You probably exfoliate your face as part of your skincare routine, but what about the rest of your body? It needs the same love.
Exfoliating helps your skin look smoother and younger than your age. Why not extend these benefits beyond your face?
Read on to find out more about what body scrubs can do for the health of your skin. We'll also look at some DIY body scrub recipes that you can make and enjoy at home.
Benefits of body scrubs
Your body needs exfoliating too. If you don't exfoliate regularly, your pores can get clogged, blocking moisture from reaching the deeper layers. The exterior skin layer becomes hard and unattractive.
WHY SHOULD WE SCRUB?
We recommend that you exfoliate your body about two to four times a week to enjoy these benefits:
- Smooth skin
- Minimized appearance of large pores
- Smoother elbows and knees
- Reduced stress
- Better absorption of your moisturizer
- Exfoliation prevents ingrown hairs and makes hair removal easier
- Reduced appearance of dark spots
What's the easiest and fastest way to exfoliate?
One perk of body scrubs is that you enjoy a wide variety of ingredients without worrying about sensitivity since the skin on the rest of the body is usually less sensitive than the face.
Note: If you generally have sensitive skin, consult a dermatologist for advice before using body scrubs.
Also, if you experience breakouts often, avoid ingredients that can potentially irritate and cause inflammation, for example, crushed nuts and salt. They can cause microscopic tears in the skin and may increase your risk of acne.
Before you dive into any new scrub, test it on a small area of skin first to be sure it works well for you.
DRY BRUSHING
Apart from using a body scrub, you can also do dry brushing. It's one of the easiest and most effective ways to exfoliate. Use a soft, dry brush before bathing then rinse off after you're done.
Working from your toes going up, use circular motions while moving your strokes toward the heart. When you reach the midsection, start at the neck and brush downwards, using circular motions.
When brushing over the stomach, go left to right—this follows the natural flow of digestion.
At the end of the process, your skin should be a little red, but not painful. Finish up with a natural moisturizer like our Rosehip & Calendula Triple Cream, and your skin will be nourished and radiant!
DIY Body Scrub Recipe
And now, here's a recipe for an excellent cleansing scrub for managing oily skin. The olive oil balances out the lemon, so your skin is left clean but not dry.
INVIGORATING LEMON OLIVE OIL BODY SCRUB
For extra benefits, you can add grapefruit or rosemary essential oil. These oils are stimulating and keep oiliness and clogged pores in check.
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup olive oil
- Juice of one lemon
- Zest from 2 lemons
- A few drops of your favorite stimulating essential oil.
METHOD:
Mix the olive oil and sugar first, then add the lemon juice and zest. Add an essential oil of your choice—rosemary and grapefruit are good choices.
Clean your skin, then apply the scrub in circular motions. Rinse off with cold water.
With love,
The Sole Toscana Beauty Team
