Regular exfoliation is a great way to enhance your skincare routine. Getting rid of dead skin cells can help make your complexion clearer and softer. Instead of buying a scrub at the store, consider making your own. During your next trip to the shore, collect some sand for a DIY exfoliating beach sand scrub.
Learn more about making your own exfoliating scrub and the benefits of using sand on your skin.
In addition to lowering stress levels and lifting your mood, going to the beach can also be beneficial for your skin. You may have noticed a more glowing complexion while on vacation, thanks to the many advantages of salt and sand on your skin. Beach sand, in particular, can provide the following benefits:
Exfoliation: Sand functions is an effective natural exfoliant that clears dead skin cells away.
Softness: Spending time in the sand can leave your skin feeling fresh and extra soft.
Grounding: Walking or lying in the sand can be part of a therapeutic technique called “grounding” or “earthing.” Making physical contact with the sand may be able to ease pain and inflammation in the body, among other health and wellness benefits.
Calming: Salt water has antibacterial properties and may help in soothing certain skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis and help reduce allergic reactions. When saturated in salt water, damp sand can be helpful in calming the skin.
The next time you venture to the shore, you can enjoy knowing you are reaping many benefits just by digging your toes into the sand.
Why Is Exfoliation Important?
Exfoliating your skin is essential for keeping it at its best. Letting your dead skin cells accumulate can lead to dry and flaky skin with a dull, uneven tone. Adding an exfoliant to your skincare routine can transform your skin, leaving it feeling smooth and flawless.
Consider the following benefits and healing properties of exfoliating:
Increasing cell turnover: You can help encourage new cells to generate by regularly scrubbing away your dead skin cells, giving your skin a more youthful and radiant glow.
Improving product absorption: One of the best benefits of exfoliating is improving how your skin absorbs moisturizers and other products. Absorption is especially important for your SPF, letting it protect your skin from UV rays.
Stimulating collagen production: When you remove the dead cells on the surface of the skin, you can promote new collagen production, which is essential for your skin’s elasticity.
Boosting circulation and removing toxins: Rubbing an exfoliant over your skin can help enhance your blood flow, keeping your body’s systems running properly and giving you a glowing complexion.
Evening out skin tone: By ridding your skin of dead skin cells and the various impurities that these cells trap, you can improve your skin tone and enjoy a more even complexion.
Unclogging pores: Exfoliating is a very important part of acne prevention. When dead cells and sebum, your skin’s oil, remain on the surface of the skin, they can block your pores and lead to acne breakouts. Clearing away these cells allows your pores to breathe.
Improving softness: Dry and dead cells can make your skin feel rough and textured. Using an exfoliant can enhance softness and make your skin look brighter.
Adding this step to your skincare routine can transform the look and texture of your skin. If you feel especially dry or flaky, consider introducing a gentle exfoliant to achieve your best complexion.
Beach sand is an excellent skin exfoliant. You can use it in a few different forms to reap its benefits and enjoy softer, healthier skin. Here are three different ways to utilize sand for your skincare routine:
Masks: You can use sand to make a mask to exfoliate your skin.You can simply slather your body in the mask, allow it to dry and then brush it off to get rid of dead cells on the surface of your skin.
Lotions: Adding sand to a lotion or cream can promote exfoliation and help slough away unwanted cells while immediately moisturizing the area.
Scrubs: A scrub is the most effective way to exfoliate with beach sand, loosening dead cells and brushing them away.
You can easily make these beach sand exfoliant products at home with a few ingredients you might already have in your pantry. You’ll also need a jar or bowl to mix them in, some measuring cups and a spoon for mixing. If you plan on storing your scrub, be sure to use a jar with an airtight lid to help preserve it.
When creating your scrub, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Beach sand: Collect some sand from your favorite beach and carefully sift it to ensure there are no other materials like glass or shells left in it. It is crucial to make sure your sand is clean before mixing it with your other ingredients.
Raw honey: Among the many benefits of using raw honey on your skin, it helps balance your skin’s natural bacteria. Unpasteurized honey helps activate your immune system, which can help reduce redness and inflammation.
Coconut oil: This ingredient will help hold your scrub together while also hydrating your skin. Coconut oil is full of antioxidants and may help kill bacteria, fungi and viruses on the skin.
Essential oils: When creating your sand scrub, adding essential oils is an optional step. You can add your favorite scent, like lemon or peppermint oil, to add a hint of aromatherapy. If you prefer, you can add an option like tea tree oil for soothing irritated skin.
How to Use an Exfoliating Sand Scrub
Before you get started, consider these helpful tips and tricks for using your exfoliating sand scrub:
Limit how often you use it: Start out using your scrub only once a week, especially if you have sensitive skin. Once you know how your skin responds to the scrub, you can increase your use. Limit your use to two or three times per week at most.
Apply it gently: When applying the beach sand scrub, it is best to rub it into the skin gently. Rubbing too aggressively can be abrasive and leave your skin feeling irritated. Be careful to apply only a small amount of pressure and work the scrub in circular motions over the area you want to exfoliate.
