Exfoliation has become an important part of skin care, whether it is done at home or is a cosmetic salon. Most people are exposed to significant amounts of pollution, dust, dirt and toxins that cling to skin and need to be removed. Luckily, many products for exfoliation are available today on the market, and there are many recipes for natural exfoliating masks that can me bade at home.
Importance of exfoliation
Human skin develops a whole new layer every two to four weeks, and sheds dead skin cells from the previous layer. If those dead skin cells are not removed, they make the skin look dull and thick. In addition, the oil that is secreted from sebaceous glands in the skin, which has a protective role, needs to be removed, otherwise dirt and bacteria stick to it and cause acne and other blemishes, by clogging the pores and increasing the probability of an infection.
Dead skin cells can be effectively removed through regular exfoliation. However, exfoliation should not be very frequent because if all the protective oil is removed, the skin becomes dry and more prone to allergies and infections.
Different types of exfoliating products
Exfoliation can be done using various products, usually exfoliating scrubs, masks and mud masks. The market today offers numerous chemical-based products for that purpose, however some of them may contain irritants that harm the skin. Fortunately, there are many ways to exfoliate at home, using items found normally in every kitchen or bathroom cabinet.
Exfoliating scrubs usually contain granulated pumice, finely ground fruit seeds, sea salts, salicylic acid and alpha-hydroxy and beta-hydroxy acids. They all work together to remove dead skin cells and clean the skin pores thoroughly.
Exfoliating masks can be prepared using different household items and natural ingredients. One effective mask combines one egg, half a cup of oatmeal and some olive oil. The ingredients are mixed together, applied to the skin and left for 30 minutes before rinsing. This mask is suitable for normal skin.
Oily skin can benefit of plain Milk of Magnesia, simply applied to the face and left to dry, before rinsing. As for the dry skin, a beneficial mask can me made from one egg yolk, one teaspoon each of honey and olive oil.
Facial scrubs can also be prepared at home quite easily. One of the simplest scrubs uses kosher salt mixed with some olive oil or other quality oil. The scrub is gently rubbed all over the skin and it is suitable for the whole body.
Two tablespoons of sugar mixed with a few drops of oil makes an excellent facial scrub. Facial scrubs can include ingredients like orange, lavender, salt, essential oils of lime or mint.
Mud masks list clay powder as their main ingredient. The clay can be mixed with plain water, olive oil, essential oils, honey, and egg yolk. These masks should be left to dry on the skin and then rinsed off with lukewarm water.
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