Four Best Natural Skin Exfoliator that You Must Know – Exfoliation is an important part of skin care. Basically it is the process of shedding or peeling the dead skin cells off the top layer of our skin, so that our skin stays healthy and can absorb the nourishing skin care products that we use. It also de-congest our skin and reduces acne, pimples, blackheads and whiteheads. Exfoliation is a natural process, which means our body automatically shed off the dead skin cells regularly. But its a slow process and manual exfoliation helps to speed it off. In case you are not sure what you should use for exfoliation, let us tell you that natural exfoliators are the best. Honey, sugar, yogurt, coffee etc are some of the best natural skin exfoliators. Below is a list of best natural skin exfoliator to try at home.
Check – DIY Coffee Body Scrub Recipes

Best Natural Skin Exfoliator
1. Use Sugar as Natural Skin Exfoliator
Why to use?
Sugar is a great natural exfoliator for our skin. Not only it provides topical exfoliation, but also benefits our skin with chemical exfoliation. The mildly abrasive sugar granules work excellent to exfoliate the top layer of the skin and remove the impurities, dirt, excess sebum as well as dead skin cells.
Along with that, sugar is a great natural source of glycolic acid. Glycolic acid belongs to the AHA family. It can penetrate the skin and dissolve the ‘glue’ that binds to the skin cells. This helps in easy removal of dead skin cells and also promotes faster cell turnover for fresher, younger looking skin.
Also, glycolic acid works wonderfully to heal sun damaged skin, and it is also highly beneficial to treat premature aging signs on the skin as well. Regular use of sugar scrub helps to smoothen out the wrinkles and lines and also reverse the damage done by UV rays.
Sugar is a natural humectant. It means sugar has the ability to absorb moisture from the air and lock it in the skin, thus ensuring skin stays moisturized and hydrated. This makes sugar scrub highly effective not only for dry skin types, but also those with oily skin type.
Our skin gets oily when the sebaceous glands produce more oil that what is required. This excess oil production can be the result of dehydrated skin layers. By locking moisture in to the skin cells, sugar prevents the over production of sebum and keeps excess oil at bay. Sugar scrubs are more hydrating than other scrubs, hence best for dry skin as well.
Regular application of sugar scrubs can boost blood circulation in the skin. Better blood circulation leads to better oxygen and other nutrients flow to the cells, which boosts the overall health of the skin. Also, it helps promoting collagen production and keeps the skin smooth, supple as well as nourished.
How to use sugar as natural skin exfoliator?
Sugar and Vitamin E Oil – Take a tbsp of sugar and mix it with required amount of vitamin E oil to get a paste like consistency. Apply this natural skin exfoliator on the face and neck and then massage in gentle circular motions. Wash off with fresh water. Repeat twice or thrice in a week.
Sugar and Aloe Vera – Combine sugar and aloe vera gel in 2:1 ratio. Apply the resultant mixture on the face as well as neck and then gently massage in circular motions to exfoliate the skin. Wash off with fresh water and reapply this natural skin exfoliator twice in a week.
Sugar and Tomato Juice – Grate one tomato and then extract the juice from grated tomato. Add 2 tbsp sugar to that and gently mix the ingredients. Apply the mixture on the face as well as neck and then massage for 3-4 minutes for exfoliation. Wash off with cool water and reapply twice in a week.
Sugar and Honey – In a bowl, take 1 tbsp each of raw honey and sugar. Mix together to prepare this homemade natural exfoliator. Apply on the face and neck and massage gently with your fingertips. Let it sit on the skin for another 5 minutes. Finally wash off with fresh water. Reapply 2 times in a week.
Sugar and Olive Oil – Take a tbsp sugar and add required amount of olive oil to that. Mix together and use this mixture to exfoliate your face and neck. Wash off with fresh water and reapply once in 2-3 days.
2. Use Strawberry as Natural Skin Exfoliator
Why to use?
Strawberries come with excellent exfoliation benefits. They are acidic in nature which helps in getting rid of excess oil and other impurities from the skin surface. Strawberries are a great source of vitamin C, which has astringent properties. This is why strawberries are so effective in keeping skin oil free.
Strawberries contain salicylic acid. Salicylic acid, as we know, is extremely effective to purify skin. It exfoliates the skin, removes the dead skin cells as well as other impurities from the top skin layer. This helps in reducing breakouts and makes skin clean and clear.