Keep the sand out of your drains: After using the scrub, it is important that you do not wash it down a shower or sink drain! The sand can collect in the plumbing system and wreak havoc. Instead, use a damp washcloth or rag to remove the leftover scrub from your skin and dispose of the used scrub outside or in the trash.
Patch-test essential oils first: If you plan to add essential oils to your scrub, apply the oil to a small area of your skin first to check for a reaction. Patch testing is especially important if you have sensitive skin. It may also be best to leave out any essential oils if you are sensitive to fragrances.
How to Make a Beach Sand Scrub
Making a beach body scrub is pretty straightforward with this easy sand scrub recipe:
Begin by adding about 1/2 cup of room-temperature coconut oil and 1/4 cup of raw honey to your bowl or jar.
Stir the two together to create a creamy base.
Slowly add about 3/4 cup of sand, stirring it into the mixture as you go.
If you want to add essential oils, add about 1 teaspoon into the mixture and stir thoroughly.
Depending on your coconut oil’s temperature and the mixture’s consistency, you can add more sand to achieve the texture you want. As a general rule of thumb, you’ll want equal parts of the sand and the honey and coconut oil mixture.
When it comes to storing your DIY scrub, you can keep it in the fridge for about six months as long as you use a jar with an airtight lid.
How to Make a DIY Sand Scrub for Your Feet
Our feet tend to be one of the areas of the body that accumulate the most dead skin cells. If you do not exfoliate your feet regularly, bacteria mixed with the dead skin can cause your feet to become smelly. They can also develop cracks if the dead cells are overly dry. You can use this DIY sand scrub to improve their appearance and achieve baby-soft feet:
Begin with 1/4 cup of coconut oil mixed with 1/4 cup of raw honey in your jar or bowl.
Stir the honey and oil together until they are combined.
Gradually stir in 3/4 cup sand.
You can add 1 teaspoon tea tree oil to disinfect your feet or 1 teaspoon lemon oil to detoxify and make your feet smell fresher.
While you want to use equal portions of the honey and coconut oil mixture and sand for a body scrub, you will want a stronger exfoliant for your feet. Adding more sand gives you a grittier scrub to tackle built-up calluses.
How to Make a Sand Scalp Scrub
In addition to an exfoliating body and foot scrub, you can also use sand as a key ingredient for a scalp scrub.
You can make this scrub with the same formula as your body scrub, dividing the measurements in half for a smaller amount. Instead of adding essential oils, you can add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Vinegar is a natural antibacterial and antifungal that helps reduce dandruff.
There are many benefits of utilizing an exfoliant on your scalp, including:
Removing product build-up: An amazing benefit of scrubbing your scalp is getting rid of product build-up that inhibits hair growth and can contribute to oily roots.
Stimulating hair growth: Getting rid of dead skin cells and product build-up on your scalp decongests your hair follicles and boosts blood flow, allowing your hair to grow faster.
Reducing dandruff: By exfoliating your scalp, you can loosen dead skin cells that would eventually flake off at the root of your hair and become dandruff flakes.
Getting rid of dirt and toxins: It is important to do a deep clean of your scalp from time to time to get rid of any dirt or toxins that your shampoo can not remove on its own.
FAQ About Exfoliating Sand Scrubs
The following are some commonly asked questions and answers about exfoliating with beach sand scrubs:
Do Sand Scrubs Scratch Your Skin?
Your beach sand scrub should not scratch your skin if you use it properly. It is crucial to apply gentle pressure when exfoliating. If your skin hurts while scrubbing, you are probably using too much pressure. Use your fingertips to work the scrub in gentle circles over your skin.
Is Beach Sand Good for Your Face?
Beach sand can have many benefits for your skin’s complexion. However, it’s important to remember that the skin on your face is extremely sensitive and fragile. It’s best to save your beach scrub for other areas and use more gentle exfoliants on your face.
Can You Use a Sand Scrub on Existing Acne?
Exfoliating your face or any area of your skin that is prone to acne can help minimize the dead skin cells that contribute to blocked pores. However, if you have an active breakout, it’s best to hold off on any type of exfoliation until it’s healed.
Will Sand Scrubs Dry Your Skin?
When spending the day at the beach, you may notice that your skin is a little drier than usual. The salt and sun are typically to blame for this. Sand won’t dry out your skin, but it is helpful to follow any type of scrub with a moisturizer to rehydrate your skin.
When Should I Use an Exfoliating Scrub?
You can exfoliate your skin at any time. However, some dermatologists suggest doing it in the morning to remove excess oils and brighten your skin for the day.
How Can You Tell if You Over-Exfoliated?
If your skin is left feeling dry or irritated after using your sand scrub, it is possible that you may have overdone your exfoliating. Your skin should feel fresh and smooth, never red or itchy after scrubbing.
Experience the Sands of Ocean City, New Jersey
With eight miles of sandy shorelines, Ocean City, New Jersey, is the perfect destination for your next vacation. Whether you want to spend your day relaxing by the water or making the most of our 2.5-mile-long boardwalk, there are endless ways to fill your days in OCNJ. Kids and adults alike can find many choices when it comes to fun activities and dining options.
Interested in getting your adventure started? Contact us today to learn more about the vacation to Ocean City, New Jersey, you’ve been waiting for!
