I love a good facial exfoliation! I really enjoy this part of my skin care rituals for its massaging moves, and the almost instant payoff of skin that feels soft and smooth, refreshed and reset. 

Plant powders are my go-to for facial exfoliation. They are straight out of my grandmothers’ beauty playbook and I have been using them since childhood. I love them for their ability to gently remove dirt and toxins for a glowing, clear complexion. Using natural ingredients, like plant powders, gives you all that without destroying your skin biome. Win-win, right?

Your skin is in a constant state of cell turnover: As new skin cells are made, the older skin cells rise to the surface, dying in the process. Over time, the surface of your skin becomes host to a buildup of dead cells on the skin’s surface. Add pollution and other forms of environmental stressors to the mix, and-- hello, dull, rough and itchy skin. 

That’s where plant powders augmented with plant oils can really bring some beneficial goodness to your skin and its biome. Here’s why plant powders are a brilliant ingredient to add to your skin care routine.

When mixed with water (ideally distilled) and a few drops of plant oils, plant powders transform into a luxurious paste that draws out toxins and smooths the skin. They are incredibly gentle on the skin, exfoliating without scratching. No extra pressure is needed -- the granules will do the work. The massaging action you bring helps promote circulation and skin cell turnover.

Plant powders are high in minerals and naturally derived proteins, vitamins and acids, all of which help draw out toxins, enhance skin cell health and  provide additional exfoliation by dissolving dead skin cells.

Depending on the day, season or your skin type, you can customize your plant powder paste to suit your skin’s needs. If you want more of a mask feel, use less water. If you want more of a general soft cleanser, use more water. If you need more moisturizing, add a few drops of oil to your blend. If you are having breakouts or skin irritation, add yogurt. If you need more antioxidants, add lemon juice. If you need to even out your skin tone and bring down inflammation, add turmeric. The possibilities are endless.

Plant powders have a long shelf life. They don’t need preservatives, as they are not pre-mixed with liquids. You mix them up fresh, every time you use them. And because they are liquid-free, they can be carried while traveling with no fuss. Your face care will be there with you, where ever your destination.

Now that you know the overall benefits of using a plant powder to your skin, here is how to use them as a gentle cleanser:

1. Put a heaping teaspoon’s worth of dry plant powder into the cupped palm of your hand
2. Add a small amount of water and/or a few drops of oil
3. Rub your hands together to create a creamy paste
4. Apply to your face, using gentle circular motions, careful to avoid the delicate eye area
5. Rinse your face thoroughly with water and pat skin dry
   
   

Here is how to use them as a face mask:

1. Put a 1-2 heaping tablespoons of dry plant powder into a bowl
2. Add a small amount of water and/or a few drops of oil and/or additional active ingredients. For oily skin yogurt, lemon juice; for normal skin, avocado paste; for dry skin, mashed banana. Honestly, the options are endless here.
3. Blend into a smooth paste.
4. Apply a layer of your mixture to your face using your fingers, careful to avoid the delicate eye area.
5. Now go get a book or turn on Netflix. Let the mask sit for at least 20 minutes.
6. Now exfoliate and cleanse your face with your fingers, using gentle, circular, lightly massaging motions, careful to avoid the delicate eye area
7. Rinse your face thoroughly with water and pat skin dry
   
   

Have you used plant powders in your skincare routine? Which are you favourites and why?

The monkeys have it folks! We're grubby; we live in a pile of dead skin. If you want any moisturizer to work on your skin, you've got to remove that flaky dry layer off first to get to the healthy layers. Your skin is layered, like an onion. Now onions make most people cry but you don't want to cry when you exfoliate!

Here are some key things to have in mind when incorporating exfoliating into your skin care routine. For oily and normal skin, lots of scrubbing and sloughing may not be the answer to reducing your oil production. You may be exacerbating the problem by over-exfoliating. Think of it as gently brushing off the old dead skin rather than scrubbing at the young, living skin. For dry and sensitive skin, be mindful of how your skin is feeling. Go slow and less often.

Natural exfoliants range in hardness, sharpness and durability. General rule of thumb? Soft and gentle for the face; mid-range hardness for the body and full on hard for calloused feet. As always, do a patch test first to make sure your skin isn't irritated.

Here are some natural options for Face Exfoliation

• Ground Oatmeal helps normalize skin pH levels, relieves skin irritation and gently exfoliates dry, sensitive skin.
• Dried Rose Petals have been used since ancient times for skin care. They cleanse, moisturize, fade blemishes and gently exfoliate, leaving a bright, healthy glow. Rose Petals work best for Dry and Normal skin.
• Organic Cane Sugar, small grains, exfoliates while drawing moisture to the skin, leaving a healthy glow. Sugar has rounded edges that won't be too abrasive, especially for Normal skin. The other good news is that it melts quickly so that, by default, you don't over-scrub.
• Dried Lavender flowers gently exfoliate while countering the effects of pollution with their anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial properties. Lavender flowers work best for Normal and Oily Skin.
• Gram Flour, an Indian Beauty routine staple, removes dead cells, excess sebum and dirt, leaving skin clean and smooth. It's brilliant for all skin types.
  

Here are some of the best natural options for exfoliating your body's skin

• Epsom Salts, high in magnesium and sulfate, can reduce inflammation, kill bacterial and flush out toxins while removing dead skin cells. The edges on these crystals are harder than sugar but just the right range for body skin.
• Ground Coffee invigorates and tightens up the skin, decreasing the appearance of cellulite. Ideal for thighs and butts.
  
• Ground Apricot Shells are just hard enough on the skin for a thorough, deep cleansing
  
• Ground Brown Rice exfoliates, detoxifies and deeply cleans the skin while tightening and smoothing
  
• Ground Adzuki Beans have been a staple in old school Japanese Beauty care for centuries. They exfoliate, detoxify and deeply clean the skin while tightening and smoothing and leaving a healthy glow.
  

Here are some natural options for exfoliating your feet.

• Ground Walnut Shell boasts a higher level hardness to scrub tough, calloused skin. Keep this one just on your tough skin bits--it will strip off more than you need on more tender skin. There are other blogs that advise using walnut scrubs on the face. Ok, we tried it and were red and raw for days after, taking a full week to recover.
  
• Pumice stone, for feet that are hard as a rock. This volcanic rock with Swiss cheese like pockets is ideal for scrubbing off callouses. Soak feel first to soften hard skin.
  

When you look in the mirror, consider and reflect on the thoughts that rumble around in your mind. Are they who you really are or someone else's idea about who you should be? Our minds are fluid and we can shift our thoughts at any time. Compassion comes with choice and self-care. Slough off the old expectations and images of yourself so you can nourish and grow the liberating and living pictures of who you actually are. Life's an adventure; enjoy yours!

The Free Lion Team