No matter the season, exfoliators help rejuvenate dull-looking skin. Plus, they help lay the foundation for creating a nice, even surface — perfect for smoother makeup applications. Are these warmer-weathered days wreaking havoc on your appearance? "The green tea in the Sweet Tea Antioxidant Exfoliator is full of antioxidants, which boost health and resilience and can even soothe Summer sunburns," says dermatologist Dr. Hema Sundaram. "Brown sugar is a natural exfoliant that scrubs away dirt and impurities without being too harsh on skin."
Get Dr. Sundaram's recipe, along with application tips, when you read more.
Blend together the following ingredients into a paste. Then, rub over the face with circular motions, rinse, and pat dry:
- Two tablespoons brown sugar
- One tablespoon almond or olive oil
- A few drops of neem oil. Note: neem oil is a botanical oil with with antibacterial properties that helps to calm inflammation. Try Banyan Botanicals Neem Oil ($9).
- Two teaspoons powdered matcha green tea, like Teavana Matcha Green Tea ($16).
Ikks
mytheresa
Alessi
interesting. i think i would opt for the almond oil...i fear that applying olive oil would give me a a pizza face (literally and figuratively).
likewise, do you think tea tree oil could be substituted for neem oil? sounds like they have similar properties and tea tree oil tends to be a little cheaper.
1I'm sure that would work. I love tea tree oil.
2Hmm this is an interesting idea that I might put to use since I got some sunburns today. I understimated the sun at 70 degrees.
3I love using green tea for anything, because it has such a calming smell. This mask would be such a refreshing way to exfoliate while enjoying some other benefits. Thank you for the info!
cko444, Pure neem oil from an Indian store is usually much cheaper than tea tree oil. You can get a bottle for twice the size for half the price, usually about 4 oz for $5 rather than 2 oz of tea tree for about 8 bucks.
4I've got lots of tea tree oil so might try a concoction. Will be on the look out for neem oil
5Ditto sofi. I love tea tree oil and use it all the time for my random blemishes and elsewhere. Neem oil intrigues me, so I'ma keep an eye out...
6thanks! poking around, i'm very intrigued by some of the other DIY spa recipes on the site. am trying to break out of my ridiculous (and financially untenable) product junkie tendencies. maybe making one of these will indirectly improve my *actual* cooking skills as well...
7abrasion never soothes irritated, i.e. burnt skin! Wait a few days after you burn and never go out into the sun w/out a sunscreen after exfoliation.
8Olive oil is actually a great cleanser. Sophia Loren uses it and look how great she looks for someone her age! Just make sure it is the extra virgin stuff. It comes from the first pressing and has more beneficial antioxidents in it for your skin.
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