It’s time to level up your regular body care routine by adding body exfoliation. Yes, using just a regular bar of soap won’t make your skin soft, smooth, and shiny.
Think about facial skin; we’re sure you pay a lot more attention to skincare products and routine, but your whole body needs caring too.
And that’s where exfoliating body scrub comes to the rescue.
If you haven’t used one before, don’t worry! We’ll cover all you need to know—from what body scrubs are to how to use body scrub properly.
What Is a Body Scrub?
A body scrub is a type of physical exfoliant designed to manually remove dead skin cells by using abrasive ingredients such as sugar or salt.
It speeds up the process known as skin cell turnover
, clearing your skin of older skin cells and restoring its natural moisture. By using body scrubs, you’ll help your skin stay smooth and bright, keeping that glowy, radiant complexion.
Salt or Sugar, Which Should You Choose?
You usually have the option to choose between two types of body scrub: a sugar scrub or a salt scrub. But which one is better for you?
Salt Scrub
Salt scrubs are great at attacking rough areas such as feet and elbows. They have grittier particles, which means they’re harsher on the skin. Salt also has detoxifying properties, working as a natural purifier. Hence, it’s great at:
- Drawing out pore-clogging toxins
- Relieving congestion
- Promoting circulation
- Encouraging healthy skin cell turnover
Sugar Scrub
Sugar scrubs exfoliate the skin more gently since sugar particles are rounded and less abrasive. They clear all the dead layers of skin, thanks to the natural source of glycolic acid. This means you’ll have brighter skin that’s hydrated and moisturized. Hence, if you have dry skin, opt for a sugar scrub.
How to Use Body Scrub: Step-By-Step Instructions
Now that you know the purpose of body scrubs, it’s time to learn how to properly use them.
1. Have a Nice, Warm Bath
Before body scrubbing, wash your whole body with soap or body wash. Use lukewarm water to prepare and soften the skin for exfoliation.
2. Start Clearing Those Dead Cells Away
Gently exfoliate in circular motions using your hands or an exfoliating glove. Scrub your skin for no more than 30 seconds.
3. Rinse Thoroughly
After you gently massage the exfoliating products onto your body, rinse your skin using warm water. This will help you remove all the dead skin cells your body scrub has picked up in the process. Once you’re done rinsing, pat your skin dry using a towel.
4. Shave if You Desire
It’s best to shave after body scrubbing since exfoliation helps to prevent razor bumps. Your skin pores will stay clean, and by removing the dead cells from the skin’s surface, ingrown hair will start to grow freely, allowing you to shave everything with ease.
5. Apply a Moisturizer
Since body scrubs can temporarily dry out your skin, it’s crucial to apply a body lotion, body butter, or a good moisturizer immediately after scrubbing to lock in moisture.
How Often Should You Use a Body Scrub?
You can do a full body scrub once or twice a week, max. We suggest using a body scrub once a week, so you won’t have to change your regular self-care routine too much.
You don’t want to over-exfoliate since exfoliation on a daily basis can harm your skin and not benefit it. In other words, you may strip your skin of its natural oils, damage the skin barrier, and hence, end up with itchy and dry skin.
What to Be Careful of When Using Body Scrubs
Although using a body scrub is recommended, certain skin types and conditions might not benefit from it.
Hence, be careful if you have the following:
Skin Conditions
If you have psoriasis, eczema, sunburn, acne-prone skin, or perhaps open wounds or some type of infection, you should seek advice from your dermatologist on whether to use a body scrub (and if yes, which type) or not.
Hyperpigmentation
This mostly refers to dark spots. Although body scrubs help even out your skin tone, don’t over-scrub the areas with darker spots. Otherwise, you may even make things worse.
Sensitive Skin
If you have sensitive skin, we suggest using chemical exfoliants instead of physical ones. The difference between the two is that chemical ones don’t manually remove the skin, which means they’re milder and safer to use if your skin scars easily or is sensitive in any other way.
Oily Skin
You may think that using a body scrub will make your skin less oily, but although this is somewhat true, there are things you need to take into consideration.
If you scrub too hard, you’ll remove too much oil from the skin, which will trigger the production of even more oil. So you’ll be in a never-ending circle.
Instead, try using body scrubs with salicylic acid and glycolic acid, and exfoliate your skin gently.
Conclusion
Most body scrubs will improve your overall skin health and appearance. You’ll have smooth skin immediately after the first “treatment,” which is commendable.
But be careful not to overdo it because using body scrubs isn’t something you should do daily. Pay attention to how your skin type reacts. If it becomes too red, try being more gentle, and if it’s still flaking, perhaps try scrubbing two times a week. Also, give scalp exfoliation a try, and you’ll be surprised how well you’ll feel.
All in all, listen to what your body is telling you and start caring for it properly.