How To Exfoliate Skin At Home Naturally: Learn Effective DIY Methods

Did you know that our skin sheds dead cells every minute? Skin is the largest organ of our body, so taking care of it and buffing away those dead cells on the skin’s surface through exfoliation is important. This process helps eliminate the impurities and dead skin cells on the outer surface of the skin and improves its appearance. Several questions surface in the mind after we hear this – how to exfoliate face at home, how to exfoliate skin naturally? If you are someone with the same questions, this article is for you. This comprehensive guide on exfoliation will help you discover the benefits of exfoliation and provide you with tips on how to exfoliate skin at home.

Why Exfoliation is Important?

Exfoliation is a crucial step in one’s skincare routine. It helps remove dead skin cells and other impurities accumulated on the top layer of the skin. This step helps clear the pores, improve cell turnover, and reveal healthier skin.

Benefits of Natural Exfoliation

Exfoliation offers a handful of benefits. But, how to exfoliate skin at home naturally? Is that what you are thinking? Here is the answer. You can exfoliate the skin using cost-effective ingredients like coffee grounds and sugar that are less harsh. The natural exfoliation process is free from synthetic products and environment-friendly, too, making it more suitable for sensitive skin types. Continue reading to explore some natural exfoliants in the next section.

Common Ingredients for Natural Exfoliation

You no longer “have to google how to exfoliate skin at home?” Here are some common ingredients you can use to exfoliate the skin naturally:

• Oatmeal:

Oatmeal is a gentle exfoliator for sensitive skin and helps thoroughly moisturise it. It contains antioxidants that help calm down the skin and promote cell regeneration.

How to use: Grind some oats into coarse powder and mix it well with honey to make a face pack. Spread a thick layer on the skin and remove it after 15 minutes. You can use oatmeal scrub 2-3 times in a week.

• Lemon Juice:

Rich in citric acid, lemon juice has excellent bleaching, exfoliating and brightening properties.

How to use: Mix lemon juice with a tablespoon of sugar and a few drops of honey. Apply it and wait for it to dry. Scrub it to remove it, and wash it with lukewarm water. If you have sensitive skin, you can use this mixture once weekly, and if you have normal skin, twice weekly.

• Papaya:

Papain, an enzyme found in papaya, is an excellent exfoliator. It removes dead skin cells, clears the pores and increases blood circulation. [1]

How to use: Mash ripe papaya and apply it directly to the skin. You can use it twice a week.

• Almond Oil:

Almond oil is rich in vitamins A and E, which help thoroughly exfoliate the skin and make it softer.

How to use: Mix a few drops of almond oil with brown sugar to scrub the skin. Use this as a part of your nighttime skincare routine twice a week.

• Sugar:

Sugar is rich in glycolic acid, which helps remove dead skin cells and boost cell regeneration.

How to use: You can mix sugar with coconut oil to make a scrub and gently massage the skin in a circular motion. If you have dry skin, you can use it as desired.

• Coffee:

Coffee grounds contain beta-glucan, which helps to remove impurities, improve blood circulation, and reduce signs of ageing.

How to use: Mix coffee with your favourite oil, such as peppermint oil, to make a scrub. Use it once or twice a week.

• Yoghurt:

Yoghurt contains lactic acid that helps gently exfoliate the skin.

How to use: Apply yoghurt directly to the skin or mix it with a bit of honey and rinse it after 15-20 minutes of application. Use it as often as you like.

• Sea Salt:

Sea salt is rich in minerals and elements, making it an excellent base for several natural exfoliants and improving hydration.

How to use: Mix sea salt with lavender oil and use it as a scrub once a week.

• Flax Seeds:

Flax seeds are rich in antioxidants, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that help to refine skin texture and promote healthy skin.

How to use: Ground flax seeds and mix them with honey or yoghurt to make a scrub. Use it twice a week.

• Ground Sugar:

Ground sugar is a natural humectant that helps gently remove dead skin cells.

How to use: Use it with a carrier oil like jojoba oil and apply it directly to the skin. You can use it once a week.

• Honey:

Honey is an antimicrobial and gentle exfoliator that helps brighten the skin tone.

How to use: Mix honey with carrier oil, sugar or coffee grounds to make an excellent scrub. You can use it more than twice a week.

• Coconut Oil:

Coconut oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties, making it an excellent base for exfoliation.

How to use: Mix coconut oil with sea salt or sugar and use it as a scrub twice weekly.

• Turmeric Powder:

It contains curcumin that helps gently remove impurities and reduces inflammation. [2]

How to use: Mix turmeric with milk or yoghurt to make a thick scrub. Use it twice a week.

• Baking Soda:

Baking soda helps exfoliate the skin, but can also make it dry, so, it is not for sensitive skin types.

How to use: Mix a tablespoon of baking soda with rose water to make a scrub. Use it once a week.

How To Make Exfoliating Scrub At Home?

Are you wondering how to make exfoliator at home? This section will explore some natural remedies to make exfoliating scrubs and the most effective ways to use them.

