Homemade Face Scrubs for Every Skin Type by Misty Spinney on
Pintrest -September 5, 2013
Yes, we know there are a ton of face scrubs out there, but it’s hard to find exactly
the right one to fit your skin type. Which means that making a custom one to fit
your skin’s needs is the way to go. Plus, you’ll already have half of the ingredients in
your kitchen. It’s a win-win situation!
We’ll walk you through the basic ingredients, and what they do. Then we’ve come up
with five of our favorite versions that we’ll show you how to make step-by-step.
Let’s get started!
First, you’ll need to choose your exfoliant. It comes down to sugar or salt, but as
you know there are several varieties of each. We recommend four different types:
plain white sugar, brown sugar, iodized table salt, and black lava sea salt. Sugar is
less abrasive than salt because it dissolves more easily. Brown sugar is the best for
sensitive skin, because it’s the softest. Salt exfoliates well and can help remove
impurities and dead skin. And the black lava sea salt also removes dead skin along
with helping increase cell activity.
The next ingredient you select is your oil. We chose five different oils that are
great for your skin—olive oil, safflower oil, almond oil, avocado oil, and extra virgin
coconut oil (our favorite!). To start off, all of these oils, except the avocado oil,
are naturally antibacterial, which will help prevent any problems. Olive oil is good
for really dry skin, and it won’t clog your pores. Safflower oil is a fatty oil that can
help calm irritated skin and prevent clogged pores. Almond oil is fantastic because
it can reduce the effects of UVB rays, and it can help improve skin tone. Avocado
oil is actually extracted from the pulp of the fruit—not the seed—so it’s incredibly
rich and will help your skin retain moisture. Finally, extra virgin coconut oil is
packed with antioxidants and free radicals which help prevent aging. It’s one of our
favorite multitaskers.
While you could make a scrub with just an
exfoliant and an oil, we recommend adding in one
of these five fruits and vegetables
(strawberries, kiwi, pineapple, tomato or
cucumber. They each have properties that will
help your skin even more. Be forewarned that
adding in a fresh fruit will reduce the shelf life
of your scrub, and you’ll want to keep it in the
refrigerator—not your shower. Keep that in
mind before whipping up a big batch. Kiwis can
help brighten your complexion, and the seeds in
the fruit pulp can act as mini exfoliants on their
own. Strawberries are best for evening and brightening your skin tone, and they
are packed with vitamin C. Pineapple is best for acne prone skin; it has an enzyme
that helps dissolve dead skin cells. Tomato contains lycopene which can help
protect skin from UV rays. And finally cucumber can help reduce puffiness by
reducing water retention.
To store your face scrub, either thoroughly clean out an old scrub container, baby
food jar, small wide mouth glass bottle or container that has an air-tight lid insert
like ones shown above. Believe us, it will help you keep your scrub fresh .
Ingredients & Tools:
- sugar or salt of your choice
- oil of your choice
- fruit or vegetable of your choice
- muddler (spoon/popsickle stick/pestle)
- air-tight containers
Instructions:
1. Choose your container, and measure your exfoliant so that the container is 3/4
full.
2. Measure out your oil. You’ll want a 2-to-1 ratio. So, twice as much salt or sugar
as oil.
3. Combine oil and salt or sugar in a bowl, and stir until just combined.
4. Add in the fruit or vegetable chopped as finely as you can get it, and muddle the
mixture together until just combined. You don’t want to mix it too much or the
granules will start to dissolve.
5. Decant into your storage container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2
weeks.
MOISTURIZE AND TONE
This scrub combines salt, tomato, and olive oil, and will help retain your skin’s
elasticity. Instead of slicing the tomatoes, we decided to scoop out the flesh and
muddle it in. Also, it’s okay that this will separate a bit when you store it. Just give
it a quick mix before you use it. And remember, keep it in the fridge!
PROTECT AND CLARIFY
Mix together sugar, safflower oil, and kiwi to get this brightening scrub. Once
again, scoop out the flesh of the kiwi. Avoid the core, if possible. Isn’t the color of
this one beautiful?
BRIGHTEN AND TONE; ALMOND OIL AND STRAWBERRIES
Almond oil, strawberries, and sugar make this one of the best versions for evening
out your complexion. The strawberries smash up quite well, and make another
beautiful scrub. It also smelled so good we were tempted to taste it!
SOOTHE AND CALM
We recommend this one, which combines brown sugar, avocado oil, and cucumber
for sensitive skin. It’s incredibly restorative. If your cucumber isn’t very ripe, you
can also run it through your juicer and use the pulp in the scrub instead of mashing
it into the brown sugar.
HOME MADE SKIN CARE PRODUCTS WITHOUT MICROBEADS!
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN EXFOLIATING SCRUB by Rachel Dreskin on
www.sheknows.com
Exfoliation is a very important part of any skin care regime. Not only does it slough
away dead skin cells, but it also unclogs the oil and dirt that lives in your pores and
can cause breakouts. Most store-bought exfoliants contain harsh chemicals and
dozens of questionable ingredients that have unknown benefits. Instead of shelling
out the money for a store-bought exfoliator, try concocting one of these four
homemade exfoliators using ingredients that you
probably already have in your pantry.