Strawberries come loaded with AHAs. These alpha hydroxy acids are extremely beneficial to drive away the free radicals and protect the skin from several damages. They exfoliate the skin and help to lighten age spots, acne scars as well as blemishes and let us achieve clear skin.
Mashed strawberries has a slightly coarse texture which exfoliates the skin topically, whereas the AHAs present in the fruit provides chemical exfoliation. Using strawberry scrub on regular basis, helps to unclog the pores and remove the impurities. This way, strawberries cleanses the skin deeply and boost skin health.
Strawberries help to enhance our complexion. It is a great source of vitamin C, which has anti oxidant benefits and it helps with faster cell regeneration which leads to healthier and brighter complexion. Strawberries also contain folic acid, which boosts healthy cell regeneration and improves our complexion. Furthermore, omega-3 fatty acids present in strawberry also help to achieve lighter as well as brighter complexion.
These conical shaped beauties also contain ellagic acid which helps to heal damaged skin and promotes youthful, healthy skin. Regular application of strawberry scrub not only boosts our complexion, but also helps to avoid a number of skin problems, including acne, blackheads, etc.
How to use strawberry as natural skin exfoliator?
Mashed Strawberry – Take 4-5 fresh strawberries and cut them in small pieces. Mash them with a fork and prepare a paste. You can also blend the strawberry pieces to prepare this scrub. Apply the mashed strawberries on your face as well as neck and massage gently with your fingertips. Let it sit on the skin for next 5 minutes and then wash off with fresh water. Reapply this natural skin exfoliator twice in a week.
Strawberry and Rice Flour – Take a few fresh strawberries and cut them in small pieces. Prepare strawberry pulp by blending them. Take out and add a tbsp rice flour to that. Mix together and if required, add some water. Apply this natural skin exfoliator onto the face as well as neck and gently massage for few minutes to exfoliate the skin. Keep it on the skin for few minutes. Wash off with plain water and repeat this procedure twice or thrice in a week.
Strawberry and Lemon Juice – Take 3-4 strawberries and mash them. Add a tsp of fresh lemon juice there. Mix both the ingredients together and apply the mixture on your face and neck. Gently exfoliate the skin for few minutes and then wash off using fresh water. Repeat 2-3 times in a week.
Strawberry and Milk – Take few fresh strawberries and blend them to get strawberry pulp. Add some milk to the strawberry pulp and mix together. Use the mixture to exfoliate your face as well as neck. Wash off. Repeat twice or thrice weekly.
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3. Use Yogurt as Natural Skin Exfoliator
Why to use?
Most of us know that yogurt has wonderful moisturization properties. But along with that, it offers great exfoliation benefits as well. Yogurt contains lactic acid, which belongs to the AHA family. Lactic acid exfoliates the skin and removes the debris that accumulate on skin surface. The best part is that lactic acid doesn’t dry out the skin, instead it adds nourishment and moisturization to boost our overall skin health.
Yogurt is a great source of B vitamins. Vitamin B2 found in yogurt has anti oxidant benefits. It protects our skin cells against oxidative stress, thus avoiding various skin problems, including skin dryness, premature aging of skin etc. Also it boosts healthy cell growth and helps in manufacturing healthy cellular fats. This helps in repairing skin damages. Vitamin B5 as well as B12 in yogurt also help with moisturizing dry skin.
Sun exposure is one of the worst enemies of sensitive skin. Yogurt contains zinc, a vital mineral that comes with anti inflammatory benefits and helps treating sun damaged skin.
Vitamin D is another important vitamin for skin. But our body cannot synthesize it on its own. Milk and its by-products, like yogurt comes with vitamin D that help fulfilling the requirement and ensures healthy skin.
Calcium is a vital mineral for our skin, as the outermost layer of skin contains a high amount of calcium. Any deficiency of calcium can cause dry and rough skin. Yogurt, being a rich source of calcium, helps fulfilling calcium deficiency and prevents skin dryness. Calcium also helps with cell renewal process, thus making skin bright, healthy and soft naturally.
How to use yogurt as natural skin exfoliator?
Apply Plain Yogurt – Take 1-2 tbsp fresh, plain yogurt and whisk it thoroughly with the help of a fork. Massage it on to the face as well as neck in circular motion with your fingertips, for 3-5 minutes. Let it stay on the skin for another few minutes and then wash off with fresh water. Reapply twice or thrice weekly. This is a great natural exfoliator for our skin.
