After years of dealing with sensitive skin – and acne – I started using 2 ways to exfoliate naturally and improve the texture and feeling of my skin.
Guest Post by Audrey Lefebvre of Castile Soap Bar
Sensitive skin is a dermatological issue widespread throughout the world. It can be caused by genetics, unhealthy diets, or lack of skin-cell turnover (exfoliation).
Why exfoliate naturally?
Exfoliating the skin is an important step in a proper skincare regimen. It involves removing the outermost layer of the skin to get rid of debris and unclog pores.
Improper exfoliation suffocates the skin, making it unable to absorb vitamins and minerals. In other words, no matter what vitamins you put on your skin, if it is clogged, it will not be absorbed.
In addition to being unable to absorb nutrition, the skin becomes oily with an increase in blemishes. The clogged pores prevent the skin from recognizing the amount of oil on the face. Blemishes increase in areas where clogged pores are more prevalent, in the form of blackheads and whiteheads.
Incorrect exfoliation may harm your skin
I used to think any product with an exfoliator was okay to use. Turns out I was wrong.
Conventional exfoliating cleansers, creams and scrubs often have one main ingredient in common — microbeads. Microbeads are small, perfectly rounded pieces of plastic. That’s it! No medicinal value there.
The shape of the microbeads may actually scratch the surface of the skin without removing any debris. This leads to skin damage.
When exfoliating the skin, the goal should be to naturally obtain soft, clear and bright skin. Studies conducted by Marcus Eriksen and Anna Cummins, researchers for the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, showed shocking results regarding microbeads: The ocean and rivers are becoming filled with microbeads, which get washed down the drain every time we use a product containing them. These beads, found in a high volume of cosmetic products, are not biodegradable.
2 Ways To Exfoliate Naturally
The ability to exfoliate the skin naturally, has become the answer to my prayers. The two best ways to exfoliate naturally, after researching and experimenting, are with sugar scrubs and organic soaps with exfoliating extracts. Both methods are gentle and effective while providing your skin with medicinal value.
Sugar scrubs may be bought or homemade by following a fun DIY recipe. The benefits to an organic sugar scrub versus a commercial scrub, is the lack of microbeads and the way it gently removes toxins from the skin.
After you rinse off a sugar scrub, the skin feels fresh and clean.
Personally, I am a huge fan of DIY scrubs. By making it myself, I am in full control of what goes in the product. Below is a simple DIY sugar scrub recipe that can be made in less than 5 minutes:
Image by Pixabay
Brown Sugar Coconut Scrub
Ingredients
½ cup organic coconut oil
½ cup organic brown sugar
8 oz. jar
Mixing spoon
Method
Pour organic coconut oil into your jar.
Pour organic brown sugar into your jar.
Mix using a mixing spoon.
Massage into wet face or body.
Rinse off with a warm water.
Enjoy your soft, bright skin.
If you are not in the DIY mood, organic soaps with exfoliating extracts, such as castile soaps, offer a fun exfoliation process with several medicinal values. Natural exfoliating extracts in organic soaps promote healthy skin cell turnover while delivering nutrition to your skin. There are several types of extracts, each with their own benefits. Here’s a few examples:
- Aloe vera extract moisturizes dry skin.
- Lavender extract is anti-inflammatory and helps relieve stress.
- Calendula extract helps detox and brighten skin.
- Green tea extract promotes cell turnover and reduces blemishes.
Using an organic soap with exfoliating extracts, is simple and easy.
Image by MorgueFile.com
Organic Soap With Exfoliating Extracts
Ingredients
Any organic soap with exfoliating extracts (bars are recommended over liquid soap).
Method
Wash hands using an organic soap.
Wet soap using lukewarm water.
Massage organic soap extracts into wet face or body, creating lather.
Leave lather on for up to 60 seconds.
Rinse lather off using warm water, then cool water to close pores.
Enjoy your soft, bright skin.
Using a Brown Sugar Coconut Scrub or Organic Soap with exfoliating extracts is a simple, easy and effective way to exfoliate naturally.
How do you prefer to exfoliate naturally?
Audrey Lefebvre is a Christ follower and Registered Nurse specializing in Integrative Medicine, incorporating traditional and holistic care. Audrey holds over 5 years of experience in direct patient care and 4 years in the practice of Mind, Body and Spirit Care. She practices a natural approach to skincare, which includes the use of natural exfoliation, organic and castile soap regimens. You can find out more about Audrey Lefebvre by visiting her website, castilesoap.com.
Keelie Reason
these look like great recipes. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Mellisa
Very easy to follow recipes, love it