Everything You Need To Know About Body Polishing At Home

Body polishing is a process that uses a physical scrub to polish the top layer of your skin to slough off the dead skin cells. Getting rid of dead skin cells is necessary to keep your skin smooth and fresh. If not exfoliated, your skin can accumulate the build-up and become rough, dry, and patchy. Body polishing is also important to keep your pores from clogging and keep your skin soft to touch. The procedure is elaborate, yet gentle enough to not be too ablative on the skin like other skin treatments. The body scrub used for polishing is usually grainy and made of uniform particles to avoid over-exfoliating your skin. The process is often combined with a calming massage to boost blood circulation and make your skin supple from within.

Unlike more advanced body treatments done at the salon, like laser and microdermabrasion, body polishing at home is a relatively safe treatment for most skin types. The procedure doubles up as a cleanser to rid your body skin of dirt, oil and product build up. The at-home treatment is also therapeutic in nature and helps alleviate a number of issues of different skin types. Having said that, people with sensitive skin may need to take some precautions to avoid adverse effects on their skin. They should always make sure to use gentle force and use hypoallergenic and skin-safe scrubs to polish their skin at home.

An at-home body polishing procedure can help address a number of skin concerns. Some of the best effects of the procedure are as follows-

1. Body polishing helps remove dead skin cells and promotes faster skin turnover. The result reveals a new layer of skin, helps inhibit hyperpigmentation, and keeps your complexion even-toned.
2. The process gets rid of the rough and dry layer of skin to reveal soft and radiant skin underneath. The result is an attractive glow on your skin that cannot be achieved with a routine without any kind of exfoliation.
3. Body polishing helps unclog your pores and helps other products absorb into your skin better. This helps deeply hydrate the skin from within, moisturise it and reduce surface dryness.
4. The massaging action of polishing helps boost blood circulation in your skin. This helps nourish and oxygenate your skin to boost glow.
5. The regular exfoliating action helps eliminate the visible signs of sun damage on your skin. This includes tanning, dark skin patches and flakiness to a large extent.

The best way to get the most out of your body polishing routine is to follow the 3-step guide given below - **Step 01: **Take a shower - It is important to start with a clean slate before you take a scrub to your skin. Take a shower with lukewarm water and use a gentle soap or gel body wash to get rid of surface dirt and oil. **Step 02: **Prep your skin with somebody oil - Use either a cleansing oil or a lightweight body oil to soften the top layer of your skin. This makes it easier for the body polish to do its job and you will not need to scrub too hard to get the desired results. Warm up the oil and massage it onto your body for 10-15 minutes, focusing on the rough skin on the knees, elbows, and heels. Step 03: Start massaging your body with a gentle formula, like the Dove Exfoliating Body Polish Scrub range, for 10-15 minutes. You can enhance the experience by using a loofah or a scrubbing pad on top. Use a pumice stone for the harder areas as a simple loofah or your hands may not be enough to slough them of dead skin. **Step 04: **Once you are done scrubbing all the parts of your body, head into a shower and take a refreshing bath with room temperature water. Do not use any soap or cleanser to wash off the scrub; if you do feel there is some oiliness left behind, add a rice water rinse in your bath to get rid of greasiness and also tone and tighten your pores.

It is important to care for your skin after a body polishing session. Once you are out of the shower, let your skin air-dry instead of wiping down with a towel. If you cannot wait, use a microfiber towel and pat, instead of rubbing your skin dry. Follow up with a hydrating body lotion, massage it in gently till the product is completely soaked. Follow up with SPF to protect your skin from UV damage and your skin is in regeneration mode. Avoid using scrubs and exfoliators on your skin for the next couple of days and make sure you keep moisturising your skin and protecting it from the sun as much as possible.

1. Avoid using DIY recipes to polish your body as the scrubbing agent used in them, usually, sugar or baking soda, can overly sensitise your skin. Also, some of these natural ingredients can be too harsh or drying, and can lead to redness and can go bad if stored improperly.
2. Avoid scrubbing too hard on soft areas of your body - like underarms and the back of your knees - as it can leave your skin stretched and irritated.
3. Be careful while heating up your oil and using it on the skin. Also, make sure to sit down while washing off the polish-oil combination as it can make your bathroom floor slippery and difficult to stand on.
4. Do not scrub on wounded areas or cracked skin as it can irritate them and lead to scabbing or scarring.
5. Pick and choose your body polish according to your skin type. Dry skin benefits from hydrating formulas while oily skin does well with detoxifying and toning ingredients. If you have sensitive skin, make sure your polish has some calming ingredients, like aloe vera or shea butter, is fragrance-free and does not contain overly sensitising essential oils.

**A. **Body polishing is an elaborate procedure which takes a lot of time and effort on your part. It is also a very effective procedure, which means, you do not need to indulge in it more than 1-2 times a month.

**A. **While coconut oil may seem like a good option to be used for body polishing needs, it is actually highly comedogenic in nature. Coconut oil, in its pure form, should not be directly used on your skin, even if you will be scrubbing it off later.