Walk into any beauty supply store and you will be inundated by the selection of products formulated to exfoliate your skin. Many of these products can be great, but they can also cost a lot of money! And, if you look at the ingredients, you are likely to find many natural ingredients that can be found in your own kitchen. Here are some natural ingredients with ideas to use to make your own exfoliants.
Sugar is one of those natural products that is used in many commercial products. The texture of sugar works wonderfully to gently scrub off dead skin cells that clog pores. Just mix sugar with warm water and gently massage onto clean skin. If your skin is sensitive, try using brown sugar which is softer than granulated sugar. If your skin tends to be dry, add a little olive oil to the mixture.
Salt works the same way that sugar works to exfoliate the skin but can be a little harder to work with. Salt dissolves easy so use it added with a creamy base based facial product and scrub gently. Salt is also thought to have many healing properties, such as reducing inflammation. Be careful with salt scrubs if you have any open wounds or if you have just waxed or used a hair removal product. The salt will burn when applied to these areas. Also avoid getting the mixture into your eyes.
Oatmeal is another natural ingredient that is great for removing dead skin cells. It’s best to grind the oatmeal flakes in a food processor until the particles are small then add to warm water. Or if your skin is dry, add the oatmeal to milk, olive oil, or a moisturiser. Then, gently scrub the skin with the mixture and rinse well.
If you love the smell of coffee grounds, you will love this mixture. The coffee grounds work in the same manner as sugar, salt, and oatmeal to gently and naturally scrub off dead skin cells and other impurities. Just mix ground coffee with warm water or add a bit of olive oil for dry skin. Make sure to cover your clothing and hair as coffee grounds can cause stains.
