Have you ever been in a situation when you needed a body scrub that will remove all the dead skin cells off your body, leaving your skin dreamily soft and supple, but didn’t want to buy one from the store?
If this is you, then you’re in the right place. Exfoliation is important and everyone who has even been interested in skincare knows why. In this article, I will explain in depth why you need to exfoliate on a regular basis, as well as give you 10 recipes on how to make your own DIY exfoliators which you will love.
Fair warning, you might get hooked on making this! The feeling after a good old skin scrub is highly addicting, so proceed at your own risk.
The Importance of Exfoliation
Before jumping into all the recipes, let’s see why you need to exfoliate in the first place. Knowing the full impact of the habits that we cultivate will make us more likely to stick to them in the long run.
So, why bother exfoliating in the first place? It can be time-consuming, messy, and if you prefer store-bought products – expensive.
Here’s why you should exfoliate regularly despite all of that. Proper exfoliation removes the dead skin cells which form a barrier on top of your skin and clog the pores, leading to congestion and acne that’s hard to get rid of. By exfoliating regularly, you remove this formed layer of dead skin cells, revealing new, fresh and healthy cells from underneath. This will ensure that your products work better and your makeup looks better. Say goodbye to cakey makeup and improper moisturizing techniques! By doing this, the products you use automatically become more effective in turn.
On top of that, regular exfoliation makes the process of cell regeneration faster, which results in a younger and brighter complexion. In short, there’s a lot of reasons why you should adopt this habit in your daily life. Feel free to try out any of the recipes below and witness for yourself the impact that they have.
Sugar and Olive Oil Scrub
If you don’t like following recipes that have a lengthy list of ingredients, this one will suit you perfectly. This scrub will provide you with all the benefits of regular scrubs, but it will save you a lot of time in the kitchen. All you need for this recipe is two ingredients, with an optional third one.
Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons of cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Optional: a few drops of rosehip oil
Firstly, you’ll want to combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. After you’re done mixing them together, gently massage the mixture with your fingers on your body. Do this for at least 3 minutes and make sure you avoid the eye area while you’re doing it. Once you’re done exfoliating, remove the remaining mixture by rinsing your body with lukewarm water. Follow this up with the moisturizer you use regularly in order to ensure that your skin stays properly hydrated throughout the day.
Oat Scrub
This is probably the simplest recipe on the list. The only thing you’ll need is half a cup of oats and some water. Blend the two ingredients together until you get a paste and rub it gently all over your body.
The optional ingredient in this recipe is an essential oil of your choice that will make the recipe smell delicious!
Lemon and Sugar Scrub
This scrub is the perfect option for anyone who wants to experience all the skin-brightening benefits of lemon.
You will need:
- A few drops of lemon juice
- 100 grams of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
Combine all the ingredients together in a small bowl and mix them until they form a cohesive mixture. Once you’re done, gently rub the mixture on your skin with circular motions. After a couple of minutes, wash it off using warm water. Repeat this two to three times a week.
A word of caution: some people’s skin tends to have a negative reaction to lemon juice, so if you’ve noticed in the past that lemon juice doesn’t agree well with your skin, or if you generally have quite sensitive skin, then this recipe might not be for you. But feel free to choose any of the others on the list. Alternatively, you can do a patch test prior to exfoliating all over your body. A patch test is where you use a small amount of the product on a small area on the body and wait for 24 hours in order to see if your skin has an adverse reaction to it.
Honey and Strawberries Scrub
Strawberries are a superfood. When consumed, they offer a wide range of benefits for the body due to the high amount of antioxidants that they contain. Antioxidants are crucial for maintaining healthy and youthful-looking skin.
Moreover, they’re a potent source of vitamins and minerals that give you glowing skin. It’s safe to conclude that by including them in your diet regularly, along with other berries such as blueberries and raspberries, you will notice some major benefits in terms of overall health.
Strawberries have the same effect when applied topically on the skin.
For this recipe, you will need:
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- A couple of fresh strawberries
- 1 teaspoon of cane sugar
Mash the strawberries together in order to form a paste. Then blend all the ingredients together and gently rub the scrub mixture all over your body. You could up the dosage and use it on your body as well. Repeat this movement for a couple of minutes and then wash it off using lukewarm water. Continue with your regular skincare regimen afterward.
Banana and Sugar Scrub
Continuing with the fruity theme, this scrub not only smells amazing but is also packed with benefits!
Bananas are a potent source of vitamins (especially vitamin B6 and C) and minerals, including the peel. This scrub is perfect if you suffer from dry skin.
You will need:
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 cup of sugar
- 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
Blend all the ingredients together and massage the mixture on your skin. let it work for a couple of minutes and then wash it off before proceeding to follow it up with a moisturizer and a serum. You can repeat this scrub up to three times a week.
Delicious Vanilla Scrub Recipe
This scrub smells so good that you’ll actually be tempted to eat it! It contains all-natural ingredients, so there’s nothing to worry about even if you do have a taste of it.
