Make your own exfoliating face and body scrubs this summer using common kitchen ingredients. Exfoliating dead surface skin is great any time of the year, but in summer it becomes even more important as people strip down and start hanging out in bathing suits.
By making and using these quick and easy scrubs you can save yourself the time and expense of a spa visit, and you won't spend a fortune on beauty products from a store.
These scrubs can be used on the face or body, but if you have sensitive skin you may want to test a small area first to make sure the scrub won't irritate your skin.
The purpose of exfoliation is to get rid of the flaky dead surface layer of skin, and a basic scrub will have plenty of rough granules to slough off the dead skin.
With all the scrubs, apply to the face or body and massage the scrub into your skin with a small, circular motion for three to five minutes. If you're doing an all-over body scrub, this is best done in the shower or bathtub with the water off. It can get messy!
Always be careful when applying and rinsing full-body scrubs in the shower. A non-slip mat is great for preventing accidental slips while rinsing off. Be sure to fully rinse and/or wash the shower or tub floor after you shower off your scrub. Residue from exfoliating scrubs, especially a scrub that contains oil, can sometimes make the shower floor slippery.
1. Oatmeal Egg White Scrub
This scrub can be made as coarse or as fine as you'd like by simply grinding the raw oats to your desired consistency. For this scrub, you'll need uncooked oats and one to five egg whites depending on how much scrub you plan to use. If you want, you can also add a small amount of mayonnaise to make the scrub more creamy and easier to spread.
The oatmeal in this scrub acts as the exfoliate, but it also has skin calming and moisturizing properties. The egg whites act as a binder and many people have reported feeling tighter skin and having fewer acne problems after using egg white masks.
To start, grind uncooked oats in a food processor or blender. You can also crush the oats in a plastic bag using a rolling pin if you'd like your scrub more course. The more finely you grind the oatmeal, the less rough your scrub will be.
If you're only making enough scrub for your face, about a quarter of a cup of oats will be more than enough. If you're making a full-body scrub, use one to two cups of oats depending on your body type.
Add one egg white at a time to the oatmeal until you have a moist paste-like consistency. This is where you may want to add a tablespoon or two of mayonnaise to make the paste easier to spread.
The great thing about making your own scrub is you can control exactly how much of each ingredient to use. If you make too much, this scrub should last a day in the refrigerator. With raw egg, you really don't want to keep it around very long.
2. Sea Salt Honey Scrub
Start with course-ground kosher sea salt. You can use any salt you have around the house, but a kosher sea salt holds up well and gives great exfoliation, especially when used in a full-body scrub.
For the face, only a few tablespoons are necessary. For full-body, start with a half cup or so. A little salt can go a long way in a scrub.
Add honey to the salt until you get a thick paste. The honey is very moisturizing and along with the salt it will pull impurities from the pores of the skin.
When you apply this scrub, try rubbing vigorously for a few minutes then let it sit on your skin for another five to ten minutes. It can be messy, but the honey and salt will seep into your skin like a mask.
Try this easy scrub and mask combination weekly or biweekly during the summer to keep skin freshly exfoliated. Honey and salt have preservative properties, so this scrub can be kept in the refrigerator for a week or longer.
3. Aromatherapy Sugar Scrub
You may have seen sugar scrubs in stores. You may have even purchased them. Now here's a very simple way to recreate sugar scrubs at home.
All it takes is sugar and oil. You can use a good olive oil or you can use mineral oil (also known as baby oil). There are baby oils on the market that come in aromatherapy scents such as lavender or camomile.
Check the baby section of your local drugstore. You can also add your own essential oils to this scrub to create personal aromatherapy scents.
Just make sure your essential oils are labeled as safe for use on skin. If you're planning to create your own scent, use a neutral smelling oil like sunflower or even plain vegetable oil.
Mix up about one part sugar to two parts oil to make this scrub. Add essential oils one drop at a time until the desired scent is reached. If you're using an aromatherapy baby oil, just mix with sugar and use.
This scrub is best used on the body and not the face. For a lot of people, unless you have very dry skin, using oil directly on the face may lead to clogged pores. On the body, however, the oil can leave a rich moisturized feeling.
Just be sure you are extra careful when rinsing this scrub off. The oil will make the shower floor very slippery, so warn anyone who may be showering after you that it may still be slippery. Or preferably give it a clean.
4. Coffee Ground Scrub
Coffee and caffeine can be found in many beauty products today. There are even expensive coffee ground spa treatments that claim to fight cellulite.
Whether it's the caffeine or the massage action that encourages fat fighting, you can recreate the ground coffee spa treatment at home using this scrub.
This couldn't be easier: Just take your coffee grounds out of your coffee maker once they've cooled. You can even transport them to the bathroom directly in the coffee filter. Rub the grounds into your skin using a circular motion until your face and/or body is covered. Massage for up to five minutes. Your skin will seem to turn brown, but don't worry; it all rinses off. That's it!
Exfoliating scrubs are great for keeping skin fresh and glowing year round, but in summer they're even more important in maintaining vibrant skin. Try these scrubs once or twice a week this summer and see if you don't notice a difference in your skin.
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Last Updated : June 30th, 2023
Debby Lee is the founder and main author of My Lighter Skin
She is a full-time website manager and freelance writer, with more than ten years of experience. She is an expert writer in the areas of health and beauty, with a special interest in skincare.
