Save money on expensive boutique exfoliating products and look after your body at the same time with these 8 natural exfoliants.
As your body naturally produces new skin cells, the old, dead ones fall away. However, often those dead cells don’t flake off at the same rate, leading to clogged pores and rough, uneven skin texture.
Furthermore, your body’s skin cell regeneration cycle slows down with age, which is why many people turn to exfoliation.
Thankfully, you can avoid spending hundreds of dollars on expensive cremes by mixing up your exfoliating scrubs at home out of common household ingredients.
Below are some of the simplest and most effective ways to rejuvenate your skin with inexpensive natural exfoliants.
8 natural exfoliants
Baking soda
Baking soda’s fineness makes it a perfect option for an inexpensive and all-natural microdermabrasion treatment, leaving skin smoother and more moisturized.
It is worth noting that mixing baking soda and water results in an alkaline solution that may irritate sensitive skin; for that reason, you probably should to use olive oil or coconut oil instead.
Just mix the baking soda into the oil, apply the mixture to your skin, and rub in small, gentle circles before rinsing it off.
Granulated sugar
While refined sugars aren’t the best thing for your waistline, they can be convenient for achieving clearer, softer skin.
Sugar contains glycolic acid, which helps to break down dead skin cells and promote new cell growth, and the grainy texture also works as a mild exfoliator.
Sugar can be combined with water or diluted essential oils to make a pleasant facial scrub.
Steel cut oats
Oats are an ideal choice for people with sensitive skin or conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
The grain contains compounds that naturally fight inflammation and oxidation while helping to balance the skin’s pH levels, as well as saponins that absorb oil, so oats are an excellent choice for people with naturally oily skin or acne.
For best results, blend unflavored steel cut oats in a blender or food processor to break them up, and mix with water or olive oil to form a paste. Apply the mixture to your face like a mask and let it dry, then rinse it off.
Coffee grounds
Caffeine became a common ingredient in expensive skin care creams after studies revealed that it could help perk up the skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and under-eye puffiness.
Using coffee grounds to exfoliate gives you same benefit while also clearing away dead skin cells.
Though it can be a little messy, best results are achieved by buying whole coffee beans and grinding them yourself, since it allows you to control the size and texture of the grounds and also ensures that the coffee’s natural antioxidants have not aged and lost potency.
Lemon juice
As with other citrus fruits, the juice and oils of lemons contain alpha hydroxy acids, which help break down the proteins that bind dead skin cells together.
Not only that, but lemon juice is also a useful all-natural skin toner, helping to cleanse the skin and reduce the appearance of large pores. Just squeeze a fresh lemon for the juice and pinch the peel between your fingers to release the oil, then dip a cotton ball in the liquid and apply directly to your skin.
Be warned that your skin will be slightly more sensitive to sunlight for a few hours after application, so stay in the shade or save this treatment for a day when you know you won’t be sitting in the sun for extended periods.
Yogurt
Plain yogurt provides a wide range of benefits to your skin.
It contains lactic acid, which helps to loosen dead skin cells, regulates the skin’s pH balance, and clears away dirt and oil that has built up in your pores.
Yogurt (and other dairy products) also have moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties, and the probiotics encourage healthier skin flora.
Greek yogurt and kefir are rich in skin-supporting nutrients, but any yogurt will provide plenty of benefits.
Sea salt
With its large, coarse grains, sea salt is an ideal exfoliator, especially for people with dry or sensitive skin.
Studies have also shown that it can help relieve the itching and redness caused by conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.
One of the best ways to use sea salt is to mix it with honey, which has natural antibacterial and antioxidant properties to help fight acne and skin infections. Apply the mixture to your skin and let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes before rinsing to maximize the cleansing benefits.
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar contains malic acid, a type of alpha hydroxy acid which helps to get rid of dead skin cells and promote new cell growth underneath.
It also functions as a mild skin toner, and some evidence suggests that over time, it can help even out skin tone that has been discolored through age, sun damage, or scarring.
While it may not smell particularly pleasant, apple cider vinegar is easy to apply with a cotton ball at the end of your skin care regimen.
Summary
Gentle exfoliation helps along the body’s natural process of skin cell renewal, leaving your skin looking young and vibrant.
But instead of spending your hard-earned money on expensive beauty supplies that charge a premium for being name-brand, take a look in your pantry and see if you have some of the common ingredients above to make an all-natural exfoliating scrub of your own, at a fraction of the cost.