Ahhh, parenting – is it just me or does it involve saying things like “I know it’s frustrating but pants are not optional” a lot more than you imagined? Or, in this case, “No, you cannot lick my face. I know it looks yummy but this is food for my skin, not your mouth.”
And food it is. This homemade face scrub nourishes skin with antioxidants that neutralize damaging free radicals, acids that gently dissolve old, dead skin, and minerals which support the body’s natural lipid barrier.
Homemade face scrub ingredients
Honey
Sometimes called “the soul of a field of flowers,” honey has long been revered in traditional medicine for its healing properties. Now research is starting to confirm what tradition has long held: One study concluded that it works better than antibiotic creams for healing small, non-serious burns (which is why I use it in my homemade burn salve), and another found that children with coughs sleep better when given buckwheat honey than over-the-counter options (which is why I incorporated it into my homemade cough syrup).
But honey is not just an ingredient for your natural remedy stash – it’s amazing in skincare as well. The same properties that help with wound healing also promote skin renewal and possibly the formation of hyaluronic acid, a polysaccharide that draws moisture to the skin, making it plump and dewy. (Babies are born with very high levels of hyaluronic acid – it’s one of the reasons their skin is so beautiful.)
Honey also contains gluconic acid, a mild alpha-hydroxy acid that helps brighten and even out skin tone, plus antioxidants that neutralize damaging free radicals.
Will it make my face sticky?
Nope, it rinses away clean. The only thing it leaves behind is soft, dewy skin.
Unrefined Sea Salt
Although table salt is very drying to skin, I’ve found that mineral-rich salt leaves my skin feeling fresh, soft, and moisturized. Maybe that’s because it’s exfoliating qualities have been paired with a nourishing oil and honey, or maybe it’s because the 60+ trace minerals found in sea salt support cell integrity (aka the ability to hold water.) Either way, I think you’ll love it, but you can always use sugar (which contains naturally occurring glycolic acid) if you’d like.
Olive, Avocado, or Sweet Almond Oil
Light and nourishing, these oils help skin hold on to moisture by supporting the lipid barrier (a natural part of skin which protects against water loss.)
Homemade Salt Glow Polishing Scrub
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons plus one teaspoon unrefined sea salt (I used Himalayan salt)
- 1 tablespoon raw honey (like this)
- 1 tablespoon oil (olive, avocado, and sweet almond oil are good options)
To Make
Place ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a fork until thoroughly combined. Store in a small, clean container.
To Use
Splash your face with warm water, then scoop a small spoonful of scrub out of the container. (I prefer to use an actual spoon because placing wet hands in the container reduces the scrubs shelf life.) Using and upward and outward circular motion, massage the scrub over your face or 60-90 seconds.
If desired, let the scrub double as a nourishing mask by leaving it on for 10-15 minutes, then rinsing with warm water. Or if you’d prefer, just rinse with warm water immediately after exfoliating. Follow with a light moisturizer like this hydrating skin repair serum.
FREE Ebook: DIY Body Care Gifts Made Simple
Do you want to give gorgeous, handcrafted gifts for family and friends, without spending a bunch of time on them?
Then I’d love to give you a free copy of DIY Body Care Gifts Made Simple – my step-by-step guide to making gorgeous handcrafted gifts without stressing yourself out – as a gift for signing up for my newsletter. I’ll show you how to make vintage labels, luxurious lotion bars, lip balms, sugar scrubs, body sprays and more like a pro. Sign up for my newsletter and you’ll be redirected to the download page immediately!
I already have all the ingredients! Will try it out this weekend, thank you!
This looks amazing!
How often do you recommend using this on your face? Every day?
Can this be used daily?
I personally would only use it more than 1-2x’s per week. Like many things, it is possible to have too much of a good thing with exfoliation. 🙂
Loving your blog Heather! I’m going to try this one tonight to finish this holiday weekend.
Hi Heather.
Made the facial scrub, but it’s not soft or pliable. 1 great big blob. How can i fix this? Did exactly to the recipe.
Regards Carol
Ugh! Love this! I love scrubs. My face skin has to be regularly exfoliated or it gets unhappy pretty quickly! I love the quick, easy, and “everything on hand” simplicity of this recipe! Can’t wait to try!
Thank you, I really like this scrub, my face feels amazing! I recently bought a bar of soap that was made with salt (it was like using a salt scrub). I was just wondering if you can add salt to one of your current soap bar recipes, to use on body? It was nice to be able to scrub with the bar of soap all in one!
Lovely scrub, thank you! And so easy to make! I have a question about make up and cleansing. I now you commercial liquid cleanser for make up removal and general cleaning. Are there any natural alternatives?
I love recipes like this where I actually have all of the ingredients on hand! I’ll definitely give it a try. I love using honey on my face. Every now and then I put raw honey all over my face in the am and let it sit for about 10 minutes, then rinse in the shower. So easy, and it gives my skin a little glow. I’m always testing natural skincare for my blog, and there are so many companies out there making great products now, but it’s so cool that just a few simple ingredients can be so effective!
Hi there, Heather.
So I was wondering if refined vs unrefined/raw affects the nutrients one is getting out of the oils used in scrubs/lotions/soaps/etc. I’m inclined to think that unrefined retains more nutrients, but would super appreciate your opinion on the matter. Thanks! 🙂
What is the shelf life of the scrub please?
Thank you so much for the recipe. Can you tell me what is the shelf life of one batch. Also, do I have to store it in the fridge or will outside suffice?
I love this idea! What is the shelf life? Does it need to be refrigerated? Also, can I add essential oils to it?
Thanks!
I personally hate children but love your blog because it’s got good recipes! Lovely work!
What a terrible thing to say. Hate is a very powerful word… and to say you hate children… are you ok?
smh…. She forgets she was once a child :-¦
Well I didn’t know about using Himalayan salt for skin, though I have been using edible Himalayan salt in cooking for quite a long time now. This salt is really amazing and I am definitely going to try this scrub as well and will tell you the results. Recently I have also bought Himalayan salt lamps from ittefaqco. These lamps are also very good just like the edible salt.
What’s the shelf life?
All of the ingredients are shelf stable so it should last a long time. The oil will be the first to oxidize so I recommend storing well using before the expiration date on the oil
Hi!
I love the recipe, but can not get the oil to mix with the salt, and honey. Any suggestions?
Thank you!
Just letting you know that many of your links to ingredients now are not available. I have followed you for a couple of years and just recently this has started.
Thanks for letting me know, Sonia! I just updated the link for the almond oil. 🙂
Oh can’t wait to try this?
Love all the recipes.
So educational and love the simplicity
Thank you, Nancy N