Suggestions for facial scrub please :)

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My Mountain Soaps

My Mountain Soaps

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Ok, so a recent visit from my mother with her five times in three days statement of " you're looking like a mountain woman, you need exfoliation" got me to thinking about this. I need a good exfoliator :). i'm in my 40's, spend a lot of time outside, have combination skin, and am dealing with a little bit of acne from a recent soap change i made. I started using rose hip seed oil in my facial soap instead of straight olive oil, and apparently i do better with olive oil. anyway. any suggestions? i would prefer something that will last a long time in the jar, or is a simple recipe when i need to make it often. thanks everyone!
 
I'd start out trying a simple sugar scrub, use whatever type of oil you like. If that feels too oily you can try an emulsified sugar scrub or try adding in a small amount of liquid (or soft) soap. If the scrub is not scrubby enough I would try a very fine ground pumice in either oil or in soft soap.

Other things you can try are:

salt
fine ground almonds
fine ground oatmeal
poppy seeds
lemon or other citrus rind ground fine


It will really depend on you and your preference. I would mix a small amount to try and then try others in small amounts until you find the mix that works for you.
 
Wow. Thanks, mom.

Be careful exfoliating your face. Facial skin is thinner and more sensitive than say hands. Don't be too vigorous or do it very often, just cleanse gently every night (going to bed with dirt or makeup on your face is the worst thing you can do) and use a good moisturizer. Use sunscreen during the day.

If you really want to exfoliate, I agree with the above, just a little sugar in olive oil is the easiest, fastest, and probably best option. I do not recommend salt or any other additives, some of them can actually cause fine scarring. My MIL always used Lava soap on her face, and while she never had a problem w acne or blackheads, her skin now is deeply lined and looks like someone carved a map out of shoe leather. Just sayin'.
 
It is true, you need to be careful with your face - however everyone is different. I use salt - I have always had very oily skin. As a teen I hated it of course, but now at age 45 I love it. All my friends are getting "fine lines" and those little crows feet, I don't have even one wrinkle yet (knock on wood). You know your skin best - find what works for you.
 
thank you both very much. I think i will try the salt and olive oil tonight. i will see how that feels, and if it is too rough, ill tone it down to the sugar and olive oil. i think i will add some essential oils to aid in the acne and cell rejuvenation as well. Thanks again!
 
Have you tried using a salt bar. I have suffered with acne/adult acne and since I started using a salt bar on my face 2-3 times a week my skin is the best it's been in years. I have also made a mild scrub with jojoba beads in it and use it once in awhile. Everyone's skin is different so just be gentle on yoru skin. Sometimes less is best.
 
I've found that it's best to just gently wash my face with my hands. Rather than a quick scrub, try gently rubbing in a circular motion with your fingertips for 30-60 seconds.

Colloidal oatmeal is very nice and gentle.
 
Well last night i used kosher salt in castile soap to wash with. I knew all of you would be right in that it would be too harsh, it was, but it is a good wash to do every once in a while. Tonight i will try sugar in avocado oil and see how that feels. Thanks everyone!
 
Yeowch.

Maybe wait a week or two to try the sugar with avocado oil? I am sure that will feel much better, but you really shouldn't exfoliate every night!
 
Last edited:
oh nothing happened. no irritation was caused, i could just tell it would be too harsh to use regularly. :)

shunt2011 said:
Have you tried using a salt bar...... I have also made a mild scrub with jojoba beads in it and use it once in awhile. .
Click to expand...

i wouldnt have a clue how to make a salt bar. i havent ventured that far. it does sound interesting though. So do the jojoba beads. can you get those through WSP?
 
I personally don't like to exfoliate my face, it's too harsh for me. I use my handmade liquid soap and add 8 drops of lavender EO and 3 drops of carrot seed EO to 3 oz. soap. I HATE the smell of carrot seed, hence the lavender, lol. It's made a huge difference for me in how smooth and soft my face has become. I also don't use a pouf, wash cloth or any other scrubbie on my face, just my fingers. My husband's best friend is a dermatologist and has said many times "these are the best things to wash your face with" while holding up his hands. But as the others have said, find what works for you and your skin. Good luck! :smile:
 
I prefer to use straight rose water to clean my face. It works well and is very gentle. I have blackheads which I have never ever been able to get rid of so I live with it.
 
I saw a facial scrub that looked good but I haven't tried it yet:

Coconut sugar scrub

2 1/2 cups sugar, 1 cup melted coconut oil and 5 tbsp of a citrus juice (Preferably fresh squeezed). Use lime or lemon juice or a combo of both.
 
I exfoliate every day, without fail. Baking soda is super fine and mixes great with coconut oil. I add a little avocado oil and some cocoa butter and it is wonderful. In fact, it's one of my best sellers this time of year! Massage into skin while the shower is heating up. Rinse in the shower, then wash with your favorite hand-crafted face soap.
 
If baking soda works for you, that's great, but for a lot of people (myself included) it is very harsh. Baking soda has a high pH, higher than soap, and when I tried to use even a small amount mixed with oil on my face it resulted in what could best be described as a mild chemical burn.

Needless to say I do NOT recommend it! But like I said, if it works for some great just proceed with caution.
 
Cautionary reminder: citrus is a photosensitizer, and not only makes your skin more uv sensitive, but can also have a slight bleaching effect.
I have sensitive, acne-prone skin, as well, so if you find something good that works, I'd love to hear about it! :)
Anyone have experience with evening primrose, used as a rose water tonic? I have some I need to use up, but have no experience with it outside of soaping.
 
The avocado oil and sugar i have been using doesn't work for me. The oil has caused acne, and the sugar is a bit too rough. I am researching jojoba beads and will try it in another oil, maybe just olive oil, my skin does well with that. If that doesn't work, i keep reading back through here and try everyone's other suggestions. maybe even a salt bar. :)
 
I'd also suggest finely ground oatmeal and water or milk (you can mix powdered milk and fine oatmeal (try a coffee grinder or food processor to zip it down to fine powder), if the sugar is too harsh, and you don't like the oil.
The other option would be to steam your face and then just use your fingertips in a circular motion to see if that will work (works very well for me, just in the shower, but a pot of hot water would also work to steam)

Having lost a piece of my face to the sun (basal cell carcinoma), I also vote strongly for sunscreen daily. I just made it part of my routine, and pretty much always wear it. The sun damage I had was from my youth, when we didn't really know so much about skin cancer and the damage of sunburn. Sun is also very aging on the skin (there are some surprising photos online of a trucker who had one side of his face always near the vehicle window, and the other always in the shade of the cab, and the difference between the two sides of his face, entirely due to sun exposure time difference, is remarkable)

The other option is to use earplugs when your mother is visiting. ;)
 

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