Who does not want to have a healthy and vibrant complexion? Unfortunately, taking time out for an elusive daily skincare routine is second to impossible if you have a hectic routine. Consequently, our skin sloughs off dead cells over time, making it prone to fine lines and blotchy spots.
Washing with regular soap and warm water isn’t going to remove dead skin cells at all. Ready to restore the radiant glow of your face? Then, it would be best if you did something extra, like using natural skin exfoliants to revive your skin.
Let’s break down the details of some natural exfoliants to boost our skin’s glow.
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What Do Exfoliants Do?
Exfoliants are the products you can use to remove the layer of dead skin cells to reveal the underlying glow. It removes the superficial build-up on the face and helps revive your skin’s natural smoothness and beauty.
From your lips to your feet, each part of your body needs to be exfoliated so that new skin cells can replace the dead cells. By exfoliating, you close the doors of acne, spots, whiteheads, blackheads, and clogging forever.
Here are 6 natural exfoliants for every skin type, from acne-prone to dry or sensitive skin.
6 Best Natural Skin Exfoliants
Today, in stores, hundreds of thousands of beauty products are present that claim to be the best exfoliants for your body. But why opt for chemical-laden products when you got so many natural exfoliants in your kitchen cabinets?
Here are a few exfoliant recipes that you can use to create the best DIY face scrub to attain healthier skin.
Honey
Honey isn’t good for your inner body only. The natural ingredients of honey, gluconic acids, and alpha-hydroxy acids have anti-bacterial and humectant properties, which help remove the dead cells and brighten the complexion without making your skin irritated or red.
Just squirt a dollop of honey into your hands and apply it to your face and body using your fingers in a circular motion. The gentle exfoliation helps get rid of flaky skin and keeps it hydrated. What’s more interesting is that it works wonders for all skin types.
Yogurt
Yogurt is a cool natural exfoliant and has a soothing effect on sensitive skin. It contains lactic acid and various alpha hydroxy acids that not only remove the dead skin cells but also diminish the fine lines and wrinkles. Apart from that, applying cool yogurt on sunburns soothes irritated skin instantly.
So, take a few tablespoons of yogurt and gently scrub your face to brighten your skin.
Sugar
Where all the other natural exfoliants only remove the dead skin cells, sugar is known to trap the water in the inner layers of the skin too. Therefore, it moistures and smoothens the skin and removes the layers of dead cells from the skin’s surface.
Moreover, it removes ingrown hair and acts as an incredible facial scrub to give your skin a healthy glow.
So, take a tablespoon of sugar and mix it with olive oil or any oil of your choice to make a thick paste. Then apply the paste to your skin and rinse after 10 minutes.
Lemon Juice
While lemon juice has found its extensive use as a detoxifying agent, its use as a beauty wonder is no less. The exfoliating effect of lemon juice is basically due to its acidic nature and high amount of citric acid. It removes layers of dried skin and prevents acne too. It leaves your skin feeling revived and clean.
So, take a tablespoon of lemon juice and cane sugar each to dilute the harsh acidic nature and create a mildly abrasive paste. Apply on the skin using small strokes.
However, it is suggested to perform a patch test on a small portion of your arm as a few people are sensitive and may experience burning or irritation due to the acidic nature of lemon.
Coffee
Fresh coffee grounds are one of the best natural exfoliants. A study in 2013 showed that caffeic acid has antimicrobial properties that help remove dead cells. Moreover, since the coffee doesn’t dissolve in water, it exfoliates your skin gently and efficiently. It also boosts the collagen level and reduces the aging of cells.
So, take half or 1/4th tablespoon of coffee seeds, grind them, and mix with natural oil to make a thick paste. Apply for 5 minutes, and wash.
Remember to grind it finely so that it can soothe your skin properly.
Oatmeal
The last exfoliant that we are going to shed light on is oatmeal. Its beta-glucan has therapeutic anti-inflammatory properties, making it easy to go for all skins. The saponins of oatmeal have the intense ability to buff away dead skin, leaving you with a youthful glow.
How Can I Exfoliate My Skin Naturally?
