How to choose a natural face scrub
Over time, dead cells build up, cell renewal slows down, and the skin of your face can become dull and lackluster. If you want to revitalize and reenergize your skin, look no further than a good, gentle face scrub. Absolution is here to help you find the ideal natural exfoliant for your face.
Gently exfoliate with a natural face scrub
Before choosing an exfoliant that suits your skin, you should know exactly what a face scrub is for! An exfoliant is a cosmetic product that’s designed to remove dead cells and impurities from the surface of the skin. Through mechanical or chemical action (in the latter case, this often involves exfoliating acids), exfoliants refine the skin’s surface, improve its texture, and deeply cleanse the face. Every skincare routine should include a face scrub, but – as with many things – it’s important to choose the right one, so it works with your skin type. For example, if you have delicate or mature skin, or if you want to exfoliate acne-prone skin, it’s best to avoid scrubs that contain exfoliating granules. On the other hand, if you have normal, combination or oily skin, scrubs made with gentle granules (so no sugar or salt!) are fine.
What kind of natural exfoliating scrub should you choose?
There are two different types of face scrubs:
Mechanical (or physical) exfoliants, made with granules of varying sizes;
“Mechanical” or “physical” exfoliation involves using tiny granules to deeply cleanse the upper layer of the epidermis, which is made up of dead cells. Granular scrubs can be used on both the face and body, but it’s important to ensure that the granules they contain are suitable for your skin. If you use granular scrubs too often or scrub too vigorously, you risk irritating or even stripping the skin.
Chemical exfoliants, made with acids such as AHAs or BHAs.
Chemical exfoliants are made with acids, which can come from fruits or sugars, or be produced by fermentation. AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) and BHAs (beta hydroxy acids) act more slowly than granules, but also more deeply. Such natural chemical exfoliants are ideal for restoring radiance to the complexion. Unlike mechanical scrubs, fruit acid scrubs also act on dark spots and the signs of skin aging. Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid that is often used in chemical exfoliants, and is one of the best hydroxy acids for blemish-prone and oily skin.
Discover the Konjac Sponge!
Another natural way to exfoliate the face is by using a Konjac sponge, which is particularly suitable for those with sensitive skin. This sponge is made from natural plant fibers that exfoliate the upper layers of the skin ever so gently. It can be used every day to cleanse the face and get rid of built-up impurities. All skin types can use a Konjac sponge, and that includes even the most delicate skin.
L’Eponge Konjac
What are the advantages of a homemade face scrub?
It can be very tempting to make your own DIY face scrub if you have the time. There are certainly countless natural face scrub recipes to be found on the internet. However, not all of them are suitable for sensitive skin. Some of the ingredients used, such as sugar, sea salt and apricot kernel powder, are actually more appropriate for a body scrub and much too abrasive for the delicate skin of the face. So, what ingredients should you look for if you want to make your own face scrub?
Natural homemade face scrubs: the best ingredients to use
The skin of your face is fragile, and many ingredients – even natural ones – should not be used to exfoliate it. So, when you’re browsing through natural homemade face scrub recipes, always err on the side of caution and look for ones made with fine particles that will care for your skin. If you want to concoct a DIY face scrub, try using ground almonds, rice flour, or even rhassoul clay. These ingredients are gentle on the skin and will effectively exfoliate when massaged over the face. Dairy products, such as yogurt, also contain lactic acid, which helps to remove dead cells.
La Crème Gommante: a face scrub you can count on
While homemade scrubs can certainly be effective when you choose them carefully, it’s preferable to use an organic face scrub that’s specifically designed to care for your skin. La Crème Gommante was specially formulated to gently exfoliate and stimulate the skin in two ways.
- It exfoliates mechanically. The scrub contains exfoliating diatomaceous earth, which supports skin healing and stimulates cell renewal.
- It exfoliates “chemically” (but naturally). The AHAs in this face scrub smooth the skin surface and also work to get rid of dead cells.
Like all facial exfoliators, La Crème Gommante should be used once a week at the most (and once every fortnight if your skin is sensitive). After exfoliating, follow with your usual skincare routine
La Crème Gommante
