FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Installation Questions
- How do I install Insolia Inserts?
- How do I remove Insolia Inserts?
- I am having difficulty placing Insolia Inserts in my boots.
- Which shoes work best with Insolia Inserts?
- Are Insolia Inserts affected by what stockings I wear?
- I use a lotion on my feet, is this a problem for Insolia Inserts?
- My inserts look wrong, there's a mark in the narrow section, and the material is hazy. Is this a problem ?
Technical Questions
- How and why do Insolia Inserts work?
- Why don't Insolia Inserts work for me?
- Are there any cleaners which are or are not recommended?
- Are Insolia Inserts hypoallergenic?
- Are Insolia Inserts poisonous? My dog has been eating them.
Order Questions
- What size is right for me?
- Will I need a larger size shoe to accommodate Insolia Inserts?
- What if I'm on the size boundary, i.e. a 7 1/2?
- What if I have different sized feet?
- I have a problem with my feet - will Insolia Inserts help?
- Can one pair of inserts be used for multiple pairs of shoes?
- I'm having trouble placing an order with your shopping cart.
- How do I exchange for the right size?
- How do I get a refund under your 30 day money back guarantee?
- Where is my Order Number?
If you need more help please check our Help Page or call toll-free (877) 426-7654
Installation Answers
How do I remove Insolia Inserts?
You may need to remove Insolia Inserts, either to reposition them, or because they are not working for you. First, be gentle. Second, start from the Point or the "Toe End". Third, slowly peel the insert from your shoe, working from the toe towards the heel.
If you start at the heel you may remove the sock liner from your shoe, so please, start at the "Toe End" and gently peel the inserts from your shoe. If you are repositioning your inserts, try to avoid touching the adhesive with your fingers as this will reduce its effectiveness.
I am having difficulty placing Insolia Inserts in my boots.
Proper placement in boots is more difficult, especially if your boots do not have a zipper or other mechanism to open them up so you can easily place and adjust your Insolia Inserts. We strongly recommend that you do not select boots for your first Insolia Inserts experience. We suggest you first try Insolia Inserts in easy to access high heels to get a feel for correct placement. This will help you in installing Insolia Inserts in boots.
Boots are a good reason to look at shoes with Insolia built in by the manufacturer.
topWhat shoes work best with Insolia Inserts?
Insolia Inserts work best in high heels that are at least 1 1/2 inches, (40 mm) high.
The benefit of Insolia Inserts is most apparent in high heels that are uncomfortable after a few minutes wear. With this type of high heel the benefit of Insolia Inserts can be noticed almost immediately.
If you put Insolia Inserts in shoes that are already comfortable, the benefit of Insolia Inserts will be noticed over the course of the day - that is, you will be able to wear your high heels longer before they begin to hurt.
topAre Insolia Inserts affected by what stockings I wear?
Insolia Inserts are not affected by the presence or absence of socks, stockings, panty hose, etc.
topI use a lotion on my feet, is this a problem for Insolia Inserts?
Shoes absorb lotions and creams used on feet. When this happens, it can be difficult to get the Insolia Inserts to stay in your high heels because the lotion absorbed into the insole stops the Insolia Insert's adhesive from sticking. You may be able to solve this problem by cleaning the inside of the shoe with a leather or vinyl cleaner to remove any lotion or cream that has been absorbed into the insole. Make sure to allow adequate time (overnight) for the insole to dry out prior to applying the Insolia Insert. The best solution is to use Insolia Inserts in shoes that have not been in contact with lotions or creams.
topMy inserts look wrong, there's a mark in the narrow section, and the material is hazy. Is this a problem?
No, it's not a problem. The marks and haze are a result of the injection molding process. When the Insolia Inserts come out of the mold they look like the photo below. The "gate" is where the material flows into the mold. (The bar connecting the parts.) Removing the "gate" leaves a mark that can be quite visible. However, we placed the "gate" where it will NOT come in contact with your foot, so it will have no effect on how well the Insolia Inserts work. You can trim the "gate" if you want - since it's in an area of no contact with the foot.
You can also see a hazy swirling pattern, ("blush"), in the right hand part below. This is because of how the material flows into the mold - and the variable thickness of the Insolia Insert. This is purely a cosmetic issue, and has no effect on how well Insolia Inserts work.
Both of these cosmetic issues are less visible when the inserts are installed in your shoes.
top
Technical Answers
How and why do Insolia Inserts work?
Insolia Inserts are a weight shift solution that works with the shape of your foot to shift your weight from the ball of your foot to your heel. The Insolia Insert subtly lifts the front of your heel while supporting your mid foot. This balances the weight across your foot the way nature intended.
The weight shift can be quite dramatic. A typical three inch heel shifts your weight forward so that there is three times more weight on the the ball of your foot than there is on your heel. The addition of Insolia Inserts to those same three inch heels will balance your weight more evenly between your forefoot and heel. This makes all the difference!
