Exfoliating your face and body

Exfoliating is a very important part of taking care of your skin, it’s important to slough away dead skin cells, to leave behind smoother skin, which not only looks brighter and healthier, but allows your products to penetrate better. There are many scrubs/exfoliating product on the market – some for the face, others for the body, some have more of a ‘scrub’ than others, some contain hydrating ingredients to keep dry skins balanced, while others contain bacteria fighting ingredients like salicylic acid for oilier skin types, so pick one to suit your skin type. To maximise the ‘scrub factor’, try using your scrub on clean dry skin, but don’t go over-board! Remember, the key to exfoliating is to be gentle – your skin (especially on your face) is fragile! Also remember to stay away from scrubs that use microbeads that are bad for the environment, and don’t scrub more than a couple of times a week!

If traditional face scrubs aren’t for you, or you want to gently exfoliate more regularly, try using an acid exfoliating toner after cleansing, to help cell turnover without the abrasion. Lookout for products with AHA’s like glycolic acid (from sugar cane) and lactic acid (from milk), and BHA’s like salicylic acid (particularly great for acne) – as with traditional scrubs, your skincare products will penetrate better after a swipe of acid! I would avoid using a scrub and then an acid on the same morning or night – just pick one ????

PS. if you experience a slight tingle, don’t worry that’s totally normal and won’t last long.

For the body I tend to use homemade scrubs. They are inexpensive and easy to make.The right scrubs give your skin the boost it needs to look radiant and flawless.  Body scrubs are easiest to use whilst showering. They will leave your pores clean and your skin soft and hydrated. Here are my favourite recipes:

Coconut & granulated sugar scrub – great for softer skin

¼ – ½ cup of granulated sugar

½ cup coconut oil

Mix the ingredients until you get a coarse paste. Apply to clean skin and massage for 1-2 minutes on each body part.Rinse.

Banana sugar body scrub – fantastic for hydrated skin

1 ripe banana

3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or your favourite essential oil

Mix ingredients together and gently massage the mixture onto your body.

Citrus salt or sugar scrub – amazing for energised skin

½ cup of sea salt

½ cup of oil ( almond, olive, jojoba)

1 teaspoon of citrus zest ( lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit)

Mix ingredients together. Rub onto skin while in the shower and rinse off.