• Coffee Scrub:

The tiny granules of coffee help eliminate dead skin cells and even out the complexion. Mix a tablespoon of coffee with coconut oil or honey to make a coffee scrub. Use it twice a week for the best results.

• Oatmeal Scrub:

Oatmeal scrub is soothing for the skin and helps gently remove impurities. It is ideal for sensitive skin types. Grind some oats coarsely and mix them with rose water or yoghurt to make a scrub at home. You can use it as desired. [3]

• Lemon Scrub:

Lemon is rich in vitamin C and has excellent brightening properties. However, you should never use it alone on the skin. Mix lemon water with brown sugar and some water to form a scrub. Use it once a week.

• Banana Scrub:

Bananas contain vitamins, minerals and sugars that help gently exfoliate most skin types, including sensitive skin. Mash half a banana and mix it with sugar to make an excellent scrub. You can use it as desired.

• Rose Scrub:

Rose petals are rich in antioxidants and are gentle exfoliators. They also help deliver hydration to the skin while tightening the pores. Mix fresh or dried rose petals with sugar and coconut oil to make a scrub. Use it once or twice a week.

• Aloe Vera and Sugar Scrub:

Aloe vera naturally contains proteases and cellulases that help break down dead skin cells and other impurities. Mix fresh aloe vera with sugar to form a scrub. Apply it for 15 minutes and rinse with water. For the best results, use it twice a week.

How to Exfoliate Different Skin Types Naturally?

Different skin types have different requirements. Here are different ways to exfoliate your skin naturally at home based on your skin type:

• Dry skin: To exfoliate dry skin, use ingredients like sugar, honey, oatmeal, papaya and aloe vera.
• Oily skin: Use ingredients like coffee grounds, flax seeds, and sea salt that help regulate oil production.
• Sensitive skin: Use ingredients like oatmeal, sugar, banana, and others.
• Combination skin: Use scrubs made from ingredients such as oatmeal, flax seeds, and coffee.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

While exfoliating at home using natural ingredients, doing a patch test before is important to understand your skin type and use exfoliating ingredients relevant to it. Ensure you do not over-exfoliate or exfoliate on broken or highly sensitive skin. [4]

Frequently Asked Questions On How To Exfoliate Skin At Home

Q1. How To Exfoliate Sensitive Skin Naturally?

A1. If you have sensitive skin, use gentle ingredients such as honey, oatmeal, and yoghurt to scrub instead of harsh abrasive chemical exfoliators.

Q2. How To Exfoliate Your Whole Body Naturally?

A2. Use sugar and oil scrub to exfoliate the whole body naturally.

Q3. What Is The Best Homemade Exfoliator?

A3. Sugar is one of the best homemade exfoliators.

Q4. Which Is Better Sugar Or Salt Scrub?

A4. Sugar scrubs are gentler on the skin and help brighten the complexion.

Q5. Does Vaseline Help Exfoliate?

A5. Vaseline can be a base for scrubbing by mixing it with sea salt.

Q6. Can I Mix Sugar And Salt For Scrub?

A6. You can mix sugar and salt for scrub, but make sure to add some carrier oil as well.

Q7. Is It Ok To Use Sugar Scrub Every Day?

A7. Using sugar scrub every day can be harsh on the skin. Aim to use it twice a week at the most.

Q8. Which Is Better, Scrub Or Exfoliator?

A8. Scrubs work superficially, while exfoliators go deep within skin layers to remove dead skin cells, making them a better alternative than scrubs.

Q9. What Is The Natural Exfoliant For Acne-prone Skin?

A9. Honey and oatmeal scrub form an excellent natural exfoliant for acne-prone skin.

Q10. How To Exfoliate Face At Home With Sugar?

A10. To exfoliate at home, use sugar as a base to form various scrubs, such as aloe vera sugar scrub, coconut oil sugar scrub, lemon sugar scrub, and green tea sugar scrub.

Q11. How To Exfoliate Skin Naturally With Baking Soda?

A11. Mix baking soda with coconut oil or rose water to exfoliate the skin.

Q12. How To Exfoliate Legs At Home?

A12. Exfoliating legs at home using coffee and coconut oil scrub is easy.

Q13. How To Exfoliate Lips At Home?

A13. Use a lip scrub made from honey, cinnamon and sugar to gently exfoliate lips at home.

Q14. How To Exfoliate Feet At Home?

A14. Use a pumice stone or a scrub made with sea salt to exfoliate feet at home.

Q15. How To Exfoliate Underarms At Home?

A15. Use avocado and coconut oil scrub to gently exfoliate underarms at home.

Q16. How To Exfoliate Hands At Home?

A16. Use lemon juice and sugar or coffee scrub to exfoliate hands at home naturally. [5]

Takeaway

Exfoliating skin at home naturally using common household ingredients is easy and cost-effective. These ingredients are gentler on the skin and help achieve a flawless complexion with regular use. However, be cautious while choosing the ingredients suitable for your skin type. Make sure not to overdo it and do it correctly using gentle circular movements for the best results.