body-scrub
DIY

Face and body scrubs – homemade

I often talk about my passion for homemade skin care. I give workshops and I tell whoever is interested what I use on my skin. Lately, I’ve noticed that more and more people also ask me about face and body scrubs. I’m not sure why that is but I thought I’d seize the opportunity and blog about it here.

Face and body scrubs are really easy to make at home.

There are multiple recipes you can use but I want to talk about my top three. They are all from my kitchen, cost zero (or at least next to nothing), and don’t contain anything that is harmful to you or the environment (in contrast to many commercial body scrubs, talking about plastics in the ocean).

The only piece of advice I’d give is to not overdo it. Skin is sensitive and in particular facial skin doesn’t respond well to over-scrubbing.

Ground coffee

This is my absolute favourite. About once a week I get the old coffee grounds from our coffee maker and rub them all over my skin. It might sound dirty but it’s really fun. And I love the smell. The process is easy: wash your skin, get a handful of coffee grounds and start scrubbing. When you’re satisfied, wash off and dry.

You will notice how refreshed your skin feels and there is a reason for it. Caffeine does not only vitalize us from the inside but our skin as well. It constricts blood vessels on our skin and thus makes our skin appear smoother and less puffy. Caffeine also contains antioxidants which protect against UV radiation as well as helps the skin to repair itself.

I love coffee grounds in particular because it is so easily available and I don’t need to do anything with it. I can use it straight as it is. Usually, I use ‘old’ coffee grounds, aka the once that are left over after a cup of coffee is brewed and I haven’t noticed a difference to fresh grounds. If you prefer, use fresh coffee grounds.

Coffee grounds, by the way, also make for an awesome additive in soaps.

Coconut oil and salt

This combo is easy to whip together before heading to the shower. About a tablespoon of coconut oil and a teaspoon of salt will be enough for a good scrub in the shower (use less if you’re using it on your face).

I love the combination of the two because coconut oil has so many benefits for our skin and used in the shower, it locks in any moisture on our skin and is extra hydrating. In combination with salt, coconut oil can assist in easing skin irritations and help to rejuvenate the skin. The salt acts as a gentle exfoliator.

Just be aware that salt should not be left on the skin because it will dry out the skin’s cells. Make sure to rinse your skin after the scrub with water only (you don’t want to use soap because that would counter the benefits of the coconut oil).

Olive oil and sugar

Another combination which needs a quick mix in the kitchen is olive oil and sugar. I use the same amounts as the coconut oil and salt scrub – one tablespoon of oil and one teaspoon of sugar. Again, you will need to adjust the measurements if you’re only using it on your face.

Olive oil is generally really good for our skin although it takes longer to absorb than coconut oil. In combination with the sugar, olive oil moisterises the skin and leaves it feeling soft. The sugar is the exfoliator in this combination.

If you apply this scrub in the shower or onto wet skin, both the olive oil and the sugar will help your skin to retain more moisture. Sugar is a known humectant which means it attracts water to your skin. The olive oil will help to ‘lock it in place’.
You can use the olive oil and sugar mix on your face alone or on your whole body. Just make sure to rinse it off (without soap) after the scrub so you don’t become sticky.

You can use all these recipes in combination and switch around: coconut oil and coffee, olive oil with salt, coconut oil with sugar … try and see what you like and what works best for you.

Category: DIY

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