As with any other exfoliating treatments, these
should be used two to three times a week, not every
day. And keep in mind that when trying a new skin care
product (or in this case, recipe), test it out before you
go to bed. That way, if you have an adverse reaction,
you can give your skin time to recover while you sleep.
Basic Baking Soda Scrub
The range of what baking soda can do just seems to be getting wider and wider. It
can freshen the air, remove stains, clean showers and sinks, and trigger explosions
in science fair volcanoes. Oh yes, we can use it to bake, too. But there is one more
non-food-related use to add to baking soda’s resume: face exfoliant. The grains in
baking soda are just the right size to act as a gentle
exfoliant, and many claim that it has helped clear up
acne. Make a paste of just baking soda and water,
gently rub it onto your skin and leave it on for 5 to 10
minutes before rinsing off.
Nourishing Sugar Scrub.
Granulated sugar(white or brown) is another
wonderful, natural exfoliant -- and with all these
reports coming out that sugar may be toxic when
ingested, I’m thinking we might be better served to
use it on the body versus in the body. Mix it with honey, which contains powerful
antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and a little lemon for clarifying purposes,
and you have a wonderfully nourishing and effective face scrub. Combine 1 teaspoon
sugar with 1/2 teaspoon honey and a squeeze of fresh
lemon juice and mix well. If the mixture is a little loose,
add a bit more sugar.
Invigorating Coffee Scrub
Coffee is another fantastic natural exfoliant. It
contains caffeic acid, which has anti-inflammatory
effects and can boost collagen production. Just as
coffee stimulates our body in the morning, it can serve
as a skin stimulant as well. To make the scrub, combine
1 tablespoon of ground coffee with 1 tablespoon of
water or olive oil. To make this inexpensive face scrub even more economical, save
the wet coffee grounds from your brewed morning coffee and use those. If you
use olive oil, skip applying a moisturizer afterward, as olive oil will leave your skin
super-moisturized. As a side note, since coffee grinds can clog drains, apply the
scrub and buff off the grounds over a plugged sink so that you can wipe them out
or use a mesh drain strainer to catch them before they go down your pipes.
Soothing Oatmeal Scrub
People who use oatmeal as a natural face scrub swear by
it, and now I know why. Ground oatmeal not only serves
as a wonderful exfoliant, but it also absorbs and
removes surface dirt and impurities while leaving your
skin nourished and hydrated. It has been known to
soothe and heal everything from acne to sunburn to dry,
flaky skin. Given its gentle nature, it is also ideal for
those with sensitive skin. Combine 1 tablespoon of
ground oatmeal with 1/4 teaspoon of salt, which boosts
the face treatment's exfoliating properties, and 1
teaspoon of water or olive oil to make it into a paste. Gently rub
onto your skin in circular motions, let sit for five to 10 minutes.
SOME OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR EXFOLIATING SCRUBS
Rice Scrub
Grind any type of rice into smaller granules- not to a fine powder. Add enough
honey to the rice and stir to form a thick paste. Add lemon juice to the paste
And stir mixture. Apply to face with clean hands, and rub into skin in a circular
motion. Use once a week.
Green Tea Scrub
Brew a mug of extra-strength green tea. Green tea is said to have anti-aging
effects when applied to the skin. It reduces wrinkles and blemishes, and even
repair scar tissue.
For best results, use loose green tea and a tea ball or strainer, rather than using a
bag of green tea. If you're using bagged green tea, go with plain tea, rather than
flavored. This will give you a more concentrated result.
Pour a tablespoon or two of brewed tea into a bowl. Allow the tea to cool. Pour a
tablespoon of sugar into the tea. Keep adding sugar until the mixture has a
consistency that's gritty enough to scrub your skin, but still wet enough to apply
easily. Stir in a tablespoon of honey. Make sure it's thoroughly mixed in. Honey has
great moisturizing and antibacterial properties.
Apply the scrub to a freshly washed face. Rub the scrub all over your face,
concentrating in spots that are dry. Use a wet washcloth to remove the scrub, and
splash cold water over your face when you're finished.
To store this scrub for later, put the mixture in a jar sealed with a lid. Keep it in a
cool, dry place. It should last for several weeks.
Coconut Oil + Sugar + Lemon
Coconut oil has been used for centuries by Pacific Islanders; it is renowned as a
good skin tonic. Sugar and lemon soften and exfoliate.
Place 1/2 cup of coconut oil in a bowl. If you don't have coconut oil, use olive oil,
almond oil, or grapeseed oil. Peanut oil, canola oil, and vegetable oil should be
avoided, since these have a strong smell that may take away from the experience
of giving yourself a facial.
Add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the bowl. Keep stirring sugar into the mixture until
it has a gritty, spreadable consistency.
Add 1 Tablespoon lemon juice to the mixture. This will increase the cleansing
properties of the scrub.
To store this scrub for later, put the mixture in a jar sealed with a lid. Keep it in a
cool, dry place. It should last for several weeks.
Apply the scrub to a freshly washed face. Rub the scrub all over your face,
concentrating in spots that are dry. Use a wet washcloth to remove the scrub, and
splash cold water over your face when you're finished.
Oil-based scrubs will leave your skin feeling very soft, with a slight residue of oil.
These types of scrubs are best for dry skin.