Feeling Dry This Winter?
Growing up, I was very negligent of my skin. My grandma would beg me to rub some lotion over my dry elbows and mobilize all 4’11” of herself to chase after me and get that skin hydrated! As an Indian woman who grew up in the 50’s, she was very particular about the use of oils and protecting the skin from the harsh rays of the sun. As you may know, India is a country that prizes fair, clear complexions that are as close to sun virgins as you can keep them. Being a bit of a difficult child, I liked a good bake. Creams and lotions felt like a suffocating layer of sticky residue and I wanted to feel my skin breathe. I was happy to just wash up my face, wake up my eyelids laden with the remnants of sleep, and go about my day. It took a shameful number of years before I realized the simple luxury of spending time in the shower, letting the water loosen up the knots in my muscles and spending time massaging a nice scrub over my skin. I can feel how it energizes my body and my skin feels alive with the attention! I made it a conscious decision to use a daily moisturizer (okay I admit, I was trying to find that feminine softness for a man’s hands) and over the course of a few months, I noticed a change in my skin! It was smoother, plumper, even a bit tighter!
I’ve tried many different scrubs. Some were creamy and difficult to wash off my skin. Some felt like a lion licking my skin raw with its grittiness. Just about all of them gave me an acceptable generic result. Dead skin cells-removed. But it still felt like a chore. I would go weeks, months without using a scrub because it just wasn’t enjoyable.
Then I walked into Bath and Body Fusion and was first hit with the most beautiful herbal scents. The store was welcoming, warm, and the staff were all smiling and attentive. They let me try out several of their products before purchasing them and I was impressed with what they had to offer! I took home a Dream Glow Stone Coal Activated Charcoal Scrub and proceeded to set it in the shower to not be touched again for weeks. However, I was getting married in a couple months! I wanted my skin GLOWING. I wanted radiance, I wanted the cameras to catch all the highlights in angles of my face and body. There is something special about feeling good in your own skin. I wanted that.
I had tried the scrub in store on my hands, but let me tell you, it is a different specimen in a warm shower or bath with the beautiful aroma just lingering in the air around you! The sugar scrub was gentler than I expected. I felt like I was at a spa, using quality ingredients that my skin thirsted for. Just purely luxurious with the oils and butters gliding over my skin and locking in the moisture.
What is Dream Glow Stone Coal Activated Charcoal Scrub?
This scrub has just about everything I’m looking for. I’m not the biggest fan of salt scrubs because of the harsher feel of them. My grandma used to tell me that when she was younger, they would use the husk of a coconut to exfoliate their skin. Although she grew up in a very underprivileged and rural part of Kerala, I find it fascinating that the natural ingredients and techniques used then are finding its way into the market now and gaining traction.
First of all, what’s the difference between these two white crystals in a scrub anyway?
Salt scrubs will be rougher, they don’t dissolve very easily. They have anti-inflammatory action so it is great for sore muscles, and it’s also detoxifying. It is best used on areas of the body like the legs, elbows, feet, and knees. Sugar scrubs on the other hand are gentler, they are also safe to use on more delicate areas like the face as well as the rest of your body. Sugar scrubs are mainly just to remove dead skin cells but what’s great about the Stone Coal scrub is that it also contains activated charcoal as well as white and brown sugar. Honestly, you just don’t miss out on any benefits from a salt scrub that you might in a regular sugar scrub. Activated charcoal packs a punch here with it’s antimicrobial and anti-fungal actions. It deeply cleanses the skin and removes impurities while also shrinking pores. If you take a look at activated charcoal under a microscope, it actually looks like a porous sponge. Clearly having that power to slurp up all that excess oil on your face and hold onto it. Now we get to the brown sugar. Brown sugar contains glycolic acid. Yes, the same stuff used for a chemical peal, the same stuff we see coming out now in lotions and serums. It helps to smooth out the texture of the skin and create an even tone.
Ingredients
1. Sugar
2. Apricot Oil
3. Coconut Oil
4. Mango Butter
5. Activated Charcoal
6. Vitamin E
7. Lime Essential Oil
8. Tea Tree Essential Oil
9. Frankincense Essential Oil
10. Rosewood Essential Oil
Taking care of your skin is more important than covering it up and hiding behind fancy tags. Have you tried this scrub yet? Comment below and let me know what you think!
