Looking for a cure for dull and dry skin in these harsh winter months? Face scrubs will exfoliate and hydrate your skin, leaving it feeling fresh, rejuvenated and silky soft.
Since our skin absorbs whatever we apply to it, it’s nice to know we can avoid the long list of ingredients you might find in standard face scrubs by making our own at home. They’re easy to make, they’re safe with no harsh chemicals or side effects, and you can make customizable scrubs using simple ingredients you probably already have at home. Read on to see 4 DIY face scrubs and learn how to make your own customizable scrub recipe — the possibilities are endless!
1. Gentle Oatmeal Scrub
This oatmeal and milk scrub will give you a deep clean, revealing that radiant skin. Oatmeal may be one of the most gentle exfoliants, but it can still effectively absorb and remove impurities and dirt from your skin. Along with a deep clean, the oatmeal will leave your skin feeling hydrated and soft. By adding whole milk to the recipe, you will be getting the benefits of hydration from the fat and proteins it contains. The enzyme content in milk also aids in exfoliation, making it great to treat hyper-pigmentation, and the soothing properties will help with irritated skin.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- 1/4 cup whole milk
Combine the oatmeal and milk until the oatmeal becomes a soft, paste-like texture. Apply to your face using gentle circular motions. Let it absorb for 10-15 minutes. Rinse with warm water, then shift to cool water toward the end to close your pores. Pat dry with a clean towel. Since there is milk in this recipe, it’ll only last in the refrigerator.
2. Brown sugar face scrub
This scrub contains brown sugar, honey and coconut oil — the perfect combination to exfoliate and give you glowing skin. Raw honey has antibacterial properties, making it great for acne prone skin. In addition to the moisture from the honey, a bit of coconut will give your skin some extra moisture. It also contains caprice, caprylic and lauric acids which give it disinfecting and antimicrobial properties. Honey and coconut oil are also packed with antioxidants, which are known to help reduce signs of aging.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- 1 tsp coconut oil
Melt down the coconut oil — you don’t want it hot, just liquified. Combine the oil, brown sugar and honey and mix together. Massage it gently into the skin for a few minutes. Rinse with warm water, then shift to cool water toward the end to close your pores. Pat dry with a clean towel. This scrub will last a couple months in an airtight container.
3. Refreshing cucumber scrub
This refreshing scrub with cucumber, sugar, olive oil and mint will leave you feeling bright and awake. Cucumber is known to reduce inflammation, soothe your skin and reduce redness. Mint not only smells great but it will wake you up, brighten and soften your skin, and calm itchy/dry skin. The high content of salicylic acid loosens dead skin cells, which will prevent build up and clogged pores. The olive oil is hydrating, filled with antioxidants and it won’t clog your pores; mixed in this scrub, it will leave your skin feeling smooth and supple.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 handful of mint leaves
Puree the cucumber and mint leaves until it is liquid and smooth. Add the sugar and olive oil and mix well. Apply to your face in gentle circular motions for a few minutes. Rinse with warm water, then cool water toward the end to close your pores. Pat dry with a clean towel. You can keep this in the refrigerator for that added coolness and “zing” you may be looking for. In an airtight container, it will last a couple months.
4. Warm Vanilla Scrub
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp real vanilla extract
- 1 tsp real almond extract
Combine ingredients and mix well. Gently massage into your face for a few minutes. Rinse with warm water, then shift to cool water toward the end to close your pores. Pat dry with a clean towel. Stored in an airtight container, this will last a couple months.
Create your own custom scrub!
Try making your own scrub by mixing and matching ingredients using this “recipe equation.” There are so many possibilities and it costs next to nothing to make! If you aren’t sure how much of each ingredient to use, just experiment. You want it to be thick so it’s easy to apply, but there’s really no wrong way to make it.
1. Exfoliant
- Brown sugar
- White Sugar
- Oatmeal
- Salt
- Coffee grounds
- Rice – crushed down into a powder
2. Moisturizer
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
- Vitamin E oil
- Tea tree oil
- Almond oil
- Plain Greek Yogurt
- Banana
- Avocado
- Honey
3. Extras
- Vanilla extract
- Essential oils
- Citrus/citrus zest – lemon, orange
- Spices – cinnamon, clove, nutmeg
- Fresh herbs – basil, thyme, rosemary
If you’ve got some serious crocodile skin going on, feel free to try these face scrubs on your entire body! After all, our skin is the largest organ in our body so it’s important that we nourish and take care of it.
Looking for more ways to manage your skincare at home? Check out these 2 DIY Body Scrub Recipes.
Photo Credit: Kristen Love
