The Soft, Supple Skin Series Part 1 – Skin Scrubs
Natural skin scrubs are easy to make, and thanks to the internet it’s easy to find recipes – but are they good for your skin?
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Salt scrub – pic via themethuselahcenter.com
Skin scrubs can make your skin feel soft and new, providing you don’t use them too often.
The skin is called the Integumentary system. It is the largest organ of the body – and yes it’s actually classified as an organ, just like your liver and heart are organs. The skin has its own intelligence and it separates us from our environment and gives us our unique quality. It is also the most exposed organ in the body and needs some care and attention.
The skin on our faces is finer than in other parts of our body, but generally speaking it works in a particular way. It is estimated we could be losing about 30,000 skin cells per hour. Yes, per hour! New cells are formed from within, and push up to the external layer of the epidermis. This means our skin is already taking care of itself in a complicated and intelligent fashion, so is it ok to use a scrub?
Salt makes a great base for a scrub but use fine salt or grind up coarse salt
I think using a scrub once every week to 10 days is good for your skin, just be careful when actually scrubbing your skin so as not to give yourself scratches. Also the scrub you make to use on your body, could be a little too rough for your face so plan ahead and do your recipe research first.
* Winter skin tends to need a scrub more frequently as hot showers and layers of clothing can interfere with the natural release of skin, and we can get that dry crocodile looking effect.
* Basically you will be washing dead skin down the drain rather than letting it pile up around the house.
* Ideally soak in a bath for 5 minutes. Use your scrub on all parts of your body, then soak for at least another 5 minutes for a real spa treatment feeling. Some of us only have a shower so make the best of what you have.
* Always moisturise after your scrub, and of course I recommend you use a body oil and face oil or serum which will give your skin a velvety smooth finish.
Sea salt – pic via cooks.ndtv.com
Bases for Your Body
* Fine sea salt is the best. Don’t use coarse as you will scratch yourself.
* I see recipes all the time using sugar but I just don’t understand why you would use sugar when you have salt?
* Oil and/or moisturising cream to make a slurry
* Green or pink clay
* a little water
Bases for Your Face
* moisturising cream on its own or with some white or yellow clay
* almond meal – I love this gentle scrub base for the face
Use a mortar and pestle to grind up anything you want to use in your scrub
Additives to Your Bases
* a few drops of essential oil (1 drop for face – 5 drops for body – or a few more) – don’t go overboard you don’t want to burn or irritate your skin, especially if you are adding other botanicals to it
* coffee grains
* almond meal
* fresh rind of lemon/orange/grapefruit/lime
* dried citrus peel
* ground cacao nibs
* ground rose petals
* ground pumice
* dried or fresh herbs
Use your imagination but also your intuition as to what might be good for your face and what is best left for your body.
lovely legs!
A basic body scrub could look like this:
2 cups fine sea salt
grated lemon rind
3 – 5 drops lavender essential oil
a tablespoon of oil
a tablespoon of clay
a little water or cream to make a gooey paste
A face scrub:
3 teaspoons almond meal
1 teaspoon white clay
a little water to make a paste
1 drop bergamot essential oil
The only issue for me using these types of scrubs is that we are washing the gooey paste down the drain. I think that’s fine for the salt on it’s own but what about the oil and botanicals too?
Stay tuned for more in my Soft, Supple Skin Series and check out my YouTube channel too, thanks.
suzannerbanks 