When we are young, our body naturally sheds and renews skins cells. This gives teenage girls a natural glow that cannot be created by even the most expensive make-up. As we age, our skin cells dont renew themselves as quickly and exfoliation becomes essential.

Exfoliation is actually the scrubbing away of dead skin cells. It is the true key to keeping your skin youthful. When dead skill cells stay too long on the surface of your skin four very bad things happen:

1. The dead skin cells block moisture from penetrating your skin
2. Your skin gets a dry and dull appearance even pasty at times
3. The dead skin cells can clog your pores and result in breakouts

And worst of all,

4. The dead skin cells on the surface actually slow down the renewal and regeneration of new skin cells underneath the surface skin layer.

Proper skin exfoliation can increase the renewal of fresher, younger looking skin cells by as much as 30%!

Our creator designed the body to automatically heal and renew itself. So, when you scrub away dead skin cells, your body is triggered to replace those cells with new cells. In Psalm 139, David says: I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made!.

When your body makes new skin cells, it is also signaled to produce more collagen. Collagen is the connective tissue that plumps our skin. If you read any beauty magazine you will see many products claiming to replace loss collagen in your skin. This is important because collagen loss is the main reason our skin becomes drier and more wrinkled as we age.

To give you a feel for the difference collagen makes, take a look at the average man your age. Chances are his skin is a lot less wrinkled than yours. That is because men have roughly twenty five percent more collagen in their skin than women.

So now you know, exfoliating removes dead skin cells, causes your body to produce fresh new skin cells and collagen which is absolutely necessary for younger looking skin. But, there is more!

Exfoliating opens up skin pores that are blocked by exposure to air pollution, air conditioning, dirt and grime from our fingertips. This gives you smaller skin pores and the appearance of more refined and even toned skin.

When you exfoliate you also increase blood circulation to your face. Increasing the blood supply to your face is absolutely essential to prevent aging skin!

Exfoliation removes the debris that blocks moisture from penetrating into the skin. So, after exfoliation, your skin will absorb more nutrients and moisture, your skin will appear clearer and fine lines will look softer. Very fine lines may actually disappear.

After I discovered the great benefits of exfoliating, I only had one question

How do I exfoliate and how often can I exfoliate?

The way to exfoliate varies depending of the condition of your skin and your skin type. Washing vigorously is actually enough for some people. Others will need to exfoliate gently.

Younger women can exfoliate up to four times per week. After forty, I suggest once a week if your skin is still oily. If you have dry or sensitive skin, once every two to three weeks is best. And dont forget when you exfoliate always think gentle.

Believe it or not, simple table sugar is one of the best exfoliates. It has fine grains for the gentlest removal of dead skin cells and is non-drying. Most importantly, sugar rinses completely away leaving your skin clean, smooth and rejuvenated. I recommend all natural organic sugar. You can find it these days at most grocery stores. It is chemical free and safe to use on your entire body. Here is all you need to do:

1. Always start with a clean face
2. Put a couple of tablespoons of water in your hand and mix it with a bit of your favorite mild liquid soap
3. Lightly wet your face, and put about a teaspoon of sugar in the palm of your hand
4. Dip the two middle fingers of your other hand (not the index finger) into the mix
5. Use a gentle, gliding circular motion over your entire face, neck and eye zone
6. Rinse well and pat dry
7. Look at your face, it should look rosy but not irritated

Note: Always rub your face in an upward motion. This will help to reposition fat deposits higher on your face giving it a lift in appearance!

To wake up and nourish a really dull completion you can use a combination of raw oats and essential oil. This next exfoliating scrub is just as natural, healthy and effective as the sugar scrub.

Natural exfoliating scrub with essential oil

Take 2 - 3 teaspoons raw oats (not the instant or pre-cooked type) and crush into smaller bits either by hand or in a grinder.

Mix the dry oats with pure honey and 1/4 teaspoon of a red or apple cider vinegar until it forms a smooth paste. Add more honey as needed.

Add 1 drop of basil oil to the mixture.

Wash your face with a gentle soap (never use a deodorant soap or alkaline soap on your face).

Rinse your face thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry with a towel.

Apply the mixture in gentle circular movements. Avoid the area around your eye. You should leave the mixture on for about 15 minutes and then wash it off thoroughly with lukewarm water.

Although this treatment is not as neat as the sugar/lather treatment, the results are excellent and it costs only pennies to make.

If you have special problems like blackheads on your face, this next exfoliate is very effective.

Baking Soda Blackhead Remover

Make up a mixture of part baking soda and part distilled water in the palm of your hand.

Gently rub the mixture in circular motions on your skin for about 3 minutes

Rinse with lukewarm water.

If you are a fan of the self-tan you can get really great results by giving yourself a facial and body scrub with baking soda!

This is gentle enough for even daily use.

Your freshly scrubbed face will absorb moisture and nutrients far better. You will look younger and face the world with a beautiful clean canvas!