Oily skin can be frustrating. Who wants to deal with a shiny forehead? The nose and chin are often affected, too. This T-zone area is notorious for being greasy.
If this sounds familiar, consider making a homemade face scrub for oily skin. It calls for natural ingredients that are free of dangerous chemicals. You might even already have some in your kitchen.
Generally, a face scrub should follow this outline:
1 tablespoon exfoliant + 1 tablespoon liquid + ½ teaspoon extra skin-enhancing ingredient.
It’s all about using the right ingredients for oily skin. Here’s how to make your own homemade face scrub.
Choose An Exfoliant – One Tablespoon
A good homemade face scrub depends on a good exfoliant. Oily skin needs ingredients that will absorb excess sebum – so choose wisely. However, it shouldn’t be too abrasive or tough, especially if you already have breakouts.
1. Baking Soda
Your skin’s pH is a big deal. Sebum and bacteria love acidic low pH environments, so you need to balance it out.1
Baking soda will do this naturally. As an alkaline remedy, it will make it hard for bacteria to grow. It’ll also absorb excess oil and slough away dead skin cells.
2. Coffee Grounds
Need a wake-up call? Use coffee grounds as a natural face scrub. This home remedy will soothe oily skin while perking it up.
It’s also extremely cost-effective. After brewing coffee, save the grounds and re-use them for your face.
3. Flour
For a gentle homemade face scrub, use flour. Ideas include coconut, tapioca, and all-purpose flour. Choose your favorite! The soft texture won’t be too abrasive, but it’ll soak up extra sebum.
Choose A Liquid – One Tablespoon
Water can be used for a simple scrub. However, the following ingredients have added benefits and moisturizing effects. Remember, even though you have oily skin, you still need to moisturize. The point is to balance your sebum, not get rid of it.
1. Aloe Vera
When you have oily skin, acne is common. Adding aloe vera to your DIY exfoliating scrub will do wonders. This ingredient has the ability to speed up wound healing,2 and therefore, treat pimples. The cooling effect of aloe can also soothe inflamed, irritated skin.
Using a fresh leaf is best, but pure bottled aloe works just as well.
2. Egg White
Holistic beauty is a big fan of egg whites. Each one has 3.6 grams of protein, making it excellent for skin health. This is especially great if you have matured oily skin.
To use, add one egg white to the exfoliant of your choice. Mix well. This combination will create a DIY face scrub that will tone and firm your face.
3. Olive Oil
It might sound counterproductive, but using oil on oily skin is a game changer. Like dissolves like, after all. When you wash off a face scrub, olive oil will take extra sebum with it.
It can also speed up wound healing, just like aloe vera.3
Don’t have olive oil? Excellent alternatives include safflower, sunflower, grapeseed, jojoba, avocado, and apricot oils.
Choose An Extra – One-Half Teaspoon
1. Turmeric
To enhance your DIY scrub, add turmeric. The Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology shares that it can improve your skin’s level of sebum and hydration.4
Start with a small amount if your skin is sensitive. Turmeric will also stain your clothes, so wear an old shirt.
2. Bentonite Clay
Adding bentonite clay will keep sebum under control. It’s often found in face masks but works great in homemade scrubs.5
Since this clay absorbs a lot of oil, it works best on the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin).
3. Sea Buckthorn
For even more benefits, add sea buckthorn oil. It’ll reduce sebum secretion in the skin and improve your homemade face scrub.6
You can find sea buckthorn as a bottled oil. It’s also available as gel capsules, which you can easily break open. If you have sea buckthorn berries, crush them up and add to your scrub.
To use your custom mask, use clean hands. Work into your face in a circular motion. After a few minutes, rinse off with warm water and pat dry.
References
