Face Scrub

Facial Scrubs and exfoliators caught popularity way back in the early 2000s. A certain scrub with the walnut shell particles was all the rage in the Y2K era. And as time has progressed, the world of exfoliation has only gotten better. Scrubbing the face gently using either chemical exfoliants or the natural ayurvedic stuff has efficiently made it to most people’s skincare routines. And if it hasn’t joined yours, let us change your mind!

If you’re someone who shies away from modern beauty practices and is all about the traditional Indian beauty secrets, sure it can look like scrubbing is a foreign practice that had no place in your mom or Nani's beauty regimen, but that’s not necessarily true. Even the ancient scholars of Ayurveda knew just how beneficial exfoliation can be and had their rubs, face masks, and many other homemade concoctions that seem to be slipping away.

Western, Ayurvedic, or even East-Asian, the verdict that stands constant among all beauty giants is that scrubbing is an essential part of keeping one’s skin healthy, clean, and glowing.  The practice unclogs pores, removes flaky patches from the skin, and sometimes even helps in evening out the skin tone, among many other benefits!

What is a Face Scrub?

A face scrub is essentially a skincare product (which can be formulated at home with DIY recipes or purchased commercially) that is used for the purpose of exfoliating your skin. It removes dead skin cells from the skin’s surface, thereby reducing the dullness and enhancing a glow from within. The primary reason a face scrub is used widely is due to its ability to unclog pores and remove stubborn grime from the face, which in turn, prevents acne breakouts.

7 Reasons You Should Be Using a Face Scrub

While there are still people out there, disregarding the need for proper exfoliation with kumkumadi scrub and all the wonders it can do for your skin, we’re here to be the mighty messengers that tell you exactly why you should invest in natural kumkumadi scrub and get your scrubbing practices on right away!

• To Improve The Texture of Your Skin - Let’s admit it, we all have textured skin, no matter how the fashion media tries to “influence \” or fool you, the texture is real and it is normal. While some texture is normal and you should definitely embrace your beauty the way it is, there’s no harm in wanting smoother and clearer skin. Been there, done that! The easiest and the safest way to improve your skin’s texture lies within a good face scrub (whether it is homemade or from your favorite skincare brand). Scrubbing twice a week with exfoliating your skin can remove dead skin, dry patches, and stubborn bumps, thus improving your skin’s overall texture slowly.
• To Reduce The Appearance of Acne Scars - With appropriate exfoliation techniques using gentle tools and a kumkumadi scrub that is suitable for your skin type, the skin tissue on your face gets stimulated. This stimulation on said tissue helps acne scarring to heal better, and faster without leaving dark spots or pits behind.

• To Unclog Pores - Everyone has pores on their skin, and at times their visibility can make us feel not too great about our natural beauty. While there’s no way to actually make your pores smaller, one can certainly reduce their appearance dramatically by keeping them clean, unclogged, and free of all the nasty dirt, grime, and oil that make themselves at home on our skin. A good face scrub can do just that for you, with the physical friction and the properties of the exfoliator, the gunk stuck in your pores is released and you’re left with a whitehead-free skin.
• To Help Your Skincare Absorb Better - Unclogged pores and the lack of disturbances on the skin’s surface allow for smoother, quicker, and much deeper absorption of skin care products.
• To Increase Blood Flow - The stimulation that is brought on by the mechanical usage of your face scrub increases the blood flow in your face, meaning appropriate amounts of oxygen get supplied to your skin through the bloodstream, resulting in a plumper, healthier looking  (& feeling) skin.
• To Reverse Pollution Damage - Time to be honest. The environment isn’t what it used to be. The lack of sunscreen and shields protecting our skin has resulted in faster aging which is anything but good for your skin in the long run. Exfoliating your skin with kumkumadi scrub improves the skin’s appearance & texture, keeps it healthier, and hence reverses the effects of pollution endured.
• To Reduce and Slow Down Signs of Aging - The process of aging is daunting to say the least, especially when its effects start to show physically on our skin. The realization can be painful. However, one can dramatically slow down and even reduce the effects of aging by having an appropriate skincare routine with a special focus on the face scrub part. Using a kumkumadi scrub with proper moisturization can maximize your skin’s elasticity and make it look smoother and plumper and most importantly, younger as a result of the many benefits mentioned above.

Types of Face Scrubs as per Ayurvedic Doshas

While some commercial exfoliators that have their roots in western beauty practices can work well for you, if you’re in doubt, it’s imperative to know you can never truly go wrong with a good ayurvedic kumkumadi scrub. The knowledge passed down from Ayurveda can be held to a golden standard which is why using a ayurvedic kumkumadi scrub that is suited to your skin type in accordance with the doshas, can truly do wonders for you.

The inclusion of Ayurvedic beauty has been around forever but has gained a lot of momentum in the last few decades, rightfully so. Ayurveda in and of itself is based on the concept that three main types of doshas or energies. These doshas primarily dictate the physical, mental, and emotional functioning of the human body along with the signs of physical manifestations of their amalgamated health. Ayurveda observes that our bodily functioning is a direct result of the balance of the three main doshas i.e. Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. The first step of finding an ayurvedic kumkumadi scrub or for that matter, any skincare product is to identify your body’s dosha type.

