Skip the synthetic foaming agents, fragrances and other artificial ingredients in Dove exfoliating body polish and make your own! My natural exfoliating body polish with anti-aging essential oils is a natural alternative that you’ll absolutely fall in love with. Plus discover more natural ways to care for your skin through whole body care using natural plant-based ingredients, botanicals and essential oils.

If your skin is like mine, you probably grew up with itchy bumps from dry skin. Or maybe dairy triggered excruciating eczema. My mom used to rinse our clothes twice because the synthetic fragrances in everything (EVERYTHING!) back then would break both my brother and I out in hives. Luckily, we know more about the ingredients in the everyday products we use. And there are a lot more options.

Unfortunately, factors outside of our control such as seasonal changes and age, can still make skin care a challenge. As we age it becomes more important than ever to care for your skin both from the inside and on the outside. There are a number of herbal remedies and foods we can ingest to care for our skin in addition to staying hydrated by drinking more water. But sometimes that’s not always enough. That’s where external skin care comes in. Together, both nutrition and external skin care are able to work in tandem for skin that looks and feels healthy. 

Using An Exfoliating Body Polish for Natural Anti-Aging Skin Care

As winter weather starts sneaking in, I always always have to increase my water intake. Unfortunately, dry skin still likes to sneak in – even if I keep my gut health in check. And, as I’ve ventured into my forties, it’s actually gotten worse. My biggest skin care pet peeve has to be unsightly skin tags though. I mean, what are those? Due to the cold weather coupled with aging (OMG my hands betray my age every single time if not properly moisturized) I really have to amp up my natural skin care care routine in the winter. 

My favorite way to fight both the visible effects of aging as well as dry skin is by using an exfoliating body polish. It’s really an incredibly simple and easy way to exfoliate and hydrate skin. Plus, by simply adding a few essential oils, I can give my exfoliating body polish an extra anti-aging boost to help fight the visible signs of aging and encourage cellular turnover. Used regularly, my natural exfoliating body polish not only gives me beautiful soft skin, it also helps to diminish the visible signs of aging. So (fingers crossed) I can on looking a decade younger than my real age. 

Why Use a Natural Exfoliating Body Polish?

If you have sensitive skin or even chronic health issues, then you probably already avoid artificial fragrances and other synthetic ingredients. It’s through personal experience, and that unpleasant reaction, that you understand the impact certain ingredients can have. For me, I know artificial fragrances not only irritate my skin but often they trigger an allergic reaction in other ways, whether it’s a pounding headache or sneezing. Likewise, the aluminum in many commercial deodorants also throws my body out wack. (Since switching to natural deodorant, I have fewer problems. I also sweat less AND my sweat doesn’t stink like it did.)

As my exfoliating body polish recipe is all natural, I don’t have to worry about allergies or sensitivities to synthetic ingredients. I’m able to source my ingredients for my skin care recipes from businesses I trust. Therefore I always know what’s going onto (and possibly into) my skin. Because skin care is so important to me, I love to use fair trade and organic ingredients from Mountain Rose Herbs whenever possible. I’ve been shopping with them since 1995 and I’ve found that their ingredients make a huge difference in my natural skin care recipes. I also know I can always trust them to provide pure essential oils at a reasonable price for  maximum quality. 

By choosing quality skin care ingredients and combining them in recipes designed for anti-aging skin care, I’m able to naturally care for my maturing skin without the fear of accelerating aging or causing additional skin damage.

Formulating Your Own Custom Skin Care Products

While making your own natural skin care products is fine and dandy, it’s important to know if the recipes you’re using are safe. It’s also important to have a solid understanding of the ingredients that are beneficial to your skin in addition to why and how they are useful. This lays the foundation for you to begin formulating your own customer skin care recipes. Therefore, before I share my natural exfoliating body polish recipe with you, I first want to tell you how to get started creating your own custom body formulations. 

Getting Started Making Natural Skin Care Recipes

Twenty short years ago, I started making my own soap.  The Internet was in its infancy, so there weren’t a lot of resources available online. I had to go to the actual library and order real books online to get more information. When I made the natural transition to DIY natural beauty and skin care seven years ago, there still wasn’t a lot of information online. What was available was hard to find and not always reliable or even safe. (The very first olive oil Castile soap recipe I tried didn’t even mention WEIGHING the ingredients!)

