Recipe for Skin Exfoliant

The Easiest Recipe for Skin Exfoliant

It’s not so great for your teeth, but sugar is an ideal skin exfoliant. A teaspoon or so of sugar, preferably raw, mixed with just enough olive oil to make a paste, will do wonders for dry skin on your face and body. Smooth it on gently and rinse with lukewarm water.

Breakfast Skin Exfoliants

Oatmeal is delicious and nutritious for eating, but it’s also a treat for your skin. It’s a gentle exfoliant that also hydrates. You can use a pack of instant oatmeal for ease, provided it doesn’t have any added flavorings or chemicals. If you’re making your own skincare products, they should be wholly natural.

Another breakfast food that’s good for your skin is egg whites. A nice exfoliating mask for dry or sensitive skin combines an ounce of ground almonds, a teaspoon of honey and a beaten egg white. Gently whip them all together, apply for about 15 minutes, then rinse off.

Need a little more oomph from your morning joe? Before you toss coffee grounds onto the compost heap, mix a quarter-cup of grounds with an egg white and massage it onto your face. Caffeine stimulates the skin from the outside just as it stimulates you when you drink it. Not only is the coffee a good exfoliant, it will minimize your pores and tone the skin. If you have dry skin, you will want to follow this regimen with a good moisturizer.

A Fruity Skin Exfoliant

The vitamins and minerals packed in fruit are as good for your skin as the rest of you. It’s no wonder so many cosmetics are boasting fruit-based ingredients. You can make an excellent exfoliant on your own using several kinds of fruit – nearly all of them will not only strip away your dull flakes, but also hydrate your skin, leaving it smooth and silky. One of the best is papaya. If you’re in a hurry, you can just mash up a raw papaya, smear it onto your skin for 15 minutes and then rinse.

A more elaborate exfoliating fruit mask involves mixing the juices of papaya and pineapple - which is full of vitamin C, a key ingredient for fresh, lovely skin that is said to boost collagen - and adding a tablespoon of oatmeal and organic honey. Apply this exfoliant to lightly dampened skin using gentle circular motions. Leave it on for about five minutes and then gently rinse off. Follow with a light moisturizer for super-radiant skin.

More Sweets for Your Skin

What’s great for bears and bees is also ideal for your face. Honey is full of antioxidants and works to smooth, balance and even lighten the skin. For a great recipe for skin exfoliant, mix a teaspoon of sugar with a half-teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of plain yogurt, which has natural AHAs and acts as a skin moisturizer and lightener. Smooth over your face and leave on for ten minutes. If you have acne, add three to six crushed aspirin tablets. You can also add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice for extra vitamin C and blemish-fighting.

Tips for Healthy Exfoliation

It’s important to be gentle with your facial skin. Even if it’s oily and resilient, you don’t want to rub when exfoliating. This will loosen the skin and ultimately cause wrinkles. No matter how much dead skin you want to remove, gentle circular massage will take it off and leave you looking fresh.

Don’t rinse with hot water, as it’s drying. Cold or lukewarm water is best. Also, avoid using a washcloth when rinsing. Even the fluffiest cloth can rub, causing extra exfoliation, which can irritate your skin at this delicate stage.

Although you may want to freshen your skin before you start your day, it’s actually best to exfoliate at night and give your skin a chance to replenish itself while you sleep. When you wake up, you’ll see yourself glow..