Quickie Beauty Tip of the Day - Exfoliation in a Pinch

every beauty addict knows that exfoliation is the key to maintaining a glowing, even complexion. dull skin cells can accumulate and cause flakes, dullness and ashy skin, which over time can contribute to plugged pores and other skin problems.

most of us do own a scrub at home, but if you're strapped for cash, trying to become more minimalist in your beauty routine, or have run out, i recommend mixing your favorite cleanser with a pinch of baking soda, dark brown sugar, oatmeal, rice starch, green/red bean flour, or sea salt, depending on your skin type and level of grittiness you prefer.

not only are homemade scrubs such as this a great way to save cash and exfoliate GENTLY (some chemical scrubs are so harsh on skin - might as well use a brillo pad), they also do not contain those tiny, plastic exfoliating beads that over time cause damage to the environment.

for my finicky, sensitive, schizo-combo skin type, i'm really enjoying mixing the body shop vitamin E cream cleanser with a bit of dark brown sugar for some gentle exfoliation.

some other combos that i've liked:

OILY SKIN: brown sugar and/or an oil-absorbing starch (rice, green bean), a few drops of tea tree oil, in a gentle foaming cleanser (like vichy normaderm cleansing gel)

NORMAL/COMBO SKIN: brown sugar or sea salt in a gentle, non-greasy, non-foaming cleanser (like cetaphil gentle cleanser)

DRY/SENSITIVE SKIN: brown sugar and/or oatmeal  in a creamy, moisturizing cleanser (like LUSH ultrabland, the body shop vitamin E cream cleanser, dove senitive skin non-foaming creamy cleanser) or moisturizing oil base (like avocado, olive, jojoba or sweet almond oil) base, if your skin is ultra-dry.