If you suffer from dull, dry skin and are looking for a way to create your own product that can help exfoliate your skin, you may turn to body scrubs or scrubs in general. They can be used with exfoliation tools or used on their own to help give you a smoother skin texture and a beautiful, natural glow.
Body scrubs can be very versatile and can be made with several, several different ingredients, but the main purpose of the body scrub is to… well… scrub your body.
There are different scrubs that are designed specifically for certain areas of your body such as face scrubs, lip scrubs and even scalp scrubs. Other scrubs are categorized by their main ingredient such as sugar, salt or plant-based material.
There is an infinite number of ways you can create your own scrubs, and so many ingredients you can use as well. The main thing to keep in mind is what the main building blocks of the scrub is. We will discuss that further in the article.
You can either make your own scrubs or buy them online or in a store. This article will give you an idea about the different types of scrubs there are so you can choose the one that is best for you.
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What is a Body Scrub
A body scrub, simply put, is a thick substance that contains granules that help remove dead skin through a process called exfoliation. They can come in different forms such as cream, gel or emulsified. Different ingredients can be added for their healing properties, but the main building blocks of a scrub is a thick substance and the abrasive ingredients added.
Some abrasive ingredients added to the scrub may only be used for a certain part of your body. For example, larger granules may be good for your arms and legs or for your feet, while smaller granules are good for your face. If you use larger granules on your face, you may run the risk of skin tears which can be harmful. If you use smaller granules on your legs or rougher parts of your body, you may be scrubbing to no avail.
Scrubs Based on Body Parts
Face Scrubs
Face scrubs are designed to be used on your face. They consist of smaller granules from ingredients such as sugar, powder, fine salt and other small additives.
When used correctly, face scrubs can reveal younger, smoother and healthier skin. This is due to the scrub removing the layer of dead skin cells off the surface of your skin. They can unclog pores and leave them looking smaller, help reduce breakouts, slow down aging skin and help products absorb better into the skin.
Lip Scrub
Lips are more delicate than the skin on your face but that doesn’t mean they need to be neglected and go unexfoliated. When you exfoliate your lips, they become more supple, plump and soft. Lipstick and lip gloss will be smooth and flawless. You can gain some relief from those happed lips and prevent lips from bleeding for those of us who bite and pull at the loose skin.
Rub lip scrub gently on your lips until the small granules are gone. Rinse with warm water and apply lip balm.
Pro Tip: For long lasting lipstick or lip gloss color, apply a lip balm to your lips before adding the color.
Body Scrubs
Larger granules are used in the creation of body scrubs like salt, grains or seeds. They are created to rejuvenate pars of the body and give skin an irresistible glow. They are also meant for rougher parts of your body, not the fragile skin on your face.
They can help reduce and prevent ingrown hair and hair bumps, increase circulation and help moisturizers work efficiently. It can also be a relaxing experience. I always feel refreshed after exfoliating my entire body. Remember to apply a moisturizer after exfoliating.
Foot Scrubs
Feet are one of the most hardworking pars of our body and they need tender love and care too. Active activities such as running and jogging can cause feet to sweat and cause a serious build up of dead skin cells. Hell, simple walking around can cause a build up of dead skin cells.
From time to time, giving feet a good ol foot scrub can help give you softer feet and can remove dead skin cells, calluses and corns. They can even help smooth out cracked, and painful heels.
Using foot friendly essential oils can also add more benefits to your foot scrubs. The essential oils like peppermint and eucalyptus can help cleanse your feet and reduce odor.
Common Scrubs By Ingredients
Sugar Scrubs
Sugar scrubs are probably the most common type of scrub. As you may have guessed, the main abrasive substance is sugar and can contain either white sugar or brown sugar. Sugar can be less abrasive due to the small granules it has and can be great for those who have sensitive skin.
Sugar is considered a humectant which means it naturally attracts moisture and can keep the skin hydrated, soft and smooth. Sugar also contains alpha hydroxy and glycolic acid that can aid in the exfoliation process and encourage faster skin cell turnover.
Salt Scrubs
Scrubs made from salt tend to be more rejuvenating and invigorating. Different types of salt can be used to make this type of scrub including sea salt, Himalayan salt and Hawaiian black salt. Due to the salt content in the scrub, they are the most abrasive type of scrub, but you can finely grind the salt to make them less abrasive. If you have sensitive skin, you may want to steer clear of these.
