Exfoliation is a common routine of a large population with diverse skin types for many reasons such as deep cleansing of dirt and excess sebum, management of whiteheads and blackheads as well as removal of makeup residue within the skin accumulated over time.
One of the best methods to decide the exfoliant for your skincare regimen is to consult your dermatologist for your skin assessment and gain knowledge about the formulations which are most suitable for your skin health. If you are also an eco-conscious personality who looks out not only for the skin-friendly products but also the nature-friendly alternatives. Opting for the nature derived exfoliant is a good choice for the sustainable and environmentally safe skin care routine.
Let’s get to know more about a natural face scrub
A natural face scrub has exfoliating particles. These are tiny, unjagged, grainy particles made after finely grounding the parts from botanical origin such as seeds, stem, roots, leaves, flowers, etc. They contain active phytochemicals which offer additional benefits for the skincare.
Few examples of such natural exfoliators are mentioned below:
Neem
Neem extract as a natural exfoliant in a face scrub offers benefits such as oil-control and anti-microbial action against acne-causing bacteria (Cutibacterium acnes). It is a widely recommended choice for people with oily and acne prone skin.
Aloe vera
It is a mild exfoliator which is also soothing and hydrating in nature. Proteolytic enzymes present in its composition alters the dead skin cells structure and make it easier to remove them during exfoliation.
Plant-derived Microbeads
Nowadays, newer formulations in the skin care market are designed using microspheres based technology where plant derived smooth and tiny exfoliating beads effectively exfoliate the skin and then get dissolved in the water. The best part is they do not produce microplastic pollution.
Advantages of Natural Exfoliants over Synthetic Exfoliants as a Face Scrub for Glowing Skin
They offer multiple advantages over conventional synthetic exfoliators which are as follows:
- Availability: Natural raw materials for the exfoliators are easily retrievable from mother nature and then processed to finesse as per the requirements of the skin.
- No Petrochemical Risks: Workers avoid exposure to hazardous polymer manufacturing chemicals. Working with natural material reduces the exposure to such risks and improves the confidence of the workers while handling.
- No Toxic Leaching: Plant parts do not leach endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as SLS, parabens, etc.
- Reduced Petroleum Reliance: Eliminates demand for crude-oil-derived plastics which ultimately impacts the global reliance on plastics for the cosmetic and skin care industry and reduces the environmental pollution.
- Rapid Biodegradability: Plant materials break down in water in lesser time as compared to many non-biodegradable synthetic components.
Strategies to use the natural exfoliants in a better way to get positive results
Follow a regular regime for exfoliation:
Use natural exfoliants once or twice in a week. Prefer PM application.
Wash your face. Apply a small amount of exfoliant. Gently massage 1-2 minutes. Rinse off. Pat dry with a clean towel.
Combine with calming agents:
Skin soothing agents like aloe vera and cucumber extracts hydrate and calm the skin. They allow the skin’s protective barrier to heal back faster and tone it for effective nourishment to the skin. Combining them with neem extract for exfoliation will aid in soothing the skin post exfoliation.
Use non-jaggy exfoliator:
The particles for the exfoliation purpose should not have sharp, uneven or rough edges as it may lead to microtears and inflammation of the skin. It could also aggravate persisting active acne. This is generally seen in walnut shell based exfoliators. Therefore, people with delicate and sensitive skin should be cautious of jaggy exfoliating particles of face scrubs.
How do natural exfoliants provide eco-friendly radiance?
Natural exfoliating agents help you to exfoliate gently and effectively, deeply cleanse and provide with additional benefits such as oil-control to your skin. It also fosters bio-literacy among the consumers about the medicinal importance of plants and promotes the cultural heritage of time-tested ingredients backed by years of tradition. It builds guilt-free user experience for rinsing their exfoliants without ecological anxiety.
It also drives the motivation for the researchers and skincare experts to bring innovative bio-based alternatives and utilize green chemistry for designing advanced formulations. In these ways, natural exfoliators bring symbolic radiance to the mother earth by reducing the potential harm to the biosphere while achieving your goal by helping you get clear smoother skin.
Final Thoughts
In order to ensure cleaner ecosystems for future generations and generational wealth of medicinal plant bioactives, it is important to inspire conscious living in the minds of the consumers. This would shift the consumer towards broader ecological awareness and eco-friendly and sustainable product purchase decisions. It would initiate the true circularity of the skincare products that are retrieved from the earth, using for the skin and then serving it back to nature avoiding any potential harm.