The cold weather is here, the heat is on and your skin might have just started feeling a bit too dry and dehydrated. This is a very simple scrub for dry and sensitive skin (not the best for oily) which will help gently exfoliate dead skin cells without stripping the protective acid mantle.
The
acid mantle is a very fine, slightly acidic film on the surface of the skin acting as a barrier to bacteria, viruses and other potential contaminants that might penetrate the skin.
It is secreted by sebaceous glands. The pH of the skin is between 4.5 and 6.2, so it is acidic. These contaminants and other chemicals are primarily
alkaline in nature and the skin's moderate acidity helps to neutralize their chemical effects.
You can create it from the stuff that is already in your kitchen, literally for pennies. I think everyone ought to know how to utilize simple home ingredients to create beauty care products, from high end skin care divas to women who love the simplicity, purity and creativity which comes with concocting your own stuff. It comes in very handy in many situations. Even if you are a lover of brand products, you never know...You may run out of your favorite product and need to exfoliate like, NOW, or maybe your wallet is a bit thin these days. If you are an 'earthy beauty' I do not need to convince you.
Simple steel cut oat which you use to cook porridge is a great exfoliating agent. When prepared properly it will softly clear your face of dry and flaky skin and it will leave it glowing.
HEALING PROPERTIES OF OAT:
helps to soften the skin
anti-inflamatory
soothing
helps to relieve itchiness
*high in silica
The quality of oat is: warm, moist and sweet; ideal for dryness.
Oatmeal can be used as a poultice for skin conditions like eczema, cold sores and shingles.
Many skin care companies use oat as the base for their scrubs and exfoliating creams. Now you can experiment with your own.
I use organic steel cut oats which I buy at my local health food store.
First, the very simple version. All you need to do is:
throw a handful of steel cut organic oats in a blender and take it for a spin until it turns into powder
sift it to remove any leftover large pieces
place in a jar
you are ready to go
use after cleansing 2x a week
grab about 1tsp and mix it with water forming a soft paste in your hand
work it all over your face and neck
rinse and apply your moisturizer or face oil
You can up the healing properties of this scrub by adding 1Tbsp of dried Calendula flower petals. You would place the petals and oat together in the blender and follow through, the same as you did with the simple version of this scrub.
Calendula is just one possibility. You could use rose, lavender or echinacea. Have fun with it...
