

3. Grab your stone and use it on the area gently.

4. Move the stone in a circular motion and don't apply pressure.

5. After the area is hair-free, clean it, and apply moisture.

6. Clean the pet hair

When you have a pet around, everything in your house is covered with a furry layer. You can't stop your pet's shedding, but can clean your house.

Due to its rough texture, a pumice stone develops friction when rubbed on any surface.

So, when you rub the pumice stone on your car's back seat or your couch, this friction will attract every single hair strand and clean the surface. Quite easy, isn't it?

7. Distress your jeans

Ripped and damaged jeans are trending these days. To get hold of one, you don't need to make any investment. Pick out your old pair of jeans and get started. Use your pumice stone and start rubbing it on your preferred area until a hole appears.

8. Essential oil diffuser

You will be surprised to know that a pumice stone can also be used as an oil diffuser. Thanks to its porous nature, you can dip it in essential oil and let it soak.

After the entire oil is soaked, you can hand it in a bag at some corner of your room and enjoy the aroma. The stone always emits the vapors that fill your entire room.

Things to deem about while selecting an appropriate Pumice Stone

Size

A pumice stone is an all-rounder, and size has to be considered. Lava is liquid in the state, and when it meets water, it cools down and turns hard. There is no definite shape that pumice stones have. These can be as huge as a boulder or as small as a marble ball.

While a big stone covers more areas and takes less time to complete the work, on the other hand, a small stone offers better control and precision. It can be very challenging to decide which one to opt for.

To overcome your dilemma, opt for a moderate-sized stone. A moderate size will cover a decent area and offer great control. It will be comfortable to hold, won't slip, and will clean better.

Shape

Pumice stones are designed to match the comfort of the user. When you start searching, you will come across the two most common shapes. The benefits of these shapes are mentioned below.

1. Round shape

A round shape is preferred more if you want to clean efficiently. This shape is very convenient to be used on the curvy areas like the feet.

2. Flat shape

A pumice stone having a flat surface can pose difficulties when you use it on a curvy area. If this drawback is ignored, many people prefer this design. The flat shape offers comfort. You can easily remove calluses by regulating the amount of pressure all by yourself.

Depending on your preference, you can opt for anyone. You can also search for other variants or take a trial of each.

Material

In this modern era, every natural object has a synthetic version too. Even humans are being turned into wax statues, and a pumice stone is no exception.

You will find both natural and human-made pumice stones in the market. A natural pumice stone is born out of lava and water, whereas the synthetic one is made using artificial materials.

Natural pumice is more effective than the artificial one. It does not carry the risk of bacteria accumulation or any other threat. Also, the synthetic stone is denser and less porous when compared to a natural one.

An important thing to remember is, huge amounts of chemicals are used to make a synthetic stone. These chemicals can be harsh on the skin. If you are a no-chemical person, you should opt for natural stone. If chemicals don't bother you, opt for any stone based on your preference.

Infusion

A natural pumice stone cannot hydrate your skin and condition it. It is useful only to exfoliate the cells. Many people use a moisturizer to hydrate their skin after using a pumice stone. This extra application is time-consuming and also demands additional investments.

Don't you want a stone that offers you all the benefits? Invest in pumice stones that have infused natural ingredients. These ingredients contain natural oils that hydrate your skin and make it smooth and shiny. These ingredients include:

1. Shea butter

Shea butter helps to moisturize your skin and keeps it hydrated for a long duration.

2. Vitamin E

Vitamin E is perfect for your skin. Along with hydrating your skin, it gives life to your lifeless, rough skin and makes it look attractive and smooth.

3. Aloe vera

Aloe vera helps to treat your dry skin and prevents any type of infection. It also has cooling properties that eliminate the burning sensation.

Use

If you do not care for your body, it will not care for you also. Body care is an essential part of an individual's life and holds the topmost priority.

If you are a sports enthusiast and your body parts are exposed to the harsh elements, pumice stones are your best friends. These help you get rid of dead cells, scrub out the calluses, and so on. If you ignore them, the patch of calluses may pose a significant threat.

It can lead to wounds and infections. To prevent all of these, using a pumice stone regularly is crucial. A pumice stone also helps you to get your manicure and pedicure done at home. You need not unnecessarily spend your hard-earned money on expensive salons.

These salons fool you by making baseless claims about the products that they use. You can use a pumice stone and get the same results.

Pore Size

Highly porous with a foamy abrasive texture, pumice stones are widespread all over the world. While the size matters so much, the pore size is also a vital feature.

Stones with different pore sizes are used for different purposes. The ones having big pore sizes are more coarse and ideal to be used at rigid surfaces. The stones with small pores should be used at places that have soft or sensitive skin.

If you are interested in purchasing a pumice stone to exfoliate the calluses or clean your kitchen or toilet, opt for the ones having big pores.

If you want to remove fine hair or clean your nails and do manicure, you should opt for the stones with small pores because they are gentler.

Handle

With the increasing popularity, pumice stones are advancing towards more innovations and developments.

To offer more ease of usage, these stones are now featuring three styles for holding your stone. These are mentioned below.

1. Stones with handle

You will find that many exfoliating stones feature a wooden or a plastic handle. The handle provides you with ease of control. Also, it helps to apply pressure at the desired places.

2. Stones with no handles

These exfoliating stones feature no handles. You will grab your stone and do your work. The absence of your handle offers more comfort than the ones with handles.

