How to Exfoliate Your Body for Soft Skin
Have a bath or shower., Get a textured sponge to wash your skin., Scrub your body gently with your sponge starting from the ankles upward., Add wet sand to your full body exfoliation., Rinse with hot water.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Have a bath or shower.
While not part of the exfoliating process per se, immersing your body in hot water will open up your pores, making your skin much more susceptible to cleaning.
It also helps to do this process in the bathroom, as you'll need a ready supply of hot water and somewhere to wash away the dead skin flakes once they've been scrubbed off.
Use a skin-friendly, perfume-free detergent for bath and allow at least 15 minutes to soften (macerating) the skin surface.
It is good when the skin surface looks a bit "deformed".
Remove "dead skin" by rubbing it away with your hands.
It will work well, especially at your feet, toes and heels. -
Step 2: Get a textured sponge to wash your skin.
Tending to your skin with it will help rub away excess skin flakes, leaving your skin softer and cleaner than before.
It is recommended you have a sponge ready for use once you have finished up your shower.
It should feel slightly rough on your skin, but if it's abrasive to the point of pain, exfoliating wash cloths are a suitable, gentler alternative.
Exfoliating can also be done with a rough washcloth.
A natural bristle brush makes for a good alternative, particularly while scrubbing the backs of arms or legs.
If you're the do-it-yourself type, you might look into making your own loofah from home. , Scrub the sponge over your skin in small, circular motions.
Make sure to apply some pressure to feel the sponge's rough texture on your skin; that way, it will rub the surface-layer dead skin away.
Starting at the ankles is recommended because it helps to encourage positive blood circulation during the exfoliation process.If you're exfoliating your entire body, make sure to give extra attention to your heels, elbows, and knees.
These are generally considered to be the driest parts of one's skin, and should be given greater attention accordingly. , If you've ever walked along the beach barefoot, you may have noticed your foot callouses soften.
Sand granules are a naturally occurring exfoliant, and their grainy texture is well-suited to scraping away your excess skin flakes.
Acquire a cup of sand, soften it with water, and rub it over your body.
Although you cannot add a scrub or lotion to the sand like you can with a loofah or wash cloth, the sand's malleable form makes it a more relaxing and enjoyable way to exfoliate mechanically.
Be forewarned:
Using sand in the bath can cause a bigger mess than more common exfoliants.
Although it is recommended to try it out at least once, it may not be the best course of action if you don't have the added time in your routine available to do a bit of cleaning up afterwards.
Getting sand down a drain could completely ruin the plumbing pipes if done often.
If using sand, it should be cleaned, even bleached, because getting it from outdoors could introduce bacteria and using that to exfoliate would do more harm than good.
Choose sand with small granules, not big, because the smaller granules are more gentle on the skin.
Focus on the tougher skin of the arms and legs because sand can be more intense than exfoliating scrubs. , Closing up shop with a body rinse is a relaxing and effective way to finish your exfoliation.
Although it's recommended you repeat this process at least three times a week, you should notice an immediate softness with your skin.
Applying a moisturizer or shea butter following your rinse, even following an otherwise purely 'mechanical' cleanse, will help your skin better retain moisture. -
Step 3: Scrub your body gently with your sponge starting from the ankles upward.
-
Step 4: Add wet sand to your full body exfoliation.
-
Step 5: Rinse with hot water.
Detailed Guide
While not part of the exfoliating process per se, immersing your body in hot water will open up your pores, making your skin much more susceptible to cleaning.
It also helps to do this process in the bathroom, as you'll need a ready supply of hot water and somewhere to wash away the dead skin flakes once they've been scrubbed off.
Use a skin-friendly, perfume-free detergent for bath and allow at least 15 minutes to soften (macerating) the skin surface.
It is good when the skin surface looks a bit "deformed".
Remove "dead skin" by rubbing it away with your hands.
It will work well, especially at your feet, toes and heels.
Tending to your skin with it will help rub away excess skin flakes, leaving your skin softer and cleaner than before.
It is recommended you have a sponge ready for use once you have finished up your shower.
It should feel slightly rough on your skin, but if it's abrasive to the point of pain, exfoliating wash cloths are a suitable, gentler alternative.
Exfoliating can also be done with a rough washcloth.
A natural bristle brush makes for a good alternative, particularly while scrubbing the backs of arms or legs.
If you're the do-it-yourself type, you might look into making your own loofah from home. , Scrub the sponge over your skin in small, circular motions.
Make sure to apply some pressure to feel the sponge's rough texture on your skin; that way, it will rub the surface-layer dead skin away.
Starting at the ankles is recommended because it helps to encourage positive blood circulation during the exfoliation process.If you're exfoliating your entire body, make sure to give extra attention to your heels, elbows, and knees.
These are generally considered to be the driest parts of one's skin, and should be given greater attention accordingly. , If you've ever walked along the beach barefoot, you may have noticed your foot callouses soften.
Sand granules are a naturally occurring exfoliant, and their grainy texture is well-suited to scraping away your excess skin flakes.
Acquire a cup of sand, soften it with water, and rub it over your body.
Although you cannot add a scrub or lotion to the sand like you can with a loofah or wash cloth, the sand's malleable form makes it a more relaxing and enjoyable way to exfoliate mechanically.
Be forewarned:
Using sand in the bath can cause a bigger mess than more common exfoliants.
Although it is recommended to try it out at least once, it may not be the best course of action if you don't have the added time in your routine available to do a bit of cleaning up afterwards.
Getting sand down a drain could completely ruin the plumbing pipes if done often.
If using sand, it should be cleaned, even bleached, because getting it from outdoors could introduce bacteria and using that to exfoliate would do more harm than good.
Choose sand with small granules, not big, because the smaller granules are more gentle on the skin.
Focus on the tougher skin of the arms and legs because sand can be more intense than exfoliating scrubs. , Closing up shop with a body rinse is a relaxing and effective way to finish your exfoliation.
Although it's recommended you repeat this process at least three times a week, you should notice an immediate softness with your skin.
Applying a moisturizer or shea butter following your rinse, even following an otherwise purely 'mechanical' cleanse, will help your skin better retain moisture.
About the Author
Ryan Tucker
Specializes in breaking down complex crafts topics into simple steps.
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