Before the advent of commercial cosmetics, natural beauty aids were widely used. Most of them are easily available, and are less expensive when compared to commercial products. Being natural, the risk of side effects is also very low. Natural beauty aids are numerous and they include aloe vera, olive oil, coconut oil, eggs, hibiscus, sugar, lemon juice, etc. Apart from its culinary uses, lemon is widely used for skin and hair care.
Rich in fruit acids, vitamin C, and other antioxidants, lemon juice is excellent as a bleaching agent, exfoliant as well as a cleanser. With its antibacterial properties, lemon juice is said to be useful for preventing pimples. It is also used for removing excess oiliness of the skin as well as the hair and scalp. Lemon juice is very effective as a nail brightener as well as a cuticle softener. It is used for enhancing complexion and for removing pigmentation. It can be used as such or in combination with honey, aloe vera gel, etc. Lemon juice is one of the common ingredients in homemade facial scrubs. Given below are some simple recipes to prepare a lemon facial scrub at home.
Lemon and Honey
In order to prepare this natural facial scrub, you need one tablespoon each of honey, olive oil, and lemon juice, and one and a half teaspoon of sugar. We all know that honey and olive oil moisturize the skin, whereas lemon juice has a cleansing and bleaching action. Sugar, along with the other ingredients, helps in removing dead skin cells. All you have to do is to mix the ingredients in a small bowl and apply it all over the face and neck (spare areas around the eyes). Gently massage this mixture over the skin for around a minute and rinse with cold water. Pat dry the skin and apply a moisturizer.
Lemon and Ground Almonds
Most of us are familiar with the benefits of almonds for skin. These nuts can be included in your facial scrub too. You can prepare this scrub by mixing equal amounts of lemon juice and cold milk, and enough ground almonds to make a paste. Ground almonds can be replaced with orange peels or ground oatmeal. You may also add few drops of honey in this facial scrub with lemon and almonds. Take a tablespoon of honey and mix it with a teaspoon of lemon juice, before adding two tablespoons of ground almonds.
Other Types
Apart from the above mentioned types, you may come across various other lemon facial scrub recipes. One such type is lemon juice sea salt facial scrub. This can be prepared by mixing sea salt with sufficient lemon juice to make a paste. You might have heard about the use of lemon and sugar facial scrub for acne. This scrub is prepared by mixing sugar with lemon juice. You may also use a small amount of ground lemon zest in this scrub. Another such facial scrub can be prepared by mixing one teaspoon each of ground lemon zest and powdered milk with two teaspoons of almond meal and enough lemon juice to make a paste.
You may use any of these scrubs as per the skin type. It is always better to use organic products for preparing such homemade scrubs. Lemon facial scrubs are said to work wonders in removing blackheads, age spots, freckles, sun spots, and sun tan. Rinse your face with warm water so as to open the pores. Pat dry before applying the scrub. Gently rub it over the skin for a minute and rinse off with cold water. Pat dry and apply some moisturizer. If you have citrus allergy, refrain from using a facial scrub with lemon. Those with dry or sensitive skin must also do a patch test, before applying the scrub on the face.
