What are the benefits of making your own sugar scrub?
Sugar scrub contains sugar- white or brown, oil such as coconut, sweet almond or olive oil and a few drops of essential oils.
Let’s examine the ingredients to see what the benefits are.
Sugar is not something you should eat because of what it does to your body and teeth but it is great for your skin. Sugar is a natural humectant, which really just means it draws moisture into your skin. Sugar is also a natural source of glycolic acid, which is the agent that encourages new skin to grow and what is often used to treat sun-damaged skin. Another benefit is the exfoliant properties of sugar. This helps slough away dead skin and allows healthy, glowing skin to emerge. It is a great beauty regimen for your skin. Sugar is very fine and will not create little tears in the skin as salt or other exfoliants will. The fine texture of sugar will not clog the pores.
We have learned over time the benefits that certain oils have on skin. It would seem that putting oil on your face and body would clog pores and cause acne but the opposite is true if you use certain oils. The best oils to use in sugar scrub are extra virgin olive oil, sweet almond oil or cold pressed coconut oil. All of these oils have great properties. These three oils have antioxidant properties and will not clog your pores. Olive oil contains vitamin E, polyphenols, and phytosterols. Sweet almond oil contains vitamin A, B, E, potassium proteins, zinc and a number of other beneficial vitamins and minerals. Coconut oil is a natural antibacterial and antifungal. The triglycerides of coconut oil attract protein molecules, ensuring the repair of the collagen layer of your skin. The collagen layer is what keeps the skin elastic and smooth. You can use any of these oils and feel confident that it will be beneficial for your skin.
The last ingredient is essential oils. There are many essentials oils out there all with varied benefits. I could write a book just on this ingredient. I am not going to do that, I am just going to mention a few that are great to use in sugar scrub. The essential oils for your skin are lemon, orange, grapefruit, frankincense, geranium, lavender, rose, and patchouli.
Lemon, orange, and grapefruit are great for cleansing the skin and have powerful antimicrobials. Frankincense, Geranium, nd Lavender are great for all skin types and helps tighten skin and reduce wrinkles. Patchouli oil is great for aging skin as it promotes new cell growth and reduces acne. Rose is great for dry or aging skin. There are a great number of essential oils that help with skin, just do some research to see which one is best for your skin.
When using sugar scrub on your face it is best to use brown sugar as it is gentle and better suited for the delicate skin on your face. You should use sugar scrub once to twice a week.