Noting is worse for your skin than chemical exfoliants. The best way to maintain healthy skin is to use a natural face and body scrub.
Where to find the natural scrubs? You can easily make DIY face scrubs at home without paying a lot of money to beauty salons. Here are some of the best exfoliants you can easily make at home from regular kitchen items like olive oil, lemon, sugar, coffee, and honey.
Best DIY Natural Skin Exfoliant Recipes
Now that we checked out some of the best natural exfoliants, let’s discuss a few exfoliating recipes to look fresh and vibrant.
1. Lemon, Honey, and Sugar Exfoliating Scrub
The first exfoliating recipe we are sharing contains three of the best exfoliants:
- Lemon
- Sugar
- Honey
So, take one cup of sugar and add half a cup of oil. It is preferable to use olive oil. Mix, and then gradually add one tablespoon of honey and the juice of one large lemon. Continue to stir the mixture vigorously until you get a smooth paste to apply. Take a small amount of paste and gently apply it to your face in circular motions.
Remember not to use the scrub abrasively as it can cause irritation or redness. Massage your face gently for 10 to 15 minutes and rinse using cold water.
2. Oatmeal and Sugar Natural Skin Exfoliant Scrub
The following recipe includes oatmeal and sugar, and it is mainly known for its exfoliating effect on the whole body. So, for this recipe, you need
- Oats
- Coconut Oil
- Grapeseed Oil
- Brown Sugar
- Teabags
First of all, grind the oats into a dust-like texture using a food processor. Then add one tablespoon brown sugar, half cup coconut oil, grapeseed oil, and teabags. Blend them well until you achieve a paste-like structure. Apply the paste to your whole body gently in a circular motion, then wash using lukewarm water.
3. Turmeric and Yogurt Exfoliating Scrub
In this recipe, we use yogurt and turmeric. Turmeric is also an excellent exfoliating agent since it contains curcumin used worldwide to treat and fight bacterial infections.
So, you need –
- Yogurt
- Turmeric
- Natural Oil
Take one tablespoon of turmeric, grind it, and add one tablespoon of yogurt. Whisk the ingredients properly, and gradually add water and oil to achieve the desired consistency.
Apply the turmeric and yogurt paste to the face and let it settle for 7 to 10 minutes, and then rinse with water.
Turmeric masks are the best exfoliants to try out if you have sensitive skin.
Best Natural exfoliants for Different Skin Types
Before using any natural exfoliants, it is necessary to consider your skin type and choose wisely. Each skin texture is unique and responds to exfoliants differently. Our skin is broadly categorized as oily, dry, sensitive, and combination, depending on its oil production.
● Try out natural exfoliants like honey, yogurt, or papaya if you have very oily skin.
● If you are bestowed with comparatively dry skin, try exfoliants like sugar, coffee, or oatmeal that can lock water in your skin.
● As mentioned earlier, oatmeal and turmeric work the best for people with sensitive skins.
● If you are lucky enough to have combination skin, either of the natural exfoliants can work for you ideally.
How Often Should You Exfoliate to Rejuvenate Lifeless Skin?
How often you should exfoliate your skin again depends on your skin condition, age, and the present dead cells. In general, exfoliating once or two times a week is enough. You should not use the exfoliants so often that they destroy the natural protective barrier of your skin.
The older you get, the slower your cells regrow, and collagen production in the body slows down. So, older adults can take advantage of exfoliating to prevent wrinkles and fine lines.
What is the Best Homemade Exfoliating Scrub?
Not every natural exfoliant is going to work for every skin type. For instance, yogurt is best suited for oily skin, whereas sugar scrub works wonder on dry skin. Likewise, people with sensitive skin should go for oatmeal scrubs.
Once you find a natural exfoliant that works for your skin, you won’t need to waste money on expensive skincare products.
Conclusion
It is crucial to choose a natural exfoliant wisely according to your needs. However, always perform a patch test before applying the paste.
Moreover, if you have underlying skin conditions, consult your dermatologist once. Lastly, add the natural exfoliants to your skincare routine to achieve beautiful and vibrant skin.