You can learn more here.
topWhy don't Insolia Inserts work for me?
Insolia Inserts work with the biomechanics of the foot. We offer 4 sizes that cover the range of US Woman size 4 to size 12 or Euro 34 to 42. Because of the variability of the human foot, and preexisting medical conditions, the 4 sizes we offer will not work for everyone. We've found that Insolia Inserts will make a difference for roughly 8 out of 10 women. This is why we offer a 30 day money back guarantee.
The differences between feet are a reason the benefit you feel with Insolia Inserts may not be as dramatic as reported in our testimonials.
topI clean my shoes from time to time using specific cleaners for the material of the shoe. Are there any cleaners which are or are not recommended?
Insolia Inserts may be cleaned with a damp wash cloth, or an old toothbrush, and little mild detergent.
Do not remove Insolia Inserts from your shoes to clean them as this will weaken the adhesive holding them in place.
Do not use solvents to clean your Insolia Inserts!
topAre Insolia Inserts hypoallergenic?
Insolia Inserts are made from a plastic that is latex free.
topAre Insolia Inserts poisonous? My dog has been eating them.
Insolia Inserts are not poisonous. The inserts are made from a plastic that is FDA certified for contact with food. Consult your vet (or doctor) if you are still concerned.
topOrder Answers
What size is right for me?
Insolia Inserts are sold in 4 sizes. Please use this table to determine the best choice for you:
Insolia Inserts Size Table with International Conversions 
In the US mass market Insolia High Heel Inserts are currently sold in just two sizes, S, which is marked 6 to 7 1/2 and M, which is marked 8 to 10. This appears to contradict our recommended sizing. Not to worry, each size will cover 2 full US sizes. That is, a woman with US Women size 8 feet could wear an Insolia Insert size S or M, with proper placement.
top return to order pageWill I need a larger size shoe to accommodate Insolia Inserts?
Insolia Inserts are thin and narrow and you should not change your shoe size to accommodate them.
top return to order pageWhat if I'm on the size boundary, i.e. a 7 1/2?
If you are not sure of what size to order because you sometimes feel you are in between sizes we recommend going with your more common size which is typically the smaller of the two. This is because typically the reason you need to go up in size is due to a particular style or fit not because your foot is actually bigger. We do offer a 30 day money back guarantee and we will exchange sizes and no additional charge.
top return to order pageWhat if I have different sized feet?
If you have different size feet - i.e. one foot is a size 7 1/2 and the other is size 8 1/2, you may find that you need size S with the smaller foot and a size M with the larger. The good news is that because Insolia Inserts fit in the back of the shoe, there is no left and right, so by buying two pair of Insolia Inserts in different sizes you can fit two pairs of shoes.
top return to order pageI have a problem with my feet - will Insolia Inserts help?
Insolia Inserts are intended for use in high-heeled shoes solely to make them more comfortable. They are not intended to treat medical conditions of the feet, nor should they be a substitute for custom foot orthotics. Consult your podiatrist if you have any questions about your specific foot condition and whether Insolia Inserts are right for you.
top return to order pageCan one pair of Insolia Inserts be used for multiple pairs of shoes?
There are two reasons to not move Insolia Inserts between shoes.
First, the inserts are held in place by an adhesive that will quickly lose its grip if it is repeatedly moved from shoe to shoe. The adhesive we use is designed to allow easy placement, and easy removal. If you move the Inserts from shoe to shoe some of the adhesive is lost with each move, and will wear out after 3 or 4 moves. That is why we ask you to place the insert with just some of the adhesive exposed, to keep the rest fresh for the shoe.
Second, the correct placement of the Insolia Insert varies from shoe to shoe - so once you have found the correct placement for your Insolia Inserts in a pair of shoes, you will want to leave the inserts in place for those shoes.
For these reasons we recommend you install and leave Insolia Inserts in the shoes you wear often. This is also why some retailers offer multipacks at a discount from the single pair price.
top return to order pageI'm having trouble placing an order with your shopping cart, I use Microsoft Explorer.
We use the Yahoo Shopping Cart -- it seems to have a problem with certain combinations of Microsoft Explorer. Our recommendation is that you try using the Firefox browser which you can download here.
Mac users: Microsoft stopped supporting Explorer on the Macintosh platform as of January 31st, 2006. We recommend you switch to Safari - or try Firefox as an alternative.
top return to order pageHow do I get a refund under your 30 day money back guarantee?
If you purchased your Insolia Inserts from our online store please use our Help Form to arrange for the refund. You will be asked to return your Insolia High Heel Inserts to us, together with a printed copy of your email receipt, within 30 days of shipment, and we will refund the full purchase price, as a refund to the credit card used to make the purchase.
top return to order pageWhere is my Order Number?
The Subject line of your confirmation and shipping emails has your order number. The subject line will look like this:
Subject: order yhst-19413326800853-12007 from The Insolia Store
The Order Number is the LAST 4 or 5 digits after the second dash. In this example the order number is 12007.