Natural alternatives to Microdermabrasion at home

Most of us know what is microdermabrasion. Thanks to the marketing people of microdermabrasion and related cosmetics who have created the need. All of us know that our outer most skin cells has a definite life and they keep on dying. Often these dead cells remain attached to the skin giving a dull look or clogs skin pores leading to acne or pimples. Microdermabrasion is technique which gently scrubs or abrades your outer skin to remove dead skin cells. Just like industrial grinding, in Microdermabrasion is smoothened by blasting salt particles or using abrasive surface.

But then why has microdermabrasion become so popular skin care treatment to combat aging and reduce wrinkles? What justifies the high cost of professional microdermabrasion? Are commercial micodermabrasion creams nothing but some regular ingredients packaged and marketed differently? We leave all this questions for you to find answers. What we present to you is low cost effective natural ways to exfoliate your skin just like microdermabrasion. So no more need of home microdermabrasion machines. Try instead following natural microdermabrasion at home.

Baking Soda – the microdermabrasion master

The ingredients and techniques in this natural micordermabrasion technique are too simple to believe it to be effective! Yes, you don’t believe the effectiveness till you spend $100-200 on microdermabrasion session. For all of you who think this way, just open you fridge and take out packet of baking soda. Take 2 tsp of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and add 1 tsp of cold water. This will make a paste of baking soda. Using your finger tips, apply this to your face and gently massage using circular motion. Do this for 5-8 minutes covering all of your face. Wash your face with cold water. You will have feeling just like your microdermabrasion session. Just not feeling but also your skin will appear bright and clean after this natural home microdermabrasion. You moisturize your skin with coconut oil. Don’t forget to give yourselves a pat for saving $100 which can be better spent elsewhere 😉

Here is another Baking soda microdermabrasion recipe. Adding a twist to the above technique, you may want to add few drops of lavender oil or tea tree oil to the baking salt or use aloe vera gel or sweet almond oil instead of water.  Baking soda works a excellent exfoliant, removing small, outer dead skin cells, while oil serves as moisturizing agent.

Mix a tsp of baking soda with half tsp of honey. Add few drops of lavender oil. Mix well until it forms paste. Use this paste to exfoliate your face skin. Massage well on problem areas. Wash your face with cold water. Clean and moisturize your skin with coconut oil or sweet almond oil.

Fruit and sugar DIY microdermabrasion

Brown sugar is unrefined, coarse and has exfoliating texture. The brown sugar can be used to polish your skin. It contains glycolic acid which helps loosen up dead skin cells. It combines well with fruit pulp like papaya or pineapple to create home microdermabrasion recipe. Make about 1-2 tablespoons of pulp of fresh papaya. To this add 5 tablespoons of brown sugar. Massage your face skin well with this mixture. Let the mixture remain on your skin for 10-15 minutes before you wash with cold water. Papin is enzyme present in papaya which helps remove dead skin while offering hydrating properties to skin. This is effective to remove scars and dark patches on your skin.

Read more about natural ways to treat pimples

Vitamin C Microdermabrasion Scrub

You can make this scrub at home by mixing 6 tablespoon of brown sugar with 3 tablespoon of olive oil and 3 tablespoon of lemon juice. You can add few drops of lemongrass oil. Stirs this well until mixture is consistent. Take some this mixture into your palms. You can add few drops of water to make it a paste. Apply this to your face and scrub your skin gently. This scrub is as good as any other microdermabrasion scrub in the market.

Oatmeal Microdermabrasion

Shape and texture of commonly available oatmeal makes good ingredient for do it yourself microdermabrasion. It is also effective in cleansing skin pores and scraping out dead cells. It can absorb excess oil from skin.

• Mix equal quantity of oatmeal, honey and lemon juice. Use this mixture to microabrade your face. Allow the mixture to remain on your face for few minutes before you wash off your face. It helps cleanse and exfoliate your skin.
• You can alternatively mix egg white with enough oatmeal to make a paste. Use this to scrub your skin gently. It will help remove dead skin cells.
• Mixture of oatmeal, olive oil and lemon juice works well on inflamed acne prone skin.
• Mix oatmeal with rose water for a cool irritation free microabrasion.

