Scrubbing Out Commercial Facial Scrubs

Disclaimer: One of the most important things you have to realize if you decide to follow my blog and vlogs on anything beauty is this: I am not claiming that I have the most beautiful skin in the world. Because clearly, I don’t. I have 25 year-old scar on my forehead, recent years gave me a few deep pimple scars, I have mestiza skin which means I have lots of moles (some are red dots), I have fine lines and I am genetically engineered to have large pores.

That said, I am sharing because these things/routines have worked for me and it will probably work for you too.

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Exfoliating is one of the most important things we have to include in our skincare ritual if we want to preserve our skin. It sloughs off dead skin cells to make room for fresher cells to emerge and glow. Do this once or twice a week.

I have been exfoliating, although erratically, since college. Scooping some of my mother’s St. Ive’s Apricot Scrub behind her back whenever I remember, and whenever I can ninja in and out of her bathroom.

When I started earning money and having conscience, I bought my own. But I learned it had ingredients which can cause pimples (mineral oil and parabens), so I started to experiment with others. I tried scrubs from brands  like Pond’s, L’oreal, Neutrogena, Clean and Clear and once even ordered from the US, the Derma-E Microdermabrasion. It was either they gave me a greasy feeling, dry skin, or what we all want to avoid: breakouts.

Plus, most of the brands I used, like Neutrogena, use plastic beads! They’re not harmful to the skin per se, but they do have an effect on our ecology. I read an article about it a few years ago and stopped using it ever since.

So I started to look for a healthier, more eco-friendly and yes cheaper version. With a few experiments here and there I finally found my Holy Grail.

Introducing, My favorite Facial Scrub of All Time

Organic honey and sugar. Never gave me a breakout. Always left me with super smooth and soft clean skin. It is cheap, all natural and just downright practical. I have been using this method for almost four years already. I have tried mixing it with lemon juice, olive oil and other things but these two alone makes me happy already.

Honey has antioxidants, cleansing properties and is considered an antiseptic. It also helps restore cells. It reduces inflammation and scarring. Sugar is alpha-hydroxy rich which will give you glowing skin. It can polish the skin and therefore can even out skin tone and improve its overall texture. Sugar on skin is super safe for all skin types, and does not clog pores.

Imagine, all the goodness that the facial scrubs on the drugstore shelves promise but without chemicals that can be harmful to you and our environment! Super affordable too! Besides, if by some weird chance this scrub does not suit you, you can always use the natural sweeteners for your green tea!

I exfoliated 3 days ago. This is today, considering I am sick and dehydrated! click on image to get a closer look

How-To:

1. Combine a teaspoonful of sugar and 2 1/2 teaspoonfuls of honey.

2. Open up your pores and dampen your skin by putting a towel that was immersed in hot water over your face for about 5 minutes.

3. Use the honey and sugar mix and scrub in circular motion all over the face, pay close attention to where you usually have blackheads. Scrub softly for about a minute and a half.

4. Lie down and close your eyes. Relax and wait for the honey to take action for at least 15 minutes. This step is optional.

5. Rinse off with warm water until you can’t feel the sugar and honey anymore.

6. Splash your face with cold water to close the pores and tap softly with a clean towel to dry.

Voila! Super soft and smooth glowy skin! Try it and tell me what you think. Comment below!

XOXO,
Pika

P.S.
Edited my previous entry, updated the cost and linked my friend’s blog response.