The question that faces every woman who is preparing to show off her body on the beach: how to prevent your skin from looking dull and tired? Fruits and vitamin D alone are not enough to make your skin glow. A body scrub is a sure helper when you need to get rid of dead skin cells; it also helps clean out pores and helps the skin breathe properly. But even such a familiar product as a scrub has its own rules of use.
Why is it necessary?
Periodically, the skin undergoes renewal. This leads to the fact that the keratinized layers come off on their own and are easily washed off with water during the washing process. However, not all areas of the body can exfoliate without outside help. For more thorough cleansing, a scrub is required. Due to the content of abrasive particles, such manipulation has the following effects:
- Smoothes out unevenness of the epidermis.
- Cleanses pores from fat and various impurities.
- Helps improve the penetration of medicinal and cosmetic products into the skin.
- Helps eliminate rashes.
Body scrubbing is easy and simple to do at home. With regular use, results will be noticeable after 3-4 applications.
Why do you need a body scrub?
From anatomy lessons we remember that the life of skin cells is short - only six weeks. Having played an honorable role, they inevitably die off, dry out and, alas, accumulate on the surface of the dermis. As a result, dead particles combine with sebum, dust, and cosmetic residues to form a dense keratinized layer invisible to the eye, blocking the access of oxygen and nutrients. A regular evening shower using gel, unfortunately, cannot correct the situation; a deeper cleansing is required here.
Before applying the scrub, it is advisable to clean and steam the skin. This will ensure maximum effect from its use. After the procedure, it is recommended to apply a moisturizer. It is perfectly absorbed and nourishes the skin with beneficial substances.
How to choose the right one
Face and body scrub are two completely different products that cannot be interchanged. Because in the first case, the product contains small abrasive particles intended for a delicate effect on the skin of the face. The body needs coarser and harder substances to ensure high-quality exfoliation of dead skin areas.
As for hard particles, they come in several types: natural and artificial. Among them are distinguished:
- Silicate - great for caring for sensitive, delicate skin and certain areas of the body. They have a gentle effect on the epidermis, almost without damaging it.
- Sugar or sea salt have an excellent cleansing effect. But scrubbing based on them is limited in time, since they quickly dissolve.
- Coffee or crushed apricot kernels are the most suitable ingredients for body scrub. They allow you to deeply exfoliate the skin, smooth out your knees, elbows, feet and fight cellulite.
In addition to solids and liquid consistency, the scrub also includes some additional components. They help better care and smooth the skin, nourish and moisturize it:
- Essential oils - eliminate dryness, soften the epidermis.
- Panthenol - relieves symptoms of irritation.
- Vitamin complexes.
- Antioxidants.
- Useful extracts.
The composition of a scrub should be approached with particular seriousness. It is important to consider your own wishes and skin type.
About the scrub with love
If theater begins with a hanger, then caring for our body begins with the gym and the right scrub. Yes Yes! Our legs, tummy, back and arms need the same careful and caring attention as our face. The scrubbing procedure in this regard is an extremely simple and effective method. Without leaving home, you can give your skin a radiant, well-groomed look, remove accumulated dead particles and prepare it for further care. We understand the intricacies of choosing and using a product.
How to apply the scrub
It is not permissible to exfoliate the epidermis for persons with dry skin. This is fraught with the appearance of various injuries and damage in any area of the body.
For better removal of dead skin particles, it is recommended to pre-steam to open the pores. Also during the procedure you must follow certain rules:
- Each area of the skin, depending on its location, requires an individual approach.
- Before applying the scrub, you should take a shower or bath to enhance the effect of the abrasive particles.
- It is advisable to perform the manipulation before bedtime so that the epidermis has time to renew itself.
- Do not apply the product with bare hands. It is recommended to use mittens.
- After scrubbing, it is important to rinse off any remaining product and dry the body with a soft towel.
Cosmetologists also recommend using moisturizing creams or lotions in the final stage after scrubbing. They will help relieve hyperemia and irritation.
The best recipes for home care products
Homemade scrubs are good in two ways: they are effective and inexpensive. We invite you to try the following recipes and choose the best one.
Classical
Our mothers and grandmothers also used coffee grounds scrub, so the recipe can be considered a true folk classic. To prepare it you will need only two ingredients:
- Ground coffee or coffee cake - 2 tbsp. l. (quantity can vary depending on needs).
- Shower gel – 2 tbsp. l.
Mix the components in equal proportions and begin the procedure.
An anti-cellulite scrub will be more effective if applied to steamed skin, so use it after taking a hot bath or warm shower.
