Scrubs Reveal The Beauty Below :: Beauty :: Skin Care

Scrubs Reveal The Beauty Below
by author Cindy Mortimer

Do men age better than women do? Most people would say yes. Well, one of the reasons for this may be due to exfoliating. Every time a man shaves he removes dead skin cells, leaving a plumper, smoother, skin layer below. Facial and body scrubs will do the same thing. They gently peel away old rough, flaky skin.

The stratum corneum is the paper-thin, top layer of the skin. From this layer, we view the size of our pores and the mottling of our skin colour. Unfortunately, pores can not be permanently made smaller. Big pores grow to accommodate the size of their oil glands. If they were not the appropriate size, the oil could not flow up to the skin’s surface. Instead, it would stagnate and bacteria would grow–acne would quickly follow.

Thankfully, you can temporarily shrink your pores. The skin’s outer layer contains water, which makes it swell. Scrubbing your face will remove water from the stratum corneum and it’s pores. Just like magic your pores will shrink in size. Dull, grey skin may be the result of the natural, uneven shedding of dead skin cells. It would be nice if the skin’s cells would shed uniformly rather than in clumps, but this doesn’t happen. Oil on the skin’s surface holds the cells tight by gluing them together.

As a result of exfoliation, the build-up of old skin cells is removed and there is a reduction in the thickness of the skin layer. You will have translucent, softer skin with fewer fine lines and your skin will seem to be brighter. This brief glow is caused by improved blood flow which brings nourishment to your face.

Brush Your Way To Beautiful Skin

Body brushing in the shower with a loofah or mitt speeds up lymphatic drainage and therefore assists with the elimination of toxins.

Brush your body in a sweeping, not scratching movement. Go in an upward direction on the lower half of your body and downwards on the upper half of your body. Move horizontally across your buttocks, small of your back and abdomen.

Many natural scrubs can easily be found in your home. Use a soft-bristled face brush, abrasive sponge or a washcloth. If you are more adventurous, there are a variety of ingredients you can try: fine sea salt, dried oatmeal, uncooked rice, cornmeal, crushed sesame seeds, crushed almonds or wheat germ are all good alternatives. Wash your face first and then soften your skin by steaming it.

Put your face over a bowl of very hot water containing your favourite essential oil, or use a wet washcloth for 30 seconds on your face. After you are done, leave your face wet. This will prevent abrasion from the grains or nuts.

Take a small amount of one of the above ingredients, mixed with a few drops of warm water and massage it into an area using small circular movements to a count of 12. Be sure to move from one location to the next. Do not go over the same spot twice. Continue to wet your face throughout the entire treatment. Finally, rinse your skin with cool water, dry it completely and moisturize normally.

It’s important to understand your skin type when using scrubs, otherwise you may end up with rashes, chapping or abraded skin. Abraded skin is vulnerable to infections and should be treated with calendula or tea tree oil. If you have sensitive skin or are suffering from sunburn, steer clear of exfoliating altogether. Individuals with normal skin can use a grain-type of scrub on the nose, chin and forehead once a week. Those with oily skin can exfoliate twice a week. If you experience acne, scrub your skin only once a week. However, individuals with dry skin should only use a cream or lotion-based scrub once a week.

Open The Fridge To Youthful Skin

Creating your own lotion isn’t difficult. Just add a tablespoon of almond, olive or sunflower oil as an emollient, with a quarter-cup of either cooked squash or avocado as a moisturizer. Mix the ingredients with a cup of water or cucumber juice. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice as a preservative. Blend in a small amount of crushed sesame seeds, figs or baking soda as an exfoliant. Refrigerate and use within a couple of days. Why just wash your body, when you can scrub your way to smoother, younger looking skin?

Cindy Mortimer is a kinesiologist living a holistic, vegetarian life in Toronto.

Source: alive #220, February 2001

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