Everyone seems to know what a scrub is and who needs one. However, people often ask how to use it properly, how often, and how does salt scrub differ from sugar? In this article, I will answer these questions.
Salt scrub Sugar scrub where better how to choose Scrubs are most often used to cleanse the skin, smooth it and prepare it for the application of nourishing and healing substances. Our skin is our largest organ, and an excretory one at that, so we want to cleanse it of sweat, toxins, slags and other impurities often enough. It is generally recommended to use a body or facial scrub once or even twice a week, but I believe that scrubs should be used as you feel and need them. Thin and sensitive skin should definitely not be scrubbed so often, but we can afford to scrub our feet, especially in summer, even every day. It is up to each individual to listen to his or her own feelings, the condition of the skin and the need for deep cleansing, as the skin should be treated as much as possible while preserving its natural protective layer.
Salt rubs are the most commonly used in cosmetics, precisely because of their effectiveness. Sea salt is the best for body treatments. The less processed it is, the more valuable it is. It is obtained by evaporating water from sea or ocean water. The salt water is purified of micro-organisms by industrial methods and the salt is produced in a factory to the required grain size. Sea salt is usually produced ecologically by solar and wind power, but salt produced in this way does not meet hygiene and cleanliness requirements and standards. Salt which is microbiologically pure and can only be produced industrially is suitable for cosmetic production.
The salt scrub scrubs away dead skin cells, cleans pores, improves microcirculation, benefits skin elasticity, tone and reduces cellulite. An added bonus of the salt scrub is that sea salt contains many trace elements (including potassium, magnesium, iron and calcium) that can restore the necessary mineral balance in the body. By cleansing the skin of the body, the sea salt scrub creates osmotic pressure, thus helping to draw out excess fluid and toxins that have accumulated on the surface of the skin and stimulating lymphatic drainage. Of course, to achieve this effect, the scrub must be left on the skin for 7-8 minutes after application.
Sugar scrubs also cleanse the skin, nourish it and saturate it with beneficial substances. The literature mentions that sugar scrubs form a film on the skin and do not allow moisture to penetrate from the surface, so all the active substances added to the sugar are absorbed more quickly. Like all scrubs, sugar scrubs scrub away dead skin cells and at the same time activate skin renewal processes, but do not have as many other benefits as salt scrubs. We also know that the industrial production of sugar is much more compact than that of salt and uses chemicals.
Let's also look a little at the shape of sugar and salt crystals. Visually, salt and sugar crystals look similar, but at the molecular level they have several differences. The shape of a salt crystal is a cube with six sides - like a dice. The ionic bonds in salt are very specific and the crystal is formed only by the strict ordering of one metal (sodium) and one non-metal (chlorine) ion. The salt molecule therefore has a regular shape. In contrast, sugar crystals form a hexagonal prism, but their crystal lattice is not so strictly ordered, so sugar crystals have sharper edges and less regular shapes. I see this as another advantage of salt, as its crystals will be softer on the skin, not as sharp as sugar.
Another difference between salt and sugar crystals is their colour. Sugar crystals are clear and shiny, while salt crystals are duller and have a kind of matt or white colour. However, colour is irrelevant to the composition of the scrub, as is the different taste of salt and sugar. Sugar and salt are good preservatives in their own right and both can be stored for a long time; neither has an expiry date, it is just not advisable to store them open and in damp conditions.
The differences in the crystal shapes shown in the figure are due to the different melting points of salt and sugar: sugar will melt at 186ºC, while salt will only melt at 800ºC. The solubility in water is also different: sugar is very soluble and even 200 g of sugar will dissolve in 100 ml of water. Salt, on the other hand, will dissolve only 35 g in 100 ml of water. You can find out for yourself by doing an experiment at home.
People have known how to extract and use salt since prehistoric times, it is more natural and the body's response to it will be friendlier and more effective. After weighing up the pros and cons, the main scrubbing agent in Green Wing scrubs is sea salt. In our shop you can buy 2 types of scrubs:
- Berry scrub with raspberry and blackcurrant pieces and berry aroma;
- Quince shave with quince seeds and quince essential oil.
The advantage of Green Wing salt scrubs is that they can be added to your bath or foot bath, as they contain only natural ingredients - salt, herbs and oil.
Ideally, the scrub should be combined with a sauna or after a hot shower. The scrub should not be used on irritated, red, freshly waxed or epilated skin! Additional irritation can cause inflammation.
If you use the scrub regularly, massage it into the skin and rinse. To cleanse your skin more deeply, you can also massage your skin in addition to the scrub - massage your skin in circular motions for about 5 minutes until it turns pink. If your skin feels tingly, don't scrub, but if it feels good, keep the scrub on your skin as a mask for another 5 minutes to let the nutrients penetrate deeper before rinsing off.
Scrubbing the skin in the right direction - all movements should be in the direction of the heart - can have a better effect. This also follows the direction of lymphatic flow. Do it without rushing, so that you not only move the top layer of the skin, but also have a deeper effect.
- The feet are treated first, from the toes upwards, on the back of the foot from the sole up to the knee joint, then further up.
- Hands from the fingertips, then along the palm, up the arm to the elbow and then towards the shoulder and armpit.
- Massage the abdomen in a clockwise circular motion, from the waist upwards, below the waist downwards.
- The back is massaged in a circular motion towards the armpits, then the buttocks.
A scrub literally opens the skin, sloughs off excess, so it should definitely be followed by a cream, oil or lotion that closes the skin - helping to restore the skin's natural protective barrier, a thin, invisible layer of hydrolipids. After a scrub, any cosmetic product has a particularly deep and effective effect, so it is advisable to choose effective cosmetics that have a specific purpose: to reduce cellulite, tighten and firm the skin, hydrate, nourish or contour the body. Green Wing products include Lemongrass Body Oil or Berry Body Butter to nourish, moisturise and heal the skin.
3 simple scrub recipes to make at home
1) Coffee scrub.
Take fresh coffee grounds after drinking a cup of coffee or a handful of ground coffee straight from the packet and moisten. Massage thoroughly into the skin while showering. If desired and you have some at home, you can add a spoonful of oil and a drop of essential oil for a stronger effect. A simple drop of vanilla essence will make a very pleasant scrub. Do not store coffee grounds as they will quickly mould.
2) Dry salt scrub with herbs
Take not too coarse table salt, sea salt or any other salt you have at home, add herbs ground in a coffee grinder (e.g. lavender, chamomile, peppermint - optional), add a drop of essential oil if you like. Use in the sauna or in the shower after thoroughly scrubbing. This scrub is suitable for all those who do not like an oily feeling. The shelf life of this scrub will be at least 2 years.
3) Scrub with oil
Take sugar or salt, add ground herbs (e.g. chamomile, heather, lavender flowers, calendula or rose petals) or seeds (e.g. raspberry, poppy), add oil if desired - rapeseed, sunflower, if available, you can also take cosmetic oils - grapeseed, almond, etc. Mix everything, add a few drops of essential oil of your choice. Adjust the consistency by adding more salt or oil, as the plant particles in the oil will soak in and look more and more intense in the scrub. This scrub will last for about a year if you keep it in a cool place in a closed container.
Let your creativity, colours and scents run free, as there are always raw materials at home to make your own scrub. Good luck!
