Best At Home Exfoliants

Exfoliating: a fancy word for removing dead skin cells that has a huge impact on your skin care from head to toe.

BENEFITS OF EXFOLIATION

• It helps expose the new and radiant skin underneath the surface.
• It’s an excellent way to prep your skin for creams and serums.
• Your products will see a great efficacy when you have properly exfoliated.
• It’s the best way to give yourself a natural glow.
• Increased blood flow resulting in less cellulite.

And exfoliating isn’t just for the face, it’s for the whole body. Really- HEAD to TOE. While we usually focus on our face, full body exfoliation has SO many benefits. Whether you are seeking to rejuvenate winter skin, trying to get bikini ready, or getting prepared to apply tanning products, proper exfoliation is key.

Speaking of self tanner you can see our personal favorites here. Stay cancer free and get your color from a bottle. 😉

One of the key steps to having radiant, younger looking skin is to get rid of old, dry, dead skin cells. And the best way to do that, or course, is to exfoliate. Here are the best natural exfoliants and DIY homemade facial scrubs. And the best part is you have almost everything you need in your kitchen!

WHY WE NEED TO EXFOLIATE

New skin cells are created in the skin’s inner layer (dermis). As they form form, the old, dead skin cells are pushed to the outer layer of the skin (epidermis). These dead cells gradually flake off. But some of them hang on for too long, making your complexion look dull & rough and clogs your pores causing acne & other blemishes. Exfoliating the skin removes these dead cells.

A very effective method is dry body brushing. Dry body brushing not only removes dead skin cells, but increases your blood flow resulting in less cellulite.

TOP 5 BEST NATURAL EXFOLIANTS

BAKING SODA

Baking soda is my personal favorite. I exfoliate my face with baking soda daily. I keep a container in my shower and rub about a tablespoon of it on my face in a circular motion, rinse, then wash my face with this liquid natural soap. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is the main ingredient in many expensive exfoliation products. Be sure to use a natural baking soda like this one. Find out more about the quality of your baking soda here. I also use baking soda in my toothpaste, deodorant, and no poo haircare.

SUGAR

Sugar is a natural source of glycolic acid. Glycolic acid boosts new cell production and breaks down the protein that keeps the dead cells hanging onto your skin. Pure can sugar crystals work best, like this one. Mix the sugar crystals with your favorite massage oil (olive, jojoba, grapeseed, almond, etc.) to make a paste. Scrub on your face in a circular motion, rinse, wash as usual.

SEA SALT

Sea salt is full of trace minerals that rejuvenate your skin, stimulate cell growth, and help your skin retail moisture. A sea salt scrub is great for dry skin. Mix with lavender essential oil and/or your favorite massage oil (olive, jojoba, grapeseed, almond, etc.) to make a paste. Scrub on your face in a circular motion, rinse, wash as usual.

OATMEAL

Oatmeal is a very gentle exfoliant, so it’s perfect for sensitive skin. It is a natural anti-inflammatory and is very moisturizing. Mix finely ground oatmeal with honey and/or kefir (you can also use yogurt or buttermilk). Scrub on your face in a circular motion, let sit for 15-30 minutes, rinse, wash as usual.

KEFIR

Kefir is like yogurt, but with a lot more beneficial bacteria (about 40 times more). Find out more about kefir here (and how to make it). You can use yogurt and still see benefits, but you will see better results using kefir. Kefir is a natural source of lactic acid that hydrates and soothes your skin. Apply to your face and let sit for 15-30 minutes, rinse, wash as usual. Your skin will be so soft and smoothe for several days.

HONEY

Raw honey is anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal. It kills skin infections, including acne. Honey reduces inflammation and hydrates. Honey can be mixed with any of the other exfoliants mentioned here to boost the antioxidant and anti-bacterial benefits. Holistic Health Herbalist swears by honey and uses it in her daily routine to get rid of acne.

You can get some of our favorite homemade facial scrub recipes in our Natural Skin Care ebook and I will be sharing more recipes over the next couple of weeks!

XO- M&D