In the sea of scrubs how do you pick the right one for you? Most of us have incorporated scrubbing into our beauty routine. We know that scrubbing increases cell turnover by removing dead skin cells, thereby improving our skin’s texture and leaving it smooth and soft. We scrub on different occasions for different reasons. We scrub for better product penetration or right before seeing our boyfriend to make sure our skin is smooth to the touch. We also do it for pre-tan exfoliation to make sure that our artificial tan looks as close to the real thing as possible.
When you take in this new step in your beauty routine for the sake of having the perfect tan, you know that there are some challenges before you even apply the tan (and worry about smudging it). You know how hard it is to get some of the old tan off so that the new tan can go on perfectly?! Sometimes you have to scrub hard to get the tan off so it doesn’t show through your new tan. This tends to lead to over scrubbing which can leave our skin red, irritated and raw. In reality the cells in our skin turnover every two weeks. The dead skin cells are there to protect the new skin cells. Skin thickness and sensitivity varies across the body. Scrubbing too hard, too often or using scrubs that are too abrasive can cause dryness, irritation, cracking and increase your risk of sun damage.
When picking a scrub make sure you pick the right scrub for the intended use and your skin type. Scrub no more than twice a week with a gentle scrub or for best results every two weeks with a more abrasive scrub.
Sugar scrubs tend to be less abrasive then salt scrubs. The sugar dissolves in the hot water, which limits the time you can scrub in one place. This makes it more gentle and ideal for sensitive skin. Sugar also contains alpha hydroxy acids, which hydrate the skin.
Salt scrubs are meant for dryer, rougher skin and can help mineralize and remove toxins. If you have really sensitive skin that gets red and irritated easily, you can use good old-fashioned baking soda as its very gentle on the skin.
Cream or oil based scrubs allow for products to come off easier which means that you don’t have to scrub as hard.
When choosing a scrub that contains granules, look for a scrub with seed abrasives verses pumice, which can scratch the skin or leave minor cuts. Most scrubs sold at drugstores contain plastic beads made of polyethylene, which is the same plastic used in a water bottle.
Here are a few of our favorite scrubs:
Here are a few of our favorite scrubs:
1. Caudelie Crushed Cabernet Scrub ($29 at Sephora)- crushed grape seeds and brown sugar. Great for sensitive skin, stubborn tan residue or weekly usage. Works great, but does not smell very good.
2. Trish Mcevoy Blackberry and Vanilla Musk ($48 at Bloomingdale's)-tiny pink sugar granules that are sure to leave your skin soft and smelling fresh and sweet. Its like vanilla ice cream!
3. Ahava Stress Melt Butter Salt Scrub ($17.99 on Amazon.com)- melts from exfoliating butter to a light lotion, leaving your skin smooth and hydrated. Nature at its best!