Even though I consider myself somewhat advanced when it comes to making natural skin care products, I still have a lot to learn. And I’m amazed by just how much there is to learn. There are so many different ingredients I don’t know enough about. Not to mention safe usage for herbs and essential oils. These vary not just based on the ingredient but a person’s age as well as health can play a huge factor as well.

Of course, going back to school is not an option for me. Tuition, as you know, is completely out of control. (My son’s college was $43k a year to live off campus! Thank goodness scholarships covered the bulk of it.) So instead, I take the courses offered by The Herbal Academy. I recently took their Botanical Skin Care course and learned so much about herbs and their role in natural beauty. Not only is this course full of skin care recipes for the face and body, but it also has advice for using herbal supplements for better skin health. And that additional insight was invaluable! I love how everything I need to know is one place so I don’t have to hunt down information. And, if I want to learn more, additional resources are provided so I can access more research if needed.

What’s In The Botanical Skin Care Course?

If you’re new to The Herbal Academy, they offer full courses on how to use herbs in your daily life. The courses are all online, and you can complete them at your own pace. Once you buy access to a course, you’ll have online access to the course for one year. Once completed, you’ll earn your certificate. (Don’t worry about losing access to the course after a year, however. The entire course can be downloaded via PDF format so you can refer back to it for as long as you need. Just like old school paper books.)

They have classes for general herbalism learning from beginner to advanced, so you can take classes no matter your current skill level. They also offer specialized courses a few times a year. (Alternately, if you can’t take on a huge course at this time – because life – then consider a membership to The Herbarium.)

In the Botanical Skin Care Course, you’ll learn:

• The Foundations of Supporting the Skin
• Skin and Sun
• Choosing Herbs for Your Skin Type
• Support for Chronic Skin Conditions (including topical and how to care for your skin from the inside out)
• Support for Acute Skin Conditions

This course is full of natural skin care recipes that you can make at home. The best part is that the recipes are formulated for every skin type. They give several recipes for cleansing, masks, scrubs, toners, serums and moisturizers for your daily skin care routine. Each recipe has information about the type of skin it’s best for, so you can create a custom skin care routine for your skin’s needs.

It also has a module on protecting your skin from the sun, which can help reduce the signs of aging from sun damage. There are several natural skin care recipes to use on your skin after spending time in the sun to keep your skin looking amazing after sun exposure.

One module is devoted to choosing the best herbs for your skin type beyond the typical dry or oily skin. It takes into consideration both your natural skin type and the climate in which you live. There’s a printable worksheet so you can determine your skin’s needs and choose the best herbs for your skin type.

Learn more about both chronic and acute skin conditions in the next two modules. Internal factors can cause some chronic skin conditions like eczema, acne, psoriasis and rosacea. It not only teaches you about the best herbs for these conditions both topically and to use as a supplement, but it also has several recipes to make at home.

The Herbal Academy recommends using Mountain Rose Herbs. As previously mentioned, I’ve been using Mountain Rose Herbs for many many years. They offer high quality herbs at affordable prices. Pus, when you sign up for the Botanical Skin Care Course, you’ll get a discount on herbs through Mountain Rose Herbs as an extra perk.

Why I Love the Botanical Skin Care Course

Like I said, when I started making DIY bath and body products, there wasn’t a lot of information available. Now there is, but I want to make sure that I’m using being responsible with herbs, essential oils and other natural ingredients. I also want to make sure that you, my readers, are getting the most accurate information.

The Herbal Academy is a trusted source for using herbs at home. Their team of herbalists have studied herbs and how to use them safely for years. I feel confident using their courses because they have done the research and know how to use herbs for natural beauty.

I love the fact that I can learn at my own pace. Some weeks I have several hours to devote to working on the course, but other weeks I only have an hour or two to learn. Since the courses are self guided and available for download, you have plenty of time to read through the course and learn.