Yogurt and Raw Honey – Take a tbsp fresh and unflavored yogurt and mix it with half tbsp raw honey. Massage the resultant mixture onto the face as well as neck to exfoliate the skin. Wait for another few minutes and then wash off with plain water. Repeat this natural skin exfoliator 2-3 times in a week.
Yogurt and Baking Soda – In a bowl, take a tbsp baking soda and add some fresh, plain yogurt to that. Mix the ingredients to prepare a coarse paste. Apply it all over the face and neck and exfoliate the skin in gentle circular motion for at least 3 minutes. Wash off with fresh water and repeat twice in a week.
Yogurt and Lemon Juice – Take a tbsp fresh and unflavored yogurt in a bowl and add one tsp fresh lemon juice. Mix together. Apply the resultant mixture all over the face as well as neck and gently massage with fingertips for some time. Wait for few minutes before washing off with fresh water. Repeat this homemade natural skin exfoliator twice or thrice in a week.
Yogurt and Papaya – Put few papaya cubes in a blender and make papaya pulp. You can also prepare a pulp by mashing a few papaya cubes using your fingers or a fork. Mix together a tbsp each of mashed papaya and fresh, plain yogurt. Apply the resultant mixture on the face and neck and exfoliate your skin for few minutes. Wash off with fresh water. Reapply twice or thrice in a week.
4. Use Rice Flour as Natural Skin Exfoliator
Why to use?
Rice flour or rice powder has amazing exfoliation benefits for our skin. When mixed with other ingredients like water, coconut milk, plain milk etc, it eliminates the dirt, dead skin cells and impurities from the skin surface and helps to unveil brighter, softer and smoother skin.
Rice flour contains ‘allantoin’ which has great soothing properties for our skin. Allantoin is non-toxic, non-allergenic, anti-inflammatory as well as anti-irritant. It protects our skin from sun damage and other irritants.
Allantoin has several other benefits for our skin. It can boost cell proliferation and new tissue growth that helps heal wounds. Rice flour feels very soothing on our skin, and the presence of allantoin has to be credited to for this. It calms down irritated, sensitive skin with its anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as reduces redness.
Also, it offers natural exfoliation. Allantoin removes the layers of dead skin cells and keratin, thus improving the hydration level of the skin and repairing dry, dehydrated skin.
Rice flour has great absorbing benefits. It soaks up excess oil from the skin and prevent clogged pores, thus reducing chances of acne, pimples, blackheads etc. Rich in B vitamins, rice flour promotes new cell production, thus making skin healthier, softer and brighter. It can also boost collagen production in the skin, and keeps premature aging at bay.
Sensitive skin should always protect itself from sun. Rice flour contains PABA or para aminobenzoic acid that acts as a natural sunscreen.
How to use rice flour as natural skin exfoliator?
Milk and Rice Flour – In a bowl, take a tbsp of rice flour and prepare a paste by adding some milk to that. Apply this natural skin exfoliator all over the face and neck, massaging gently with your fingertips for few minutes. Wash off with fresh, cool water. Repeat the entire process 2-3 times every week.
Green Tea and Rice Flour – Prepare some green tea, remove from heat and keep aside. Let it reach room temperature. Take a tbsp of rice flour in a bowl and add required amount of green tea in it. Mix together and prepare a paste. Apply this all over the face and neck and massage the skin gently with your fingertips for few minutes. Wash off with fresh water and reapply this homemade natural skin exfoliator twice or thrice in a week.
Rice Flour and Aloe Vera – Prepare the scrub by mixing together a tbsp of rice flour and some fresh aloe vera gel. If it appears too thick, add some water. Once the scrub is ready, apply it all over the face and neck and exfoliate the skin gently for few minutes. Wait for few minutes before rinsing off with fresh water. Repeat twice or thrice in a week.
Rice Flour and Rose Water – Take some rice flour in a bowl and add required amount of rose water to it. Mix together and use the mixture to exfoliate your skin. Wash off with fresh water and repeat 2-3 times per week.
These are four amazing natural skin exfoliator that work wonders for our skin. They are safe for our skin and if you decide to be consistent, your skin will definitely thank you for all your efforts.