Winter has definitely set in. Even if you have no SAD tendencies, that dry winter skin can get you down. You don’t have to turn to plastic microbeads or synthetic emollients to get your bod back to soft and silky.

Have you hit that point in winter where you shun short sleeves and wouldn’t dream of letting your SO touch your legs?

Rough, bumpy, leathery skin doesn’t take long to set in once indoor heating and dry weather are a part of the scene. Your skin may seem beyond repair right now, but all you need is a healthy body scrub. And no, microbeads are not necessary (nor are they soon going to be available, either, thanks to Obama’s recent ban).

Sugar, salt, crushed apricot kernels and walnut hulls are all used to effectively exfoliate skin–even more effective than plastic in the first place. It’s important to remember when using abrasives to be gentle and limit to once or twice per week. Another alternative is using fruit and lactic acids. These guys do the work without the physical abrasives, and can be used more often than a traditional scrub.

Winter skin is rough because it is dry. To get the most out of your body scrubs this time of year, use products with natural oils or follow up with a healthy body moisturizer.

6 Microbead-Free Body Scrubs for Winter Skin

1. Tata Harper Smoothing Body Scrub employs a variety of exfoliants – pink Himalayan and Hawaiian sea salts, cranberry fibers, apricot seed powder, and organic sugar – to get skin super smooth. Argan and olive oils moisturize and soften.

2. Raw sugar does the work in Soapwalla Almond Luxe Body Polish, while cardamom and ginger rev up a nice glow you thought you wouldn’t see until next summer.

3. For luxe feel and delicious scent with your scrub, go for Odacite Invigorating Jasmine Mimosa Body Scrub. Walnut shell powder leaves skin baby soft.

4. Mostly used as a facial treatment, I use One Love Organics Brand New Day Scrub & Mask on my decollete and arm too. Works like a charm for instant smoothness.

5. We love our coconut oil, right? S.W. Basics Body Scrub takes things to another level with this sugar and shredded coconut combo.

6. Hydrea London Carbonized Bamboo Exfoliating Gloves are another way to go when polishing the bod. Carbonized bamboo fibers produce negatively charged ions, said to recharge skin and boost the mood.

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

Related on EcoSalon

The 6 Best Hand Creams to Combat Extremely Dry Skin

7 Rich and Luxe Organic Skin Balms to Soothe and Protect Dry Winter Skin

Why Fruit Oils are Your Skin’s New Jam

Body scrub image via Shutterstock

The post 6 Microbead-Free Exfoliating Body Scrubs for Rough Winter Skin appeared first on EcoSalon.

Your best summer accessory is smooth, healthy, glowing skin.  The best (and quickest) way to stellar skin is to remove that surface layer of dead skin cells that can build up over time, making it look dull, clogging pores, and accentuating wrinkles.  Here are four lovely options to have you glowing in no time.

1. Don’t skip your scalp. We’re not kidding when we say head to toe.  Even your scalp (and overall health) can benefit from a deep clean & detox to counteract past chemical damage from synthetic products and processing. Morocco Method’s Zen Detox Hair & Scalp Therapy contains volcanic clay, hydrolyzed prickly pear cactus proteins & rare Celtic trace minerals which work to support scalp health and hair growth by detoxing the follicles, roots, and oil glands and scalp.  Note:  It takes a few rinses to wash it out completely, so have patience.

2. Off with the old.  To brighten delicate facial skin, opt for an enzyme or natural fruit acid treatment such as Arcona’s Raspberry Resurfacing Peel.  A blend of natural fruit acids dissolves dead skin cells to resurface, hydrate and oxygenate the skin while smoothing fine lines and minimizing pores and brown spots.  A great pre-event treatment for nearly instant glow.

3. Smooth and juicy.  We hate lumpy looking lipstick.  The solution?  Even lips benefit in multiple ways from a good scrub.  Exfoliate, condition and plump in a single step with The Natural’s Organic Lip Scrub.  Made using organic sugar, natural oils and beeswax, daily use eliminates flakey skin and decreases fine lines on and around the lips with continued use.

4. Polish it up.  The perfect partner for smooth, moisturized summer skin, Trillium Organic’s Body Polish features ultra purified salt crystals shaped into perfect cubes to exfoliate effectively without damaging skin.  De-congest the dermis, stimulate cellular regeneration and leave skin moisturized, smooth and glowing. Unlike other oil based salt scrubs, their unique oil blend absorbs quickly and rinses clean, leaving no greasy film behind.

While exfoliation is a great way to brighten and smooth skin, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.  To preserve the health of your skin and keep it’s natural lipid layer intact, consider exfoliating 3-4 times a week instead of every day and pay attention to how it’s feeling. If it’s feeling tight or looking red or irritated at all skip the scrub and opt for a gentle moisturizer until it’s ready for a little deep cleaning again.

Photo Credit: Miriam Cardoso de Souza

The post Exfoliate from Head to Toe (Literally) with 4 Natural Scrubs appeared first on EcoSalon.