Body scrubbing has been part of my weekly (and sometimes daily) skincare ritual for years now. Especially leading up to the bikini season and throughout the whole summer – when you want that body looking extra smooth and soft. It´s also the perfect routine to kickstart post holiday season, when you want to shed any excess dead skin cells from all that travelling, tanning and swimming – to help renew a glowy and fresh complexion for the new season ahead…
Other benefits of body scrubbing (and one of my main reasons for doing it), is that it really increases your circulation – as well as encouraging regeneration. It removes dead skin cells, to promote the growth of healthy new cells. This process leaves you with tighter, firmer and younger skin – as well as reducing skin discoloration, evening out the skin tone and improving the texture (goodbye cellulite). It´s also an essential step in your beauty routine to allow your moisturiser to penetrate more deeply into exfoliated skin, help prevent ingrown hairs to make hair removal easier – and lastly, actually reduces stress! Fact.
HOW TO USE
First up, how to use a body scrub? Well, this all depends on how frequent you do it, and how intense you want it! I personally like to do a more thorough and dry body scrub 2 times a week (the intense option) – then on a more frequent basis, I have a gentler, body scrub whilst in the shower (the milder option).
The intense option consist of massaging a lather of body scrub on dry skin (I do this standing in the shower, before turning it on). Start from the bottom of your feet, and work your way up, rubbing the scrub in circular motions up towards your heart (stimulating circulation of your lymphatic system and helps detoxify your body). Once this is done, turn on the shower and wash it away. Having a dry body scrub is much more powerful for your skin, really getting rid of any excess dead skin cells and smoothing out that skin tone.
The gentle option consist of massaging the body scrub in the shower while the body is wet (in the same way as the dry body scrub) – which although effective, is a much more gentle approach, hence why it can be done on a daily basis.
I personally prefer using the more coarse and concentrated body scrub leading up to holiday, a special event, or when my body is in need of a more intense renewal – then on a more frequent basis throughout the season, I prefer the more gentle and creamier products.
THE PRODUCTS
Why not start with one of my favourites first? The REN Moroccan Rose Otto Sugar Body Polish really (and I mean really) exfoliates your skin, leaving it feeling butter soft, toned and so smooth… With exfoliating cane sugar to buff the skin, boost cell turn around and enhance skin renewal – using ingredients such a rose, olive and almond oils to replenish moisture and hydrate dry skin, and Paraguay tea and caffeine to boost microcirculation; this scrub is ideal for treating water retention and cellulite (no complaints there!).
For a more gentle approach – the Rituals The Ritual of Sakura Shower Scrub is a 2-in-1 body scrub that works to delicately exfoliate and cleanse simultaneously. Enriched with Rice Milk and Cherry Blossom, the scrub gently buffs away dead skin cells to reveal softer, more radiant skin beneath. On contact with water, the formula transforms into an enveloping cream, which both cleanses, buffs and intently nourishes the skin, leaving it feeling silky smooth.
Another intense sugar scrub, is from natural beauty brand, Malée, with their Conditioning Body Scrub. Inspired by Africa’s wetlands, with uplifting, revitalising and earthy warm notes of Citrus, Mint and Patchouli, with a fresh forest green scent – it´s an absolute dream to use. I prefer it as a dry body scrub, with leaves the skin thoroughly exfoliated, buffed and renewed.
Another natural and organic product, from Cali brand Earth Tu Face, with their bestselling Salt Scrub. With detoxifying, pure salt from the Dead Sea to help stimulate the circulation of the lymphatic system – and organic plant oils and botanical extracts from basil, bergamot, flowers and hints of citrus, to invigorate the body and uplift mood; it´s another super exfoliating blend that leaves the skin smooth and hydrated.
I am a big fan of anything with coconut in it; especially when it comes to my skincare. So needless to say, Herbivore Botanicals Coco Rose Body Polish had to be included in this roundup. Coconut is as you know, highly moisturising; combined with exfoliating sugar and floral Moroccan Rose – you are left buffed, hydrated and left with a light scent of coconut and rose petals…(oh, and it looks pretty damn good on your bathroom shelf, too).
Last but not least – another exfoliating, yet milder option from the The White Company with their Spa Restore Skin Brightening Body Scrub. Refreshingly cool and rejuvenating, with notes of relaxing neroli, warming geranium and re-energising eucalyptus – it´s such a nice product to use. With essential oils such as Coconut and jojoba, blended with olive-stone granules – it does the job by gently exfoliating and smoothing your skin.
That´s my current favourites… Which ones do you love?