The online format is very convenient for me. It’s perfect for most people because you can learn at any time, day or night. For those who have full time jobs or families, this is an easier way to learn than taking a class. You can also learn on your couch in your pajamas if you want to. It’s also a great option for those who don’t live close to an herbal class because you don’t need to worry about getting there for each class.

Not only is The Herbal Academy convenient, but it’s also affordable. If you attended these classes in person, expect to pay a lot more per class. Taking an online course is a great way to learn about herbs without investing a lot of money.

As you read through the course, you may have some questions. The Herbal Academy offers support with printed materials and live forums. They are also active on social media. They answer phone calls and emails to help you understand the course and answer questions that you may have.

I’ve taken several courses at The Herbal Academy, but the Botanical Skin Care course is probably my favorite so far. It has a lot of information in it, but it’s broken down into manageable modules for easier learning.

I use herbs both as natural supplements and topically for skin care. This course taught me more about using them as a supplement to help my skin from the inside out. There are recipes for herbal teas that you can make to support your skin’s health.

The course is also available as a PDF, so you can print it and read it on paper if you want. I like that option so I can highlight and make notes. After spending most of my day on the computer editing photos and writing, my eyes need a break from the screen. This is a great option for those who want to reduce screen time or eye strain from blue light.

In fact, it was the Herbal Academy Botanical Skin Care course that inspired my anti-aging, exfoliating body polish recipe! (Which you can learn to make – and customize -below!) 

About My Natural Exfoliating Body Polish

Helping your skin from the inside out with herbs takes a while. You won’t see the effects for weeks or even months, so don’t get discouraged. If you want to see a more immediate result, try my natural exfoliating body polish recipe.

My exfoliating body polish is similar a body scrub. It helps slough off dead skin cells for brighter and fresher looking skin. If you have dry skin, this can help reduce itching and flaking by removing the top layer of dead skin cells from the surface of your skin. The sweet almond oil and mango butter also help to hydrate skin with fatty acids and nourish the skin with vitamins and minerals.

Using salt in an exfoliating body polish can help slough off more dead skin cells than sugar can because of the texture of the salt. For my exfoliating body polish recipe I chose to use fine grain Himalayan pink salt as it’s rich in trace minerals. The salt is then balanced with pink kaolin clay, which is a milder exfoliant. Since it is more abrasive than sugar, use this no more than once a week. Alternately, you can easily substitute the exfoliants to make my exfoliating body polish suitable for everyday use, as well as a scrub for facial care. (I’ll explain more after the recipe.) 

Anti-Aging Essential Oil Blend

Of course, because I am in my mid-forties (shhhhhh.) I used an anti-aging essential oil blend for this exfoliating body polish recipe. It kept the essential oil usage low. However, you can increase the them if desired. Typically you can use essential oils up to 2% of your natural skin care recipes for a wash off product. However, it is important to note that some essential oils, such as cinnamon or clove, should be used at a lesser percentage to avoid skin irritation.

I used the following essential oils for my exfoliating body polish recipe:

• Frankincense essential oil
• Rose essential oil
• Helichrysum essential oil
• Myrrh essential oil
• Lavender essential oil

Frankincense is probably the most common anti-aging essential oil. It can help even the skin tone by reducing dark spots. It also helps tone and tighten the skin. (There are four varieties of frankincense essential oil available. You can learn about the different types and their properties here as well as discover my natural rose body butter recipe.)

Rose essential oil is excellent for dry skin. It has vitamin C to promote collagen production to decrease the signs of aging. (You can try either geranium essential oil or palmarosa essential oil in lieu of the rose if it is cost prohibitive.)

Helichrysum is excellent for the skin. It can help rejuvenate and restore the skin and help make your skin glow.

Myrrh essential oil is often used for its anti-aging properties. It also helps fade age spots and can reduce the appearance of fine lines.

Lavender has some anti-aging properties and can help reduce the appearance of lines. It’s a gentle oil and can help soothe the skin.

My anti-aging essential oil blend, while effective, doesn’t smell like roses. (Despite the inclusion of rose essential oil.) So feel free to swap out the essential oil blend with one of your choosing if scents are important to you. One of my favorite multi-purpose essential oil blends for natural skin care is my eucalyptus and orange essential oil blend. (You can find that essential oil blend recipe here.)

