As you age your body naturally sheds dead skin cells. The dead skin makes your face sometimes seem dull, oily or dry. You can help your body look more radiant by exfoliating it. Exfoliates get rid of the excess dead skin and brings forth a younger and refreshed face. Exfoliates are best when they are made with natural products. Being that your skin is the biggest organ on your body, it’s important to know the dos and don’ts on things to apply on your face. The easiest way to know is by making your own at home. It’s inexpensive and healthy for you.
You can usually make your exfoliates and scrubs with things that are just laying around in your kitchen. Sugar and salts is usually the main ingredient to any facial/body scrub. One of my favorite home made scrubs is made by mixing three drops of pure peppermint essential oil, 2 tbsp ground rice and juice of half a lime. You can buy any essential oil at a whole foods or Chamberlains natural food store. The peppermint gives you a nice cooling effect that makes you feel very refreshed. The acid from the lemon has a toning effect on skin and the ground rice is what scrubs against the dead skin. If you don’t care for peppermint then lavender is another nice essential oil.
Lavender comes from the Latin root (lavare) “to wash”. It was used in baths to purify the body and spirit. It is also known as an anti-depressant. It’s a natural remedy for stress, anxiety and unstable moods. It has calming and relaxing effects on the body. By spraying it on your pillow before bed, it can help you relax and go to sleep easier. Eucalyptus has a very close effect. The main active ingredient in eucalyptus oil is “eucalyptol” which is a strong germicidal and disinfectant. It also lowers blood sugar and helps relieve fevers and bronchial congestion. It’s often used to relieve nerve, muscle and joint pains. Eucalyptus is also good for the mind by alleviating stress, and mental fatigue.
Another exfoliate I love making is made out of oatmeal. All you need is a few drops of orange essential oil, 2 tbsp bran, 2 tbsp finely ground oatmeal, and 1 tsp of lemon juice. It’s sweet and has a wonderfully clean smell! This one is not suitable for sensitive skins though so be careful. The acids may be too much for your face. Body skin is tougher than the skin on your face so you will notice that they’re a little coarser. You can make a body mask by mixing 1 1/2 tsp dried juniper berries, 8 fresh strawberries, and 2 to 4 tbsp ginger root, peeled and grated. Mash all the berries together and apply it mostly on your limbs. Then rinse off with warm water and wash cloth. You can also just brush your skin which helps with ridding your body from dead skin cells while opening clogged pores and detoxifying your body which improves your lymphatic system. Try these easy to make exfoliates and don’t be scared to try different essential oils. Each of them has a different benefit to your body! Enjoy newer fresher skin!