Honey
The procedure of scrubbing the skin with a honey-based product causes very specific tactile sensations. Honey sticks to the palms and skin, forcing you to make an effort and do a deep massage. Honey scrub works in several directions at once:
- Tightens the skin (the effect is similar to cosmetic lifting procedures).
- Normalizes water-salt balance, accelerating the process of fat breakdown.
- Saturates tissues with macro- and microelements.
To prepare the composition you will need:
- Candied honey – 1 tbsp. l. (it contains more abrasive particles).
- Oatmeal – 3 tbsp. l.
Reference! If the honey is too thick, dilute it with cream. Full-fat dairy products are good at moisturizing dry skin that is prone to flaking.
Mix the ingredients. Massage the problem areas thoroughly, and if there is a need to moisturize the skin, leave the composition for a few minutes. After the procedure, it is better to rinse the honey scrub with warm water or take a contrast shower.
Saline
Regular table salt is an excellent tool for exfoliating dead epithelial particles and massage. Sea salt not only scrubs, but also saturates the skin with iodine, magnesium and iron.
There are several options for salt scrub for cellulite:
- Honey salt – used for pronounced cellulite.
- Sea salt and coffee cake - perfectly tightens sagging skin.
- Salt Sugar Oil – Suitable for sensitive skin prone to irritation.
- Salt lemon zest olive oil – exfoliation and aromatherapy. Excellent for relaxing muscles and calming nerves. Use with caution for people with sensitive skin and open wounds.
A sugar scrub works similarly to a salt scrub, but do not rush to empty the sugar bowl - cane sugar is best suited for the procedures. It is he who can not only exfoliate the skin, but also nourish it with vitamins and microelements.
In the process of applying the scrub to the skin, its grains melt, which allows you to create a smooth transition from hard peeling to a soft range. If you don’t need the transition, wear gloves or apply the composition using a massage glove/brush.
The standard composition of a homemade sugar scrub includes:
- Cane sugar – 1 cup.
- Base oil (sunflower, olive, grape seed) – half a glass.
- Orange essential oil – 10 drops.
All of the above ingredients must be mixed and applied to prepared skin. The effect will be especially obvious if you first massage the problem areas with a dry brush along the lymph flow lines.
Now let's move on to less popular, but no less effective components for preparing an orange peel scrub at home.
- Grains and cereals. Oatmeal, rice, buckwheat, fruit and berry seeds - just pass them through a coffee grinder or brander to get an abrasive base.
- Dried medicinal plants. Grinding dry plants cleanses the skin and normalizes lymph flow. They should first be crushed and mixed with fine salt.
- Dry seaweed. A real storehouse of vitamins and microelements. They prevent swelling and also promote active weight loss by removing excess fluid.
- Fruit puree. Acts like an acid peel. For this purpose, grapefruit and pineapple, which contain bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down fat deposits, are most often used.
- Cosmetic clay. Makes the skin dense and elastic, saturating it with oxygen and removing decay products. White clay is suitable for sensitive skin, blue - for problematic and oily skin, green - for age-related and puffy skin, red - for dry and allergy-prone skin, and yellow - for skin that has lost its tone.
- Cocoa powder. Stimulates natural collagen production, prolonging youth. Contains valuable acids that have a tonic effect: linoleic, stearic and oleic.
- Spices. Mustard powder, cinnamon, vanilla, ground pepper - almost every housewife has all this in her kitchen. As abrasive additives, they make the skin firm and elastic.
A scrub made at home has a number of advantages:
- it contains no preservatives or chemicals;
- budget;
- prepared from any available products.
There are many recipes for every taste, the most effective ones are listed below:
- Anti-cellulite. Add 20 ml of olive oil and a couple of drops of orange essential oil to the brewed coffee cake. Mix everything thoroughly and apply with massage movements.
- Cleaning. Mix 1 tbsp. l. sea salt and the same amount of carrier oil (for example, almond), add 2 drops of rosemary oil and 1 drop of orange oil.
- Coconut for the body. The abrasive particles will be coconut flakes, which the skin loves very much. It gives soft peeling. It is suitable for sensitive skin. Chips crushed in a coffee grinder should be mixed with 3 tbsp. l. almond oil and 1 tbsp. l. Sahara. You can add a drop of mint oil.
- Honey. Take 3 tbsp. l. honey, 2 tbsp. l. olive oil and 1 tsp. ground coffee. Mix and heat slightly in a water bath.
- Sugar for the body. Sugar is a universal exfoliant. You will need: 4 tbsp. l. 25% fat sour cream, 3 tbsp. l. Sahara. Mix the mixture thoroughly before use.
