Updated 6/8/20. The skin on your body can get parched and flaky from age, sun exposure, and cold climates. This can make it look and feel dull or rough (alligator skin, anyone?). To alleviate this condition, many people simply apply heavy moisturizers and lotions. But these attempts will never be very effective unless you first removed dry, dead skin cells from the surface of your body.
What should you do to get your skin looking moist and dewy again? First and foremost, you should remove these expired skin cells using BOTH chemical and physical/manual exfoliants. This post will focus on physical exfoliation—one of the quickest ways to get bright, silky, smooth skin instantly.
How to Make an Effective DIY Body Scrub
Here’s my favorite DIY physical exfoliator that I use at home to get smooth and silky skin—fast.
What You’ll Need:
- 1 cup Epsom salts
- 8 tablespoons of jojoba oil
- 10 drops of grapefruit essential oil
- 10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
Mix well with a spoon and add more oil or salts as needed to get a slushy consistency. Pour into a container. (I personally like to find a beautiful bowl so it looks nice on display in my bathroom or guest bathroom, like the one shown in the above photo which has a pretty marble cover.)
How To Use
Apply a small amount to dry skin to your hands or body and massage over the skin in circular motions. If used on the body, I’ll apply it in the shower before I turn on the water to rinse it off. Not only does it physically remove dry cells but it also increases circulation as well as leaving behind a silky coat of moisture-repairing oil, so additional lotion is not needed. And of course, the natural scent of citrus and eucalyptus is an added bonus that gives you a fresh feeling. (Note: You can add any essential oil blend of your choosing.)
Use it twice a week and you’ll most certainly enjoy the benefits of dewy, moist skin all year long.
For a chemical exfoliation to dissolve the dead cells using acids, use a body serum with exfoliating acids two to three times a week. Follow with a body lotion, and this combination will be very effective at reducing bumps and dryness. If your skin is dry and itchy, read these 8 tips to cure this condition.
I hope you enjoy this DIY recipe for the body! However, I’m not such a fan of making your own skincare products for the face to use at home. Read my thoughts on DIY home recipes for the face.
Celebrity Esthetician & Skincare Expert
As an esthetician trained in cosmetic chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 30 years researching skin, educating her audience, and building an award-winning line of products. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives around the globe, her vast real-world knowledge and constant research are why Marie Claire calls her “the most passionate skin practitioner we know.”
