They say your experience with acne depends greatly on how your parents fared when they were your age. As a high schooler, I was blessed with fairly clear skin thanks to my mother’s genes. But then I hit my twenties, and my father’s bloodline kicked in full force. All of a sudden I was facing my quarter-life crisis while dealing with adolescent breakouts. At dinner parties, intrusive aunties would come up to me and exclaim, “Haiiiiii betaaaa, what has HAPPENED to your skin? Ohoooo. You better put on some *insert ludicrous desi home remedy here* and scrub.”
Aunties like these really believe it’s their duty in life to point out the obvious, as though we girls do not own mirrors and have no clue as to how tired we look, how much weight we’ve gained, and as in my case, how our skin has erupted. But, that is a story for another day. As much as I wanted to dunk these outspoken aunties into the nearest bowl of chicken karahi, I realized they did have a point. Exfoliating your skin really is the first step to good skincare.
I’m sure you have seen endless commercials about exfoliation but most of you haven’t added it as part of your skincare regimen. You think, “Well, my body naturally sheds skin cells.” This may be true, but with the amount of products we use these days, we are constantly clogging our pores, leading to blackheads and breakouts, and our skin may need a little more help than our natural body processes. A good exfoliant works to shed the dead skin to reveal new skin cells on your face or body, and makes your dull skin appear fresher and smoother over time. The layer of dead cells prohibits the penetration of face washes, lotions, acne medications and can also lead to dry patches that cause your makeup to look not-so-fabulous. Your skincare products may be helping your skin at some level, but a very low one, because you must first clear the path for them to work at full potency.
Now, there are many different kinds of exfoliants available. There are manual scrubs with grains, gels with enzymes that you just let sit on your face and wash or peel off, and products with beta and alpha hydroxy acids (like salicylic and glycolic that you find in your face washes). However, with the amount of chemicals we already use today, I prefer to go the most natural route possible. This is why I reach for the manual scrubs that are made of ingredients like sugar, salt, apricots and walnuts.
What to remember when choosing a scrub:
- Like face washes, an exfoliating scrub can vary for oily and dry skins. Make sure to check the label on the product so you don’t end up with an intense moisturizing scrub if you have oily skin. Some products are labeled for all skin types.
- Before purchasing, always squeeze out a little onto the back of your hand and gently rub in circular motions. If you feel the grains are too big or scratchy on your hand, they will definitely be too harsh for the sensitive skin on your face. Go for a product that you feel you will be able to tolerate.
- The most popular product on the market is the Apricot Scrub by St. Ives. I personally am not a fan of these products despite the popularity. I don’t like the smell and I feel the grains are a bit large and harsh for my face. However, the St. Ives scrub is available in multiple formulations for oily, acne and blackhead prone and dry skin types. Available at most drugstores and easily found in the Subcontinent. Products range from $4 to $10.
- My personal favorite is the 7 Day Scrub Cream by Clinique. The grains are small and great for sensitive skins. There is little to no fragrance. A little goes a long way. $17.50 clinique.com
If you would like to make a scrub at home:
- Choose an exfoliating ingredient that feels comfortable on your skin and that you are not allergic to! Always try on a patch of skin first before applying over your whole face. Popular choices are brown sugar, sea salt, oatmeal (great for sensitive skin), and coffee grounds.
- For dry skin, add olive oil to the exfoliant. It will moisturize your face while you work in the scrub.
- For oily skin, use honey, milk, yogurt or lemon juice (careful it stings!) as a mixer.
- Add equal parts scrub to mixer (i.e. one tablespoon oatmeal to one tablespoon olive oil). Consistency should be slightly thick so it doesn’t drip off your face.
How to exfoliate once you have chosen the product that is right for you:
- I feel it’s best to exfoliate in the morning. Your face is clean from any make up and you already began the natural shedding process overnight.
- However, if this is your first exfoliating attempt, you might want to try it before bed, as your face may get red. Again, try on a patch of skin first to make sure the ingredients aren’t irritating.
- Never exfoliate if you are sunburned or have rashes, cuts or wounds on your face.
- Lather up your skin with a mild cleanser and wash off.
- While face is still wet, smear scrub onto your skin avoiding the delicate eye area.
- Using your fingertips, rub the exfoliant against your skin with light, circular motions, focusing especially on problem areas. For me, this means my nose, as it is prone to blackheads. Just remember not to stay in one place for too long. You want to remove the dead skin, not the fresh layer underneath.
- The length of exfoliation really depends on how sensitive your skin is. It can range anywhere from 15 seconds to a minute. The idea is to stop before your skin starts feeling raw, you will be able to judge that once you go through the process.
- Wash your skin using cool or tepid water. Try not to rub the exfoliant off, but rather, splash your face.
- Remember to moisturize – exfoliating makes the skin feel dry!