3. Stones with thread loops

Not so popular design, these stones have a loop attached to your stone. This loop enables you to wrap it around your hand and have a firm grip on your stone.

Safety

Pumice stones are very safe to use. Though they have a rough texture ideal for better exfoliation, they do not harm your skin. You will find no cuts and wounds.

These are commonly round and do not have any sharp edge. To increase the efficiency and have a smooth exfoliation, you should soak your feet in the water for some time. Soakings helps in softening the calluses. Also, ensure that you make your stone wet.

By ensuring these two steps, you will remain safe, and your skin will have no scratches. You will feel no pain or burning sensation. These stones exfoliate so well that you won't feel that you are scrubbing your skin.

Price

Many factors affect the price of a pumice stone. The material used, the ingredient infused and the presence of the handle, etc.

1. Material use

Natural pumice stones, being a gift of nature, cost more than the synthetic ones. The benefits that they offer and their rare availability adds to the price. If you want no harm and use the best stone, make sure that you have enough funds.

2. Handle or no handle

The stones that feature a handle are more expensive than the one without a handle. The main reason is the extra investment done in processing the material used for the handle. The price of the wood or plastic added to the stone's cost makes it costlier than others.

3. Infused ingredients

The stones that have no infused ingredients are affordable and relatively cheaper. When used in the stones, infused material is so expensive on their own, making the stones expensive too.

Depending on your intention of usage, your needs, and comfort, opt for the pumice stone that meets your needs. If you are flexible on the budget side, you can look for these additional features too. Do make sure that your safety and comfort are not compromised.

How should I Use a Pumice Stone properly?

Pumice stone has so many uses, and you can't overlook its worth. With so many characters to play, a pumice stone has a specific way of using it. The primary purpose of these stones is exfoliation. Hence, let's see how to use a pumice stone.

1. Soaking the callused skin in warm water

Your knees, elbows, and feet are the areas that tend to develop calluses. While the elbow and the knee are still soft to some extent, the feet are not. Feet get cracked due to the thick layer of dead cells that get hard over time.

To start with, soak your feet in a tub or bucket filled with lukewarm water before you use your stone. Soaking will make the hard layer a bit softer and more comfortable to clean.

For areas like elbows and knees, you do not need a tub. You can exfoliate the skin of these areas while showering.

1. Wait till your skin gets soft

You should wait for a while before scrubbing. If hard skin is scrubbed, you will get bruised. Make sure that your skin has turned soft so that it can be exfoliated with ease.

2. Wet the stone

A dry stone will be difficult to use. It will get stuck while scrubbing and not move smoothly. To make sure that you don't face this issue, soak your stone in warm water for a few minutes.

The stone will absorb water and become soft. When you use this wet stone, it will glide on your skin with ease.

3. Rub it gently over the callused skin

After the soaking part is done, start rubbing the stone on the callused skin. Do not apply pressure and rub in a circular motion. You will find that the hardened layer of skin is getting peeled off. Scrub it until your skin is soft and free of the patch.

While exfoliating your feet, make sure that you focus on the heels and the sides. These two places tend to accumulate more dead cells.

4. Rinse and repeat

After you have exfoliated the entire area, rinse your feet with fresh water. If you find some areas not cleaned, you can repeat the scrubbing process all over again.

Additional tips on using Pumice Stone

For using your exfoliating stone on places like the face and the neck, make sure that you follow the tips listed below. These tips will help you stay safe and exfoliate correctly.

1. Your face and the neck are very sensitive areas. Using a pumice stone in these areas is usually not recommended. If you want to use it still, make sure that you don't apply too much pressure.

2. Also, get hold of a pumice stone that has a rough texture on one side and a softer surface on the other. Use a circular motion to scrub away the dead cells. Do not rub for more than 15 to 20 seconds.

3. If you feel a burning sensation or observe your skin turning red, do not continue. If you do so, your sensitive skin will get bruised.

4. After finishing, make sure that you use a moisturizer. If you use an infused pumice stone, you can skip this step.

How To Clean Pumice Stones?

Pumice stones are used as they are without any alteration. Multiple people can use a single stone, and this calls for some attention.

If many people are using that one piece of stone, who knows what may get transferred to another person? Individuals with skin disease can pass it on to the next user and so on.

To avoid this transfer of harmful bacteria and diseases, you must clean your pumice stone after every use. Mentioned below are some cleaning steps that you should follow.

1. After using, wash your stone thoroughly and scrub away all the dirt that you can see. Use soap, warm water, and a brush to do the same.

2. Use bleaching powder. Bleaching powder has antibacterial properties. To maintain hygiene, bleaching powder to water ratio should be 1:10.

3. Use a bowl and make this water mixture. Dip your stone entirely inside it. Leave it for 5 to 10 minutes.

4. After 10 minutes, rinse your stone using warm water thoroughly. After rinsing, leave it under a fan or open air to dry completely.

FAQs

1. After how long I need to purchase a new product?

This depends on the usage of the product. How you use it and how you maintain the product. Typically the stones have a long lifespan.

2. Do the stones cause any discomfort?

There are no side effects of the stone. You will only feel a little discomfort when you have sensitive skin.

3. Can I use the product on my feet?

Yes, you can remove any dry skin and calluses from your feet with the help of the stones.

Final Verdict

Pumice stones present a simple yet effective way to tackle the issue of dry skin and calluses. All you need is to select the best product.

Skim through the pointers presented in the guide to sort out the best option. Analyze all the products and make an informed decision.