Natural Exfoliating Body Polish Recipe

© Rebecca D. Dillon

Ingredients:

.25 ounces emulsifying wax
.4 ounces stearic acid
1.5 ounces sweet almond oil
1.25 ounces mango butter
.15 ounces pink kaolin clay
10 ounces Himalayan pink salt, finely ground
5 drops rose essential oil
5 drops frankincense essential oil
3 drops helichrysum essential oil
2 drops myrrh essential oil
2 drops lavender essential oil

Instructions:

A natural preservative is recommended for this product as it may come in contact with water doing use. Should you choose to omit a preservative, I would remove desired amount from the container before showering or bathing to retain the integrity of this exfoliating body polish. 

You will need to digital scale to weigh all the ingredients for my exfoliating body polish recipe. If you are using a natural preservative (covered in the Botanical Skin Care course) then use the percentage called for by the manufacturer. Also be sure to the add the preservative at or below the temperature called for by the manufacturer based on the preservative you’ve chosen.

To begin, use a double boiler to melt the emulsifying wax, stearic acid and mango butter. When these ingredients are fully melted, remove from heat.

Stir in the sweet almond oil. Then, using a glass dropper, add each of the essential oils called for in my exfoliating body polish recipe. Stir well.

In a separate container, combine the pink kaolin clay and the pink Himalayan salt,  Mix well to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Then add the dry ingredients to the melted wax, oils and butter. Stir well. Allow the mixture to thicken, then restir before packaging.

Spoon evenly into three 4 oz. low profile jars. You can also use a 6 oz. mason jar. Screw on the lid then label as desired for personal use or homemade gifts.

How to Use Your Exfoliating Body Polish

To use your exfoliating body polish, scoop about ¼ of a cup of the body polish out of the jar and massage onto wet skin in a circular motion. Rinse well, then pat dry.

I recommend using this natural, exfoliating body polish once a week for soft, beautiful skin.

Customizing Your Exfoliating Body Wash

Exfoliant Alternatives for Your Exfoliating Body Polish

To use this exfoliating body polish recipe for sensitive skin or for facial care, try using an extra fine Himalayan pink salt. Alternately, you can also use superfine caster sugar or a combination of both depending on your skin’s sensitivity. You can also mix the two together at a 50/50 ratio or a 25/75 salt to sugar ratio. Using a milder exfoliant makes this exfoliating body polish suitable for daily use.

How to Make a Skin Cleansing Version of This Body Polish

Making a natural skin cleansing version of my exfoliating body polish recipe is easy. And you won’t need to add any synthetic cleansers or foaming agents, such as Sodium Laureth Sulfate, that the Dove exfoliating body polish has. Simply substitute part of the carrier oil with a natural, unscented liquid Castile soap. I recommend subbing between .25 oz. and .5 oz. 

Swap Out Your Carrier Oil for More Custom Skin Care

You don’t have to use sweet almond oil for my exfoliating body polish recipe. My favorite anti-aging carrier oils include rosehip seed oil, pomegranate seed oil, camellia (tea) seed oil and argan oil. Hemp seed oil is also a great option. To learn more about the benefits and properties of carrier oils, check out the book, Carrier Oils, by Cari Dunn. This book is a beginner’s guide to using over 40 carrier oils in bath and beauty recipes.

If you love my natural exfoliating body polish recipe with anti-aging essential oils, then don’t forget to pin this natural skin care recipe for later. Or, if you’re ready to learn more about the Botanical Skin Care course, click here to sign up. (You can also check out my detailed review of the Botanical Skin Care course here.)

More Exfoliating Body Polish Recipes

If you like my natural exfoliating body polish recipe with anti-aging essential oils, then you’ll also want to try these other homemade body scrub recipes.

• Exfoliating Solid Salt Scrub Bar Recipe
• Sea Salt Face & Body Scrub Recipe
• Anti-Aging Coffee Scrub Recipe

To discover more great, natural skin care recipes from Soap Deli News blog, be sure to follow me on Pinterest, Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up for my newsletter. Alternately, you can explore my own easy melt and pour soap recipes for beginners here.