DIY Lemon Sugar Face Wash

Over the course of my adult life I've easily spent thousands of dollars on cleansing and moisturizing products for my face. I've used the high-end brands: Lancome, Mary Kay, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Origens and Philosophy. I've used the drugstore brands: Neutrogena, Aveeno, Oil of Olay, Cetaphil, Dove, Nivea, L'Oreal and Garnier.  

And guess what?

I still had ho-hum skin: flaky, red and pimple-prone.

Then we went from two incomes to one. Three children appeared. And the beauty budget? It became the diaper budget. With two in diapers most of the last five years, I'm here to admit the unflattering truth: diapering bottoms wins out over new face wash every time.

So the quest was on to find a more economical solution -- hopefully one that would A) make my skin look better and B) be Sodium Lauroamphoacetate-Sodium Trideceth Sulfate-Peg-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate-Carbomer-Cocamidopropyl Betaine-Linoleamidopropyl-Polyquaternium 7-Benzalkonium Chloride Solution-Triethanolamine-Methylparaben-Propylparaben-Imidazolidinyl Urea free...

What I discovered was the Oil Cleansing Method, which is just a fancy way of saying, "Slather oil on your face to get the dirt off." 

It works. It's cheap. I love it. (Did you know I have glowing skin? I. have. glowing. skin!) Since starting this regimen about a year ago, I have not needed to use moisturizer even once. It's the perfect all-in-one beauty product. 

Here's my super quick recipe:

I use:

• Olive oil
• Castor oil
• Lemon extract
• Sugar (& sometimes a bit of sea salt or kosher salt - it has great antiseptic properties and is an effective exfoliant)

Step #1: Fill a jar with sugar (and a bit of salt, if you'd like). This will gently keep all that flaky skin at bay!

Step #2: Add lemon extract. (You can substitute any scented extract, use actual lemon juice or put in a few drops of your fave essential oil.)

Step #3: Fill the jar with olive oil and a small amount of castor oil. The ratio that works well for me is about 8 parts olive oil to 1 part castor oil.

My advice is to start with a very minimal amount of castor oil and see how if your skin feels adequately moisturized. If it's dry or tight, try increasing the amount. Castor oil is a fabulous emollient, but too much can cause greasy skin and breakouts.

You can skip it altogether and still have a lovely facial scrub.

Step #4: Stir well, possibly adding more oil to reach your desired consistency. You'll want it to be loose but not liquid. 

Step #5: Use it! I throw mine in the shower - no mess, no fuss. I rinse thoroughly and then use a towel to dry my face well. (This ensures that no extra oil residue is left sitting on my face.)

Happy scrubbing!

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