Glacial temperatures, dry air, and harsh winds—as beautiful as it is, winter can take quite a toll on our skin. We have no choice but to adapt our skincare routine to the onslaught. This winter, exfoliate your way to glowing skin with these homemade recipes.
Why should you exfoliate?
Gentle exfoliation is important to keep your skin looking happy and healthy. It removes dead skin and thus allows your moisturizer to penetrate your skin and combat the dryness that comes with the arrival of the coldest season.
You should exfoliate twice or thrice a week if you have normal or combination skin. As for sensitive skin, once a week is recommended—or simply use a soft washcloth with your favourite cleanser if you find that exfoliants are too rough on your skin.
Do it yourself
The ingredients needed for a DIY exfoliant are inexpensive and you probably already have everything you need at home—or your nearest grocery store. Homemade scrubs are easy to make and, when you do it yourself, you have the benefit of knowing exactly what is going onto your skin.
Nighttime is the best time to exfoliate, so your skin may better absorb your moisturizer and serums while you sleep.
For all our recipes, start by putting the exfoliant in a bowl and add liquids slowly, stirring as you do so. You’re looking for a consistency that you can easily scoop into your hand—nothing too runny. If there are any extra bits to add, mix them in at the end!
Our Recipes
Face
Oats aren’t simply for breakfast! They also make for a great exfoliant. Soothing and anti-inflammatory, oatmeal is perfect for sensitive skin—and it can be found in a multitude of skincare products.
- Blitz ½ a cup of oats into a fine powder
- Add 2 tablespoons of yogurt
- Mix in 1 tbsp of olive oil
- Apply to cleansed skin in gentle circles for a minute
- Rinse off with lukewarm water
- Apply your favourite moisturizer
If the texture isn’t quite where it should be, simply add a little more oil. You can easily make this scrub vegan by using coconut yogurt.
Lips
Although it may be tempting, do not apply a lip scrub to extremely dry or cracked lips—that’s a job for a lip balm. Exfoliate your lips approximately once a week when you feel like it or before applying lipstick.
- Start by applying your favourite lip balm
- Mix a 1 teaspoon each of brown sugar, honey (or maple syrup) and coconut oil
- Gently spread a generous layer onto your lips
- Don’t scrub! Rub your lips together lightly once or twice
- Wait a few minutes and then gently wash it off with a wet cloth
- Follow up with a lip mask or a lip balm
To make things a bit more interesting, you can add a few extras like mint for its fresh scent and anti-inflammatory properties or rose petals for a dose of vitamin C or even dried lavender to soothe your lips.
Body
Who doesn’t like a hot cup of joe? Coffee is a really popular ingredient in body scrubs. When used to gently exfoliates, ground coffee is effective at removing dead cells and helps minimize the appearance of dark spots and sun damage. It also temporarily tightens and plumps the skin!
- Mix ½ a cup of coffee grounds and 2 tablespoons of hot water
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive or coconut oil
- Add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- If needed, add more oil or brown sugar to achieve the perfect consistency
- Exfoliate, rinse and moisturize
Keep in mind that coffee grounds do not dissolve—to be on the safe side, apply this one outside of the shower so you can just throw out product fallout rather than rinsing it down the drain.
Treat yourself
Himalayan Salt Treatment
Sometimes, we just need to escape the daily grind and the Himalayan Salt Treatment is perfect for that.
The treatment is done in three steps:
- Application of Himalayan salt stones for a gentle massage
- Exfoliation with essential oils and Himalayan salt
- Application of a rich moisturizing cream
A treatment that does good for the mind, spirit and body.
We could all use a moment’s respite this winter and taking care of one’s skin is a great place to start.
Is there someone you love who you think deserves to take a break? Offer them a moment of respite.