For this delicious vanilla scrub, you’ll need:
- 150 grams of brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon of coconut oil
- A couple of drops of vanilla essential oil
Combine all the ingredients together in a small bowl and mix them all together until you form a mixture that has a scrub-like consistency. After that, you know what’s next – rub it all over your body and body using gentle motions and then just rinse your whole body off in the shower. Repeat this on your body up to three times a week, and on your body, you can go up to every other day, especially if you’re using products such as a fake tanner. This scrub contains gentle ingredients that will help with scrubbing off dead skin cells but will protect your skin at the same time and not be too aggressive on your skin, which nobody wants.
You can substitute the coconut oil for olive or argan oil, if you don’t like the smell of coconut or if you’re allergic to it.
Coffee Scrub to Wake You Up in the Morning
Another delicious recipe is coming your way! If you’re a fan of coffee, then you’ll have to try this one out!
You will need:
- 150 grams ground coffee
- 3 tablespoons of jojoba oil
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- Optional: a pinch of nutmeg
Put all the ingredients together in a bowl and stir the mixture until you get a perfect consistency. The nutmeg is an optional ingredient that will give you that extra spice which is perfect for the cold months!
Sandy Beach Salt Scrub
A recipe that is ideal for when you’re in need of a refreshing, but a bit harsher scrub is coming your way! This one will remind you of those perfect summer days that you don’t want to end. So if that sounds like something you’d be interested in, definitely give this one a go!
You will need:
- 1 cup of salt
- A couple of drops of lavender essential oil
- 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
Combine all of the ingredients together in order to form a paste. Once you’re done with combining them, place the mixture on your skin and massage them in circular motions for a couple of minutes. When you’re satisfied with the results and your skin is starting to feel soft, rinse it off using lukewarm water.
Since salt is a bit harsher on the skin, make sure you limit the number of times you do this scrub in a week. If your skin is on the drier side, don’t do this scrub more than once a week, or you might risk over-drying it. If you have oily skin, you could probably get away with using this scrub for two to three times a week.
Turmeric and Sugar Scrub for an easy Anti-inflammatory Fix
Turmeric is one of the best ingredients out there when it comes to the skin. It’s been used in medicine and skincare for a reason, and that reason is its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory benefits. Turmeric is amazing for calming down redness and breakouts, especially if you have sensitive skin.
For this easy body mask, you’ll need:
- 150 grams of sugar
- 2 teaspoons of turmeric
- A few drops of essential oil of your choice
- 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
Mix the ingredients together in order to create a paste. After that, on a cleansed body, apply the mixture on your skin with circular motions. Repeat this for five minutes and then wash your body with warm water. You can repeat this mask up to three times a week.
Make sure you wear old clothing while doing any of these masks, but those that feature turmeric in particular. It’s important to note that turmeric can leave marks behind and actually stain your skin and clothes. If you do get it on your skin, it’s easily removable in the washing machine.
However, if you get it on your body after it’s been sitting on there for too long, it’s rather hard to get it off. If this does happen to you, use a more abrasive cleanser and gently rub the area for a couple of minutes until all of it comes off.
Peppermint and Sugar Scrub
If you like cheap and easy recipes, but at the same time recipes that have character and charm, you will be a fan of this one in particular. This peppermint and sugar scrub is an excellent choice during the holiday season and it will surely put you in the holiday spirit!
For this mask you’ll need:
- 1 cup of sugar
- 3 tablespoons of coconut oil
- Peppermint essential oil
- Optional: food coloring
Mix the sugar and the coconut oil in a bowl, and then add a few drops of the peppermint essential oil in the mixture. The optional part of this scrub is the coloring. If you have the time and the desire, you can play around with red and green food coloring in order to make the scrub that much more festive.
Use this scrub a couple of times per week and you will notice your skin not only feeling softer but also smelling like a delicious candy cane. Yum!
Scrubs Make for a Great Present!
Now that we’ve gone through all the recipes, it’s a good time to remind you that these scrubs would make an excellent gift for your loved ones!
They’re easy to make, won’t cost you a lot of money, and most importantly, they show how much thought and creativity you’ve put in the gift, which makes it that much more special.
After you’re done with the recipes, add the mixtures in mason jars and wrap a neat little bow around them. And voila – you have the perfect gift to give!
Final Thoughts
By now, hopefully, you’ve been convinced that regular exfoliation is a must if you want to get clear skin (and keep it!). It gets rid of dead skin cells, makes your skin soft and glowing, shows the healthier skin from underneath which makes the products you use more effective and the makeup you use to look better. What’s not to love about scrubs?
Just make sure you don’t go overboard with the scrubs and you won’t likely suffer from any side-effects. There is a chance that your skin won’t agree with some of the ingredients mentioned, so doing a patch test before you start using the scrub all over is preferable.
Which of the scrubs mentioned will you try as a part of your next pamper routine?
This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances, and its goal is to offer a general view of the subject. In case you are suffering from a severe case of acne, you should consult with a dermatologist or a certified medical professional.
