Citrus scrubs are popular because of their invigorating, wake-you-up scent and their softening and brightening effect on your skin. Though most skin care lines include at least one lemon-scented product among their offerings, it's just as easy--and often much cheaper--to make your own lemon scrub. The best scrub ingredients depend on whether you're scrubbing your face--which needs gentler exfoliators--or your body, which can stand up to sturdier scrubs, especially in areas prone to roughness, like the heels of your feet and your elbows.
For Your Face
Step 1
Combine lemon zest, powdered milk, oatmeal and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Mix with your fingers until the ingredients are completely combined.
Step 2
Transfer the scrub to a lidded container.
Step 3
Use your fingers to apply the scrub generously to your face and neck, making small circular motions.
Step 4
Rinse the scrub completely with lukewarm water, and pat your face dry with a towel.
Step 5
Follow your face scrub with your regular moisturizer.
For Your Body
Step 1
Combine raw sugar, olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest in a medium bowl.
Step 2
Mix the ingredients with your hands until the mixture forms a thick paste.
Step 3
Transfer the mixture to a lidded jar.
Step 4
Rub the mixture generously over your skin in the shower, concentrating on areas of your body that tend to be rough.
Step 5
Rinse the mixture completely off your skin. Use a towel to pat your skin dry.
Tips and Warnings
- Substitute almond meal for the oatmeal in the facial mask if you like. If you don't have olive oil, you can substitute sweet almond oil or jojoba to your scrub. Your lemon scrub will keep for about a week at room temperature. Use equal parts lemon and lime juice and zest to add a little extra zing to your homemade lemon scrub.
- Limit your at-home exfoliation to three times a week to reduce risk for irritation.
Things You'll Need
- Bowl
- 2 tbsp. lemon zest
- 2 tbsp. powdered milk
- 4 tbsp. uncooked oatmeal
- 2 tbsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- Container with secure lid
- 1/2 cup raw sugar
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- Zest from 1 lemon
- Juice from 1 lemon
References
- "Natural Beauty at Home: More Than 250 Easy to Use Recipes for Body, Bath and Hair" (revised edition); Janice Cox; 2002
- Sunkist: Lemon Facial Scrub
- KOLD News 13: Lemon and Sugar Hand/Foot Scrub
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