So I am writing this article about a product I have actually produced myself...I couldn’t be more excited! If you’re reading this article because you got hooked by the title, you might be a little like me and absolutely love a great homemade body scrub. I’ve been using body scrubs since middle school starting with St. Ives Apricot Scrub. Back then the issue was teenage acne and well, that scrub did absolutely nothing for me. In fact, switching to nothing worked wonders for my complexion.
Table of Contents
Ingredients For Your Own Homemade Body Scrub
Basic Homemade Body Scrub Recipes
Why Exfoliate In The First Place?
I recently learned that there was a lawsuit about this particular, widespread scrub because of its main exfoliating ingredient, crushed walnut powder. Crushed walnut powder creates microscopic tears in your skin. This can expose your skin and leave it open to infections, irritation, and acne. Additionally, if you overuse this product you can cause long-term damage to your skin. However, this is not true for all skin types, this product and many others like it have been around for years. Customers either love it or hate it, and this just depends on their skin and its reaction to the scrub.
After being a writer for this blog for almost a year now, I have done my fair share of research in regard to skincare. Ingredients that have proven results, and techniques that enhance the effectiveness of products are things that I find not only interesting but practical. Oftentimes I share my findings with friends and family and recommend them products based on my research. When the pandemic happened, I lost my in-person office job but thankfully was still able to write for Mirra.
Months passed and I had time to think about what steps I wanted to take next. Maybe about two years before working with Mirra, did I start crafting my own homemade body scrub. I would use the leftover coffee grounds my roommates would create mixed with a few other common ingredients found in my kitchen. Over the years I have added and subtracted ingredients and tweaked their amounts to create a formula that works great for my skin. I sent some to friends and family this past Christmas and a few people told me that they loved the scrub and that I should try to sell it, so I did. I created Earth Body.
The coffee scrub I make still has the same vibe it did when I first created it and still smells like a very tasty dessert. Now, I get my coffee grounds from Starbucks, I solely use the espresso grounds because they are finer and have a more gentle feel on the skin. I also prefer repurposing an ingredient that would otherwise go to a landfill.
When used as an external skincare ingredient, turmeric can heal scarring, reduce acne and inflammation and provide a warm glow to the skin. Turmeric has been used for hundreds of years in cultures around the world for various skin ailments because of its antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde, which is a known antimicrobial agent. Topical use promotes healing in skin wounds. Cinnamon is also a great exfoliant as its small particles result in a gentle scrub. It is rich in antioxidants which help clear scars and blemishes. Cinnamon has also been said to:
Vanilla beans contain Vanillin, a polyphenol with powerful anti-oxidant properties. Like Cinnamon it has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to soothe and calm irritated skin. Vanilla has been used to reduce skin infections and in wound healing.
Another crucial ingredient to my homemade body scrub is coconut oil. I have tried olive, jojoba, argan, marula, and grape oil. For me, coconut oil is the best. When I first moved to Los Angeles from Hawaii I experienced a really strange period of time where I had tons of ingrown hairs on my legs. For weeks I could not figure out what the issue was, but it turned out that all I needed was a little regular exfoliation and moisturizer in the form of coconut oil.
Not only was my skin not used to a drier climate, but it also wasn't used to not being regularly exfoliated by sand at the beach. I never thought exfoliation did much for me, but I immediately saw a difference when I started to practice it regularly. Ever since then I try my best to exfoliate once or twice a week. A good rule of thumb is to use your skin as a measure of when to exfoliate next, if my skin feels a little tight, raw, or dry, it is not a day to use a scrub.
When it comes to a homemade body scrub, it is important to keep in mind that the formula that works for one person might not work for everyone. Any physical exfoliant can irritate the skin, especially if you're being aggressive and using the product with forceful motions.
Green tea is a great natural ingredient packed with antioxidants that are great for your skin. For this recipe, brew the tea and let it cool before mixing all the ingredients. This ensures that the sugar does not fully dissolve leaving you with a gentle scrub. Best for oily skin.
Honey is not only another amazing, natural antibacterial, but it can also repair skin tissue and protect against UV damage. Just make sure you rinse thoroughly to remove any stickiness. Best for dry skin.
Salt has antibacterial properties that can be helpful for some skin conditions. Salt is also a preservative, so the sea salt scrub will be able to naturally preserve itself. It should be noted that salt can also have a drying effect so it is best for normal to oily skin types.
Skin cells are constantly shedding and are replaced every 30 days or so. Sometimes the cells do not shed completely resulting in dry patches, ingrown hairs, and clogged pores. That's why it is important to exfoliate! In addition to removing dead skin cells, exfoliation also gives the skin a brighter appearance and improves the effectiveness of products by increasing absorption. Long-term exfoliation can also help your skin improve blood circulation and production of collagen which keeps it looking healthy and taut.
Making a scrub that worked for me was not only fun but also a great learning experience. It allowed me an opportunity to really get to know my skin and discover which ingredients worked and which didn’t. I truly believe that trial and error is the best way to find the best product for you. So try and make one yourself! Or buy one from a small company...
Written by Kiana St. Onge