Salt scrubs are great for bringing out toxins in the skin as well as absorbing oil which makes them great for oily and acne prone skin.
Salt scrubs do a bit more than sugar scrubs. Depending on the salt being used, your skin can gain many benefits the salt has to offer. Many salts have several minerals and vitamins that skin loves. Some salt even contain natural, antiseptic properties and can reduce inflammation on the skin.
Herbal Scrubs
As the name may suggest, herbal scrubs are scrubs made from different herbs and crushed herbs. The herbs being used depend greatly on the benefits your skin needs. Many common herbs used are lavender buds, orange peels, lemon zest and peppermint sprigs.
Due to the nature of the herbs, these scrubs tend to be a on the gentle side. Unless, of course, you add the herbs into a sugar scrub or a salt scrub.
Herbal scrubs add the power of aromatherapy with every use and can be great if you want a spa-like experience.
Many of the herbs contain vitamin E which adds extra moisture to the skin, but you can always add vitamin E to any scrub as well.
Grain Scrubs
Grain scrubs contain plant-based exfoliants and usually contain naturally occurring antioxidants and moisturizing properties. Because of this, they can be great for those who have dry skin. Some exfoliants in grain scrubs include oatmeal, seeds or fiber.
Along with the added moisture and antioxidants, grain scrubs can be anti-inflammatory and help soften skin. They can also smooth rough and dry skin.
Coffee Scrubs
These scrubs are my absolute favorite and I use them on a daily basis. Coffee scrubs contain ground coffee in them, and they are an amazing scrub that will leave skin extra soft and smooth.
Coffee is a natural stimulant, and it is great to use on cellulite prone areas. Used on a regular basis and you may see results in as little as a week!
Coffee scrubs can do so much more for your skin though. They can increase cell regeneration, tighten skin and stimulate blood flow. They can decrease inflammation by constricting blood vessels on the skin’s surface and increase skin tone and texture.
The scent from the coffee will wake you up and you can even add essential oils and fragrance such as vanilla, chocolate or similar scents to really spice it up.
I can literally talk about coffee scrubs all day. I use this every day along side with my exfoliating towel. Every time I use it, my cellulite diminishes, my skin becomes butter smooth, and I feel so rejuvenated and relaxed.
Moisturizing Scrubs
Certain additives like oatmeal, almond meal, yogurt and milk powders can cause your scrub to be extra moisturizing. Moisturizing scrubs are designed to infuse skin with extra moisture which makes them perfect for dry skin. They can eliminate dry, flaky skin while adding hydration.
Charcoal Scrubs
Activated charcoal is detoxifying and removes impurities from the skin. Add this to a scrub and you have a detoxifying, impurity removing body scrub. Charcoal scrubs can help unclog pores, help remove stretch marks and cellulite and leave skin soft and smooth.
Green Tea Scrubs
Ok, this could be considered and herbal scrub, but I had to write about it separately because it has so many benefits to add to skin. Green tea scrubs can help remove impurities from the skin and help detoxify the skin. It has anti-inflammatory properties and can help smooth blemishes and scars.
Cleansing Scrubs
Cleansing scrubs mix the power of an exfoliant with a cleansing agent. Not only will cleansing scubs exfoliate the skin, they will also cleanse skin at the same time. Some examples of these would be whipped body scrubs and exfoliating body wash.
Cleansing scrubs can help save time and money by giving you a 2 for 1 deal. You don’t have to spend extra money on buying 2 different products and you don’t have to spend time using two different products.
You can always make your own exfoliating body wash by adding an exfoliant like sugar to your favorite shower gel. You can also add it to an exfoliating tool like a washcloth, sponge, loofah or shower pouf for added exfoliant power.
Summing It Up
As you can see, there are many types of different scrubs out there for you to choose from. They all serve the same purpose of exfoliation, but they each offer their own unique benefits. You can mix different ingredients together to get an exact matching need for what your skin needs and deserves to remain healthy and to glow.
Which scrubs are you ready to try? Let us know in the comments below.
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Disclaimer: This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. Neither Self Verve nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. Be sure to contact your physician before trying any of the items stated in the above article.
