Let’s exfoliate

HAVING A mixture of acne and eczema on my face makes finding an appropriate facial cleanser tricky but, of course, I had to do a little experimenting on my own, so this week with DIY Jo I will share my facial scrub experience.

There are a few scrubs on the market that I must admit are very good, namely, St Ives and Aveeno. But like shampoos, you have to change after a few bottles for it to be effective. I realised my skin just eventually got used to them.

Baking soda has a great reputation for exfoliating. So I decided to use it as the base or grain in my scrub.

I then added coconut oil. Yes, again with the coconut oil, as it is said to be antifungal and antibacterial as well as a good cleanser, so, of course, I could not help myself and added it for those benefits as well as its moisturising properties. Everyone who knows me knows I have a genuine love for lavender oil. So also I added a few drops as it has a reputation to reduce wrinkles (not that I have any yet), treat acne, and eczema. Then I added the superhero ingredient – witch hazel.

Witch hazel is great for toning the skin, removing dark spots and blemishes, and it is super gentle. It does not carry a heavy scent. There is nothing to hate about this product.

So after adding a small amount of witch hazel, I mixed it all up. I used it and immediately I felt a difference with the texture of my skin. It was so soft and smooth. I gave a bit to my co-worker, and my sister to try. This was when I realised that coconut oil is not necessarily for everyone. It worked perfectly for my co-worker and I am constantly reminded that she needs a new batch. However, it did not work for my sister, thus, I tried to find a substitute for the coconut oil.

It was a toss-up between olive and argan oils. Both of which I think work well with my skin, but I chose olive oil because of its antiageing properties. And it was an effective substitute. It was milder on the skin yet just as effective.

So I am proud to say I have achieved a relatively effective scrub that I have been using for more than a month with limited to no breakouts. Thus, another check in my DIY checklist.