Feeling dull?

Skip work and do something adventurous! Looking dull (your skin, that is)? Scrub it up with this all-natural DIY clarifying face exfoliant!

This is one of my favorite all-natural beauty DIYs, and I use it about twice a week. It helps to both brighten and clarify my complexion. Though I was saddled with troubled skin for years, this scrub helped me tremendously from two angles: it helps to treat current breakouts and also fade dark spots from previous blemishes.

Ingredients:

• Baking soda
• Fresh lemon juice
• Tea tree essential oil

Yep, that’s it! Easy-peasy as always.

How it works

Baking soda is an amazing exfoliant. Amazing. Should I say it a third time? Amazing! Since it is very fine-grained, it is not as abrasive as other natural exfoliants such as crushed nut shell or sugar. It really is more of a polish, helping remove dead skin cells and create a perfectly smooth complexion without causing much irritation. Exfoliation helps to clear blocked pores and is vital to treat and prevent acne.

Lemon juice applied topically has multiple benefits. The antibacterial properties of lemon juice make it a great natural treatment for acne, helping blemishes heal while preventing future breakouts. The citric acid contained in lemon juice also helps exfoliate skin. And since lemon juice is loaded with vitamin C, a potent antioxidant, it has been proven to fade dark spots and even skin tone. Vitamin C applied topically has also been clinically proven to regenerate collagen and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Last but not least, lemon juice helps balance skin’s pH; unbalanced pH has been attributed to acne.

Tea tree oil has powerful antibacterial properties and helps fight acne-causing bacteria on the skin.

How to make it

I mix a tablespoon of lemon juice with two tablespoons of baking soda, and add three or so drops of tea tree oil. As lemon juice is very acidic, it can be irritating. If you have dry or sensitive skin, you might want to dilute the juice with water in a 1:1 ratio.

Simply mix the ingredients into a smooth paste, and apply to your face with your fingertips, gently massaging it into your skin in circles. Wash off with warm water and pat dry.

Over-exfoliating can irritate skin and actually promote acne. It is commonly recommended to exfoliate just once a week of you have normal or dry skin, and twice a week if you have oily skin.