Once you have exfoliated, your skin will feel softer and smoother. Over time, you will see less blackheads and clogged pores, and you will also notice your other skincare products working better as they are now able to penetrate fresh layers of skin. Try not to exfoliate too often. Once or twice a week should suffice (once a month is not enough). Happy scrubbing!
http://jezebel.com/264396/
http://michaelkhong.com/whatsinseason/summer.html
http://www.clinique.com/product/CATEGORY21363/PROD678/Skin_Care/ExfoliatorsMasks/index.tmpl#
http://www.foodsubs.com/GrainOats.html
http://stealsanddeals.ivillage.com/beauty/2008/12/
http://www.skincareblog.org/entry/seven-tips-for-a-glowing-skin-in-scorching-summer-heat/
For a homemade scrub, I’ve noticed that crushing asprin and mixing with a tiny bit of water (just enough to make a paste) works wonders. The aspirin is basically salicylic acid, so the exfoliation is both manual and chemical. Skin is super smooth afterward, acne is subdued in a few days, and its cheap!
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Hi Shazia, welcome to the site!
I completely agree, aspirin is a great exfoliant as well as a mask. For new readers and those who would like more information, we did a post a little while ago on aspirin that you should check out: Home Remedies: The Aspirin Mask.
Thanks for your comment and looking forward to hearing more from you!
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Hi!, can we possibly use multani mithi as an exfoliant lol? I want to rely on more natural substances, also.. this is off topic.. but any idea on when you will be discussing eye cremes?
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[...] Read the original post: Save Face with a Little Scrub [...]
What about homemade ubtan as an exfoliant. Anyone have any ‘recipes’ ?
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I find that with all skin care regimens, it’s easier to remember to do them if you fit them into your normal routine. For me, I wash my hair twice a week, so on hair-wash days, I exfoliate my face (and/or use a mask). It is really a lovely feeling afterwards, but as you said, moisturizer is a definite must!
Great article!
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Hi Mehndi!
Multani mitti is actually a great product. For those that don’t know it’s a mud/clay that when used correctly can soak up oils and clear up skin. However, as far as I’m aware Multani mitti is used as a facial mask or spot treatment, I don’t believe it has the consistency for a scrub as it is too soft. If you want to go natural, I would recommend oatmeal and olive oil (if your skin is not too oily) – it is the most soothing and the least abrasive.
In terms of eye creams, the topic is very vast so I would probably tackle a specific product or skintype first. Is there any specific point on eye creams you are curious about?
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Hi DL
Ubtan is a great exfoliant, especially given the different ingredients that are added in homemade recipes, like chickpeas, daal, and besan, as especially the turmeric which is a great anti-inflammatory. Will be posting something on it soon. If anyone has any recipes they love or any tips on application, they would be most appreciated!
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Hi Leia!
That’s actually a great idea, I was told to do the same by the lady at the Clinique counter. For those ladies who like to condition their hair for more than a minute, use the exfoliator scrub while you are waiting to wash it out!
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cremes for excessive bags/undereye circles
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That’s a good idea Leia. On days when I have other beauty treatments to do, such as hair oiling, I can tie in exfoliation since I can’t leave the house at that point anyway. Thanks again!
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Thanks for sharing. Great tips! Nice blog
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I also used the Apricot Scrub by St. Ives but found it very harsh on my skin so have switched to an oatmeal and avocado scrub by Freeman’s. It is very cheap and I like it a lot more.
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[...] Save Face with the Little Scrub « Lipstick Masala [...]
I’m definitely going to try this – I love anything oatmeal based!
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This is a little delayed of a question, but…has anyone tried those vibrating exfoliating cleansers they have out? Neutrogena has the “wave” and the Clean & Clear has the “blackhead eraser”, and I’ve seen a couple at Sephora as well – a little pricier of course. Was curious if they actually do what they say they do. Thanks!
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Hi RSSN Girl
I’ve been wondering the same thing myself. As far as I know, they don’t really do much but I’d like to try one of them out myself before writing a post on the reviews. If you try it out, let me know how it goes!
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I don’t know if any of you have ever tried this product, Cosmedicine Self Adjusting Exfoliator, but I got a little sample of it through sephora order…and ever since then…became ADDICTED! It’s gentle, yet powerful, I use it 2-3 times a week and it seems to expose a whole new layer of shiny, healthy, skin! It’s a little pricey, but a little goes a long way with this stuff. It’s awesome to use as a scrub before going out because it gives you an instant glow! I wanted to give it a couple weeks of constant use before spreading the word, but I love it! They have it also at drugstore.com or the beauty.com website. Hope it helps!
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Hi RSSN!
I’ve never tried it but I just checked it out on Sephora.com and it looks very interesting, esp the self-adjusting bit. I may stop in Sephora tomorrow and ask them to give me a little tutorial. Thanks for the great tip!
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Awesome! Let me know how it goes/how you like it!
I think the “self-adjusting” part is more of the fact that the little beads melt into your skin as you massage your face…so even if you have large or really small pores, it covers a wide range of them?! It’ll be interesting to know what they say! I just kind of went off the directions printed on the back!
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[...] a few days. 2) Don’t overdo it with the rich creams. Exfoliate regularly (for more information click HERE) and remove the dead skin cells on your face. This will help your regular winter lotion/cream [...]