Exfoliating Your Face

Exfoliation promotes skin renewal, so get exfoliating ladies and gents because stimulating your skin to regenerate is core to slowing down premature ageing. The purpose of facial skin exfoliation is to remove a dull layer of dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. This allows skin cells to turn over faster, creating a healthier glow and helping to maintain the lustre of skin for a more polished appearance. Regular facial exfoliation can increase your skin’s ability to absorb moisture which in time can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. As exfoliation also dislodges blackheads and exposes new skin cells, it will help improve acne and acne scarring. Just make certain that when you exfoliate your face, you are using a product that is specially designed for the face!

Your skin type will define how often you should be using an exfoliator on your face. If you have dry skin it would be good to remove the flakes every now and then but don’t do it too often as it could cause irritation. If you have oily skin it could be beneficial to use a gentle scrub once a day to prevent oil from building up. If you have normal or combination skin, exfoliate every other day – even once a week will result in soft smoother skin!

	African Indigenous Wild Chamomile and Yarrow Scrub Wildly popular amongst a wide variety of customers, this little scrub certainly deserves a mention! It’s a very light scrub but chamomile and yarrow are great for softening skin, and for calming the skin so I would recommend this for all those with normal to combination skin types. I know that many of our male customers like to use this daily as a cleanser too, it is so gentle.
	Hemptons Bali, Lime, Lemon and Ginger Facial Scrub and Mask Our more mature customers love this scrub especially! With a combination skin I personally find it a little too oily, but it is the perfect blend for those looking for a good scrub and a hydrating treatment all at once.

Treating your Face with a Mask

Natural masks are a boon for the skin, as they are left on longer and thus there is more time for the ingredients to either draw our impurities and toxins or to allow hydrating extracts to penetrate the skin, depending on what you are after. Facial masks should be selected according to skin type. Clay and mud masks suit oily skin as they draw impurities out and cream-based masks work best on dry skin types. Masks should be used after cleansing for better results. The only type of mask that should be applied to the eye area is a non-firming, non peel mask. Always be very careful around this delicate area.

	Soil Organic Face Mask My favourite mask in the winter months, and a winner for anyone who is looking to detox and add life to dull skin. The muslin cloth is great as you can soak it in hot water and then steam your face before applying mask so that the impurities are better drawn out.
	Victorian Garden Lavender & Honey Hydrating Cream Mask Perfect for dry skin, that is not necessarily mature skin, this nourishing mask will leave your skin feeling softer and more supple. In fact, honey is a very popular ingredient for masks because it smoothes skin, and cleans pores at the same time.
	Esse Cream Mask I have not used this myself, but word from customers is that it is a really nourishing treatment for more mature and dehydrated skins. Esse is always a favourite amongst those looking for a synergy between science and nature!

Body Scrubs

Your body will love you for that extra five minutes of pampering. Pay special attention to those problem areas as exfoliation can do wonders for cellulite by stimulating circulation in the necessary areas. It’s also important to exfoliate your heels, knees and elbows. Exfoliation will not only offer the obvious anti-aging benefits we all seek, but it can also help with bothersome skin conditions.

	Hemptons Rosehip Hemp and Salt Scrub Not only my absolute number one product, but also many of yours! We have some customers who buy up to ten tubs at a time to give to friends as gifts. The scrub smells divine, the salt does a great job at exfoliating, the hemp at moisturising and the rosehip at stimulating cell regeneration. Treat yourself and never look back!
	Hemptons Mocha Java Hemp Sugar Scrub Although not as popular as the Hemptons Rosehip Scrub, this is still a top selling product and adored by those looking for a cellulite treatment or just a bit of decadence, as you will read from the reviews. Studies have shown that the topical application of Caffeine is particularly effective in reducing the appearance of cellulite, improving circulation, as well as improving skin tone, smoothness and firmness.
	Body Botanix Ginger Lime Moisturising Body Scrub Another favourite of mine and a product I feel extremely confident in recommending. You can just feel that it is a superior mix in the way the scrub pastes onto your skin so easily, without leaving a mess on your shower floor. It smells gorgeous and your skin just tingles with vitality afterwards. Essentials Magazine agree with its vote of confidence by naming this scrub, its best!

Body Treatments

To finish off your scrub routine, I thought I would just point out some of my favourite oils and butters that your skin will just lap up post scrub!

	Taryna Aphrodite Body Oil This oil leaves an exquisite feminine sultry smell and is very easily absorbed! I really do feel like it’s improved my skin tone and although I don’t use it everyday, I feel so pampered when I do.
	Trevarno Lavendar & Geranium Palmerose Bath & Body Oil This nourishing oil blend smells heavenly, a little goes so far, it leaves the skin feeling super soft, is easily absorbed and just an all round super decadent experience! Essentials also voted this as a natural best buy, and the fact that it can be used in the bath or directly on the skin is an added bonus.