Lemon and Honey – Simple home microdermabrasion recipe

This cannot be any simpler. Just mix equal quantities of lemon juice and honey. Add few salt or baking soda granules to add coarseness depending on your requirement. Make this a paste and gently massage on your face. Apply some of the paste to your face and let it remain for 10-15 minutes. Wash with cold water. You would find a fresh looking clean face after the process. Lemon and honey offers strong antioxidant properties and helps reduce aging of skin. Lemon helps reduce inflammation of your skin.

Ubtan – ancient Indian natural microdermabrasion alternative

Ancient texts from Ayurveda mention about ubtan – mixture of various herbs to protect and nourish your skin. Ubtans are still very popular in India, be it ritual pre-marriage bath or spiritual bath on day of Diwali festival. Spiritually whenever you want to remove or shed your old life and prepare for new, Hindus apply ubtan to their skin.

Ubtan is thus analogous to Ayurvedic version of natural microdermabrasion. Depending on its ingredients, it offers varied benefits. It is good exfoliating technique and stimulates skin tissues. It offers other medicinal virtues including protecting against microbes, toning skin, improving blood circulation and protect skin from aging. In India, it is used equally by men as women. This herbal chemical free microdermabrasion ubtan is definitely worth trying.

Here is one recipe for making ubtan at home. Take half cup of red lentils (Masoor dal), half cup of Bengal Gram flour, quarter cup raw rice, quarter cup of oats, a dozen of almond nuts. Grind red lentils, raw rice, almonds and oats. To this add Bengal gram flour and ½ tsp of turmeric powder. You may also add 1-2 tsp of sandalwood powder. You can store this mixture. When you want to use this, take mixture in a cup and add little water to make a thick paste. Apply this paste to your face and allow it to dry a little. While still damp, gently scrub this off.

Here is another herbal ubtan mixture. Mix in equal proportions Neem Powder, Amla Powder (or Triphala powder), Sandalwood powder, Ashwagandha powder, Turmeric powder and fuller’s earth. All the herbs are powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. They offer strong antimicrobial properties which protect skin from infections. To use, just make paste using water or yogurt. Apply this to face and massage gently with circular motions.

Fuller’s Earth treatment

Fuller’s earth has been long used to cleanse your skin pores from dead cells, dust, dirt and oil. It works as magnet for cleansing skin. Combined with antimicrobial properties, it is perfect recipe for cane and pimples. Here are some ways in which you can use Multani Mitti or Fuller’s earth as exfoliating agent.

• Mix 2 tsp of Fuller’s earth and sandalwood powder. To this add ½ tsp of turmeric powder. Mix with water and apply to your skin. Leave this for 10 minutes. As the skin dries up, you would feel the pull on your skin. Dampen your face with water and scrub out Fuller’s earth.
• Orange peel contains skin beneficial properties. Instead of throwing the peels away, dry them in sun and blend into powder. Use one part of orange peel powder with two parts of Fuller’s earth. Mix this with rose water and apply to your face.

Read more about ways to use Fuller’s earth for skin.

Honey and Cinnamon Treatment

Mix about 2 tsp of cinnamon powder with some honey. Use this paste as microdermabrasion cream. Let this remain on your face for a while before you wash it away.

Using Alum

Alum contains aluminum salts which are often used as crystal in microdermabrasion. It has strong astringent properties and helps to firm skin. Alum powder along with honey, royal jelly and sweet almond oil can be used as scrub to exfoliate skin.

What Are Side Effects Of Microdermabrasion?

DIY microdermabrasion may not be as effective as professional treatment, but definitely it offers chemical free, cheap alternative to exfoliate skin at comfort of home. Just like regular microdermabrasion treatment, homemade microdermabrasion treatment would have drawbacks. Side effects may include skin irritation, red skin, swelling, sensitivity, burning sensation. Avoid using the techniques more than twice a week.

Overall, natural alternatives for microdermabrasion treatments are quite safe with minimal side effects while offering you benefits similar to professional microdermabrasion.

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