Following is a guide for you to identify your dosha along with some quick and effective DIY face scrubs that can be made right from the comfort of your home:

Vata Dosha

This dosha, when dominant in a person causes them to have dry and rough-textured skin that tends to wrinkle often. Vata-dominant people’s skin tends to age a lot faster. For this type of dosha, hydration and moisturization are key in order to prevent over-exfoliation.

Face Scrub Recipe for Vata-dominant Skin Type

Ingredients: 5 crushed almonds, ½ tbsp sugar, ½ tspn kumkumadi oil, ½ tbsp yogurt (dahi).

Time Needed: 5 minutes

Directions: In a clean, small bowl, mix all of your ingredients like 5 crushed almonds, ½ tbsp sugar, ½ tspn kumkumadi oil and ½ tbsp yogurt (dahi) etc. in the right quantity. Using your fingers, apply the scrub mixture to your face and rub slowly with moderate pressure in a circular motion. Do this for 2-3 minutes. Then wash your face with lukewarm water. Pat & dry with a cotton cloth and follow with your favorite moisturizer. Did you know kumkumadi oil also is excellent at moisturizing skin well on dry skin. You can add kumkumadi oil to your night skincare routine to up the moisture level of your skin.

Pitta Dosha

People with pitta dosha have really sensitive skin that tans easily, can flare up frequently into sunburns, and is prone to skin conditions like adult acne and rosacea. Due to its frequent inflammatory responses to triggers, this type of skin needs cooling agents.

Face Scrub Recipe for Pitta-dominant Skin Type

Ingredients: 1 tbsp Aloe vera gel (we recommend the fresh kind but one from an ayurvedic skincare brand also works), ½ tspn milk, ½ tbsp coffee grounds (instant coffee works too), ½ tbsp roasted gram flour (besan).

Time Needed: 5 minutes

Directions: In a clean, small bowl, mix all of your ingredients in the right quantity. Using your fingers, apply the scrub mixture to your face and rub slowly with moderate pressure in a circular motion. Do this for 2-3 minutes. Then wash your face with cold water. Pat & dry with a soft cotton cloth. Apply a soothing, hydrating gel and follow with a light moisturizer.

Kapha Dosha

People whose dominant dosha is Kapha tend to have oily skin riddled with textural disturbances. This skin type is extremely prone to whiteheads, blackheads, and cystic acne as it generally attracts a lot of impurities from the polluted environment.

Face Scrub Recipe for Kapha-dominant Skin Type

Ingredients: 1 tspn salt (we prefer a mildly coarse one but whatever you have works), 1 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed), 1 tspn Chandan powder (sandalwood)

Time Needed: 5 minutes

Directions: In a clean, small bowl, mix all of your ingredients in the right quantity. Using your fingers, apply the scrub mixture to your face and rub slowly with moderate pressure in a circular motion. Do this for 2-3 minutes. Then wash your face with cold water. Pat & dry with a soft cotton cloth. Apply a hydrating gel and follow up with your favorite moisturizing serum.

Signs you’re overusing your face scrub

While we certainly love welcoming anyone who joins the exfoliation party, we also need to remind people when enough is enough. The results a face scrub gives you are no less than magical, but these results can go away just as quickly if you decided to overindulge. Here are some tell-tale signs that you’re Overusing your face scrub and why you need to dial it down a notch:

• Irritation and Inflammation - If you use your face scrub more than a few times a week, it is likely that the over exfoliating your skin engages your skin cells which can cause severe irritation and inflammation which may make it feel like your skin is on fire.

• Peeling and Flaking – Over exfoliating your skin can extract even the necessary amount of moisture and plumpness from your skin making it prone to flaking and peeling.
• Dry Patches and Dullness - Your skin is likely to appear dull, lifeless, and unappealing if you over-exfoliate. This usually results in small but stubborn dry patches all over the face.
• Redness and Reactive Acne - If frequently facial scrub has started to give a burning sensation, you’ve probably over exfoliating your skin. This is likely to progress to increased redness and small red bumps/acne all over the face in response to the loss of appropriate moisture.
• Sensitive to Other Skincare Products - One major sign of overusing a face scrub is a person’s increased sensitivity to other products pre-existing in their skincare routine. This can be detrimental to one skin in the long run as the skin now exposed to other products is damaged and exposed before its time.

Conclusion

By now, you know a great deal about face scrubs including how to pick one for yourself, what to choose, what to avoid, how often to use and all the many benefits of exfoliating your skin with kumkumadi scrub can have for you. Your skincare routine doesn’t need to be too complicated or disturbed with this addition. Whether you choose the chemical exfoliation route, invest in a good commercial product, or opt for making a face scrub at home the Ayurvedic way, you can expect good results so long as you don’t use it more than 1-2 times a week.

Recommended Products by Blue Nectar:

Shubhr Ayurvedic Kumkumadi Brightening Face Scrub For Tan Removal and Blackheads