As the weather changes outside, it’s the perfect time to add a little exfoliation to your routine. You’ll allow moisturizers to penetrate well and help combat the dry patches that often accompany indoor heat and outdoor wind.
Let’s find out how and why with these 4 recipes for making a natural facial scrub with ingredients you’re sure to have at home.
Natural facial scrub with homemade ingredients
The goal of any facial scrub is to gently remove dead skin cells without affecting healthy skin. If your face is burning or red, it means it’s too aggressive. Be patient and consistent in your skin care regimen for the best long-term results. Play around and find your best recipe using some of the ideas below.
First, run the back of your hand over your cheek and see if it looks dry or a little flaky. If so, it’s time to exfoliate.
Do your serums or creams tend to linger on the skin without fully penetrating? Does makeup tend to flake off in places?
Dry, dead cells make it difficult for fresh, new skin to absorb the rich creams, oils and serums you use to repair skin, fight acne or prevent aging. These sophisticated ingredients can’t penetrate and work if layers of dead skin are in the way.
Most people consider 1 to 3 times a week to be enough for exfoliation, but this varies depending on age, hormones, climate and seasons. Let’s look at 4 natural recipes for homemade exfoliating scrubs.
Gentle oatmeal scrub
Soothing and anti-inflammatory, oatmeal is ideal for sensitive skin. Ground oatmeal gently cleanses pores, while its natural saponins cleanse and absorb dirt and oil.
- ½ cup oatmeal (uncooked)
- Water
In a blender, blend the dry oatmeal until finely ground. Place a pinch of ground oatmeal in the palm of your hand, then add water until it forms a paste. Gently massage over your face and neck. Store the ground oatmeal in an airtight container for later use.
Honey and brown sugar scrub
Honey and sugar are natural humectants (they lock in moisture) and form a gentle exfoliant that removes flakes, frees pores and locks in moisture.
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar (very fine if possible)
- 1 tablespoon of honey, preferably raw.
Mix the brown sugar and honey. With clean fingertips, gently apply the scrub to the face in small circular motions to help the exfoliation process without damaging the skin. Rinse with warm water and use a washcloth to remove any honey residue if necessary.
Baking Soda
This is perhaps the simplest scrub to make: simply add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to a small amount of your regular cleanser and you’ve just made your product doubly effective as an exfoliating cleanser.
Coffee and oil scrub
Leftover coffee grounds are gentle enough to use all over the body, even on sensitive areas like the face. Plus, the funds used are still full of caffeine and antioxidants [source] that make skin more toned and vital.
- 1 tablespoon of used coffee grounds
- 1 tablespoon of oil (jojoba, olive or rosehip)
Don’t throw away used coffee grounds after brewing your morning tea. Simply add 1 tablespoon of oil for a gentle, collagen-boosting scrub. Coffee scrub (with the addition of essential oil) is also excellent for cellulite-prone areas of the body.