- Solyanoy. It is better to use sea salt without dyes. In 3 tbsp. l. oil (olive or almond) add 2 tbsp. l. salt and 1 drop each of bergamot and clove oil. Mix the scrub and apply to the body.
On the thigh area
Scrubbing this area is very important. This cosmetic procedure not only removes dead skin cells, but also fights the signs of cellulite.
The product is applied as follows:
- It is necessary to steam the skin well in advance to open the pores and easily remove the roughened elements. A sea salt bath or a warm shower is suitable for this.
- The scrub is rubbed into the thighs and legs in circular, even movements from bottom to top. Such manipulations accelerate blood circulation and metabolic processes.
- At the end of the procedure, the feet are rinsed with warm water to cleanse any residual product. Afterwards, take a short contrast shower.
Leaders among essential oils in scrubs
- Lemon oil whitens, improves tone, tightens pores, softens, and has antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Treats warts, lichens, weeping eczema.
- Almond oil slows down the aging process, regulates the functioning of the sebaceous glands, eliminates flaking and irritation, and promotes the formation of new cells.
- Shea butter (karite) contains a complex of vitamins A, F and E, which have a beneficial effect on the restoration of the skin and protect the skin from the negative effects of external factors.
Cons of homemade scrubs
Not all manufactured compounds can be stored for a long time. There are ingredients that need to be used immediately after mixing, and if you make too much, you will have to throw away the rest, which is not economical.
If the scrub is used incorrectly, you can injure the skin and, instead of cleansing and rejuvenating, get an inflammatory process.
There is a possibility of allergic reactions and worsening rashes.
Homemade scrubs can be unsafe if not made correctly, unlike Avon's pre-made scrubs, which undergo clinical testing and safety studies in a laboratory.
A couple of lines from the history of scrubbing
Ancient Roman civilization invented and widely used exfoliating masks, which we today call scrubs. The main components of such a remedy were: honey, crushed deer antlers, crushed narcissus bulbs or purified sand.
This invention in ancient Roman cosmetology gave beauty to the skin of Roman women and prolonged its youth.
But as history describes, scrubs were also used in ancient Egypt. Cleopatra was very afraid of losing her beauty and tried in every possible way to prolong it, regularly using scrubs with olive oil.
Better after a shower
All cosmetologists prohibit using a scrub on dry skin. This is a direct path to injury (especially on the face) and a waste of product, because exfoliating particles will only remove the topmost impurities that settle on the skin during the day.
In order for the scrub to provide more intense cleansing, the skin must first be steamed. Under the influence of warm water, pores open, cosmetics and oily secretions are washed away, so scrubbing particles act directly on those impurities that water and detergent cannot remove.
After a shower or hot bath, the skin becomes softer; using a scrub is deeply cleansed and less damaged.
Benefits of salt scrub
Sea salt has been used in the cosmetology industry for many years, proving its effectiveness. Salt crystals are a natural abrasive that mechanically exfoliates and removes dead skin particles. The result is rapid renewal of cellular structures, rejuvenation and improvement of the appearance of the skin.
A scrub made with sea salt has pronounced antiseptic properties and relieves inflammation. After the first procedures, the disappearance of acne on the body is noted, peeling and redness disappear. Salt normalizes sebum production, eliminating excessive oiliness, and saturates it with microelements. The procedure helps remove excess moisture from the layers of the skin, eliminating puffiness, and also cleanses of toxins and impurities.
Regular use of a salt body scrub helps:
- increasing skin elasticity;
- smoothing the surface of the dermis;
- improving cell nutrition and mineral saturation;
- getting rid of pigmentation and whitening.
Scrubbing makes the skin silky and soft. Cellulite gradually disappears, and stretch marks (striae) disappear. Abrasive sea salt particles smooth out fine wrinkles. By improving microcirculation in cellular structures, lymphatic drainage processes are restored, which eliminates congestion.
The scrubbing procedure is beneficial not only for the body, but also for the face and head. Sea salt helps to cope with increased oiliness at the hair roots, dandruff, and also improves nutrition of the hair follicles. Before making a body scrub from salt, it is recommended to study the basic principles of preparing a cosmetic product, otherwise the final result may be distorted.
Pros of homemade scrubs
The advantage of products that are easy to make at home is that all the ingredients used are natural. You can not only select ingredients suitable for a specific skin type, but also control their quality. Here are some undeniable benefits of homemade cleansers:
- natural composition,
- increased production of collagen and elastin,
- smoothing skin texture,
- increased elasticity,
- lymphatic drainage effect,
- anti-cellulite effect.
Scrubs are most effective when used immediately after use. Although, thanks to the use of natural preservative ingredients, such as salt or honey, they are perfectly preserved in the refrigerator for several days.