While it may be nice to stock up on the latest skincare products and excitedly place them in your beauty cabinet, sometimes, an oldie-but-goldie DIY recipe works just as well as the product. And let us tell you that nothing feels sweeter than whipping up a miracle-working concoction created by your very own hands! All it takes is a little bit of peeking inside your kitchen pantry and you’ll get one step closer to better skin!
Check out our 5 best DIY face and body scrub recipes and get ready to reap all the benefits of these darling homemade concoctions! Not to mention they’re totally chemical-free and all-natural — Guess you get the best of both worlds!
BENEFITS OF EXFOLIATION
Before we jump into the recipes, we’d take you along the many benefits of exfoliation, just for a memory refresh or if you’re new to this term, and how it could possibly help improve your skin in the long run.
- Exfoliation helps slough off dead skin cells for fresher skin to resurface.
- It eliminates dull skin and keeps your pores from getting clogged.
- It improves blood circulation, leaving a brightened complexion.
- Removal of dead skin cells is essential for smoother, tighter and fine-looking skin.
- Exfoliation allows better absorption of skincare products, especially if you plan to moisturise or tan afterwards.
- If you’re concerned about your pores, acne, pigmentation and the texture of your skin, exfoliation is the way to go. It gets rid of discolouration, thereby delivering an even skin tone.
THE DON’TS OF EXFOLIATION
Exfoliation is definitely a process of trial and error, particularly, if you don’t know what your skin wants in the first place. But there are certain rules to it too. And once you abide by the conditions of exfoliation, you won’t ever err!
- Exfoliate once or twice a week. No need to do it daily, as that could aggravate the skin, instead of giving you the glowing, fresh skin you were aiming for.
- There are various ways to exfoliate — brushes, acids, scrubs and waxing. Don’t over-exfoliate! Strike the right balance or you could develop red, sensitive, itchy and irritated skin.
- Don’t use abrasive products, and especially, avoid using aggressive movements to scrub your skin. Keep it simple and gentle!
- Avoid sunbathing post-exfoliation and scrubbing after a laser treatment. Also, moisturise and wear sunscreen after exfoliation.
- Nighttime is the best for exfoliation as the skin itself improves faster while you sleep.
Now that you’re clear on the basics, let’s check out which the best pantry scrubs are:
1. LEMON HONEY SUGAR BODY SCRUB
Ever tried a skin-detoxifying four-ingredient scrub before? Well, you can now by making a scrub from lemon, sugar, honey and coconut or olive oil.
METHOD
- Add 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tbsp coconut or olive oil, 2 tbsp of honey into a bowl and squeeze in a half a lemon.
- Mix all the ingredients until combined.
- Add a little lemon zest as a finishing touch.
- Store the mixture in a container.
- Apply about two tablespoons of this mixture to your arms and legs and a single tablespoon to your face and hands. Massage using circular motions for two minutes.
- Wash it off with lukewarm water.
- Follow up with a moisturiser.
HOW IT WORKS
This is a wonderful recipe that takes care of dead skin cells and leaves skin smooth and soft to the touch. The honey delivers a radiant, well-nourished appearance, while lemon prevents sun damage. You’ll feel young — and that is a good thing!
2. DIY HONEY SCRUB FOR GLOWING SKIN
Some people believe that to prevent a breakout before it takes centre-stage on your face, one must use a gentle scrub immediately post-breakout. While talking about gentle, nothing comes more to mind than this gorgeous honey scrub! Guess what? It only requires two ingredients — baking soda and honey! Yes, you heard it right! Baking soda and honey!
METHOD
- Add two parts of honey and one part of baking soda into an airtight jar.
- Mix it well until it turns into a paste.
- This recipe can be used from head to toe without a doubt.
- Just scoop it out and apply gently on the areas in question.
- Wash it off as usual.
HOW IT WORKS
Honey is a beautiful ingredient that soothes and smooths skin and banishes the worst of sunburns. It is known to heal scars as well, whereas baking soda is only used for a light exfoliating effect.
3. EUCALYPTUS SUGAR SCRUB FOR A SPA-LIKE EXPERIENCE
Some areas tend to get a little drier and annoying than the rest of our body! Say our hands and feet. This eucalyptus sugar scrub is easy-peasy and awesome for such areas that need some extra TLC. It’s also perfect for rejuvenation.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups of sugar
- 1/2 coconut oil
- 10-15 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
- Food colouring (optional)
METHOD
- Combine one cup of sugar and the coconut oil in a bowl and mix to form a creamy consistency.
- Continue to add drops of eucalyptus oil as you stir. You can add food colouring in this step too.
- Use the remaining sugar to reach your desired consistency.
- Store in a tight jar for later use and scoop out some to scrub away!
- This could be kept both unrefrigerated or refrigerated.
HOW IT WORKS
This scrub helps banish tired feet and tan lines while providing a sense of calm. It’s perfect if you want to prep before a pedicure. Eucalyptus has anti-bacterial, cooling, deodorising and energising qualities and you’ll be the first one to experience it all if you try out this recipe.
4. YOGHURT BODY SCRUB
This body scrub works like a charm to clean skin like nothing else! It’s certainly a glow-getter in our list!
INGREDIENTS
- Granulated sugar - 3 Tbsp
- Olive Oil - 1/4 Tbsp
- Honey - 1 Tsp
- Yoghurt - 1 Tbsp
METHOD
- Mix all the ingredients to form a coarse paste.
- Apply it to clean skin.
- Gently massage using circular motions. It will take only 10 to 15 minutes to get the whole body scrubbed.
- Wash it off with and follow with a moisturiser (if needed).
HOW IT WORKS
Use twice or thrice a week to do away with dead skin cells and get glowing skin back on track. The yoghurt is nourishing for your skin and works as a natural moisturiser.
5. COFFEE AND SUGAR BODY SCRUB
Unlike all the expensive coffee scrubs in the market, you can make a similar one at home at a fraction of its cost. Coffee sugar body scrubs are very popular and once you use this, you’ll know why.
INGREDIENTS
- Ground coffee - 1/4 Tsp
- Sugar - 1/4 cup
- Vitamin E capsules - 3 numbers
- Olive oil - 2 Tbsp
METHOD
- Combine all the ingredients.
- Apply the paste to clean skin.
- Gently massage in circular motions. Take 2 minutes on each part!
- Rinse off with lukewarm water and follow up with a moisturiser.
- Use twice or thrice a week.
HOW IT WORKS
Coffee de-puffs the skin’s surface, fights cellulite and removes dead skin. Its addition to a scrub would prove remarkable on a puffy face. Use this for ingrown hair or flaky areas also because the Vitamin E and olive oil hydrates and moisturises the cells around such surfaces. With so many options, you never need to buy cosmetic scrubs again! Your kitchen pantry has all the items needed to get glowing beautiful skin.
