Have you ever been turned off from the massive amount of chemicals found on the back of so many cosmetic products, including the face scrubs you use so often? Many people have been.
With products all across the board becoming more and more expensive, a great place to start saving money is with things you use often.
Homemade scrubs are incredibly easy to make and can be made quickly with very common ingredients from the kitchen.
Whats in a homemade face scrub? The most basic homemade face scrub is going to contain two ingredients; the exfoliator and some type of liquid base.
Water, oil, honey or yogurt all work well.
Here are some quick recipes: Baking Soda Face Scrub (a fairly gentle exfoliator and great for everyday use) -3 Tbsp of baking soda -approx.
3 Tbsp of water, add or subtract to the consistency of your liking Cornmeal Face Scrub (slightly harsher than baking soda, perfect for a once a week scrub) -3 Tbsp of cornmeal -approx.
3 Tbsp of water, add or subtract to the consistency of your liking Honey and Brown Sugar Face Scrub (smells and feels great and doubles as a body scrub.
This amount can be made in any quantity, just make sure the ratio is 50:50) -3 Tbsp brown sugar -1.
5 Tbsp honey There are countless other recipes you can use for your homemade scrub, this is only a small sample.
Lets discuss now the many options in oils you can use for your base.
Each oil listed below has unique benefits and all work well.
Try using several of them until you find the combination of ingredients that works best for you and your skin.
Olive Oil Olive oil has an extensive history of versatility.
Dating back to 400 B.
C.
, it was used not only in food applications but also in skin care as a moisturizer and perfume.
Its chemical composition is similar to oils in our skin making it easily absorbed and a great natural moisturizer.
It is rich in antioxidants and aids in our skins' production of collagen and elastin.
It can used as a makeup remover as well, though may not break down some cosmetics as well as store bought makeup removers.
Sunflower Oil Sunflower oil has many health benefits such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, arthritis prevention and maintaining a healthy nervous system.
Similar to olive oil, it is rich in antioxidants and Vitamin E, which helps cells retain water and therefore stay moisturized.
Castor Oil When you think of castor oil, you might think of motor oil.
Castor oil is in fact extremely versatile and is used in products ranging from lip stick, plastics, brake fluid to shampoo.
The FDA has deemed it "generally safe and effective," as it is safe to consume in small quantities as a laxative.
In skin care applications, castor oil is used to treat skin disorders and infections and its molecular mass is small enough to penetrate the epidermis, making it an effective moisturizer.
For these reasons, castor oil can be safely used as a base to your homemade face scrub.
Whatever your choice is when making your own homemade face scrub, you're rest assured you are saving money and are using perfectly safe and healthy ingredients on your skin.
Best of luck in your search for the combination that works best for you!