Lemon & Sugar Facial Scrub for acne scars

I don't know about you, but I'm struggling with acne. I keep getting acne in the dead center of my forehead, directly between my brows. As soon as one disappears, another takes its place a few millimeters to the left or right. And they all leave a dark mark - spot.spot.spot *sigh* And it just sucks @&*!

Today, I came across the page of one of Antigua's home grown aspiring models, Joanna Copeland aka Jay, and while going through her pics I saw her 'testimonial' on the use of a DIY Lemon-Sugar Scrub that was effective in taking away the left over scars from her acne breakouts.

I WAS SOLD INSTANTLY!

These are Jay's photos of her acne scars and her skin today [if these do not inspire you to use this treatment, I don't know what will!]

Photos are over a THREE (3) MONTH time span

This is what Jay had to say about the scrub, "...after some research and hearing what other persons said about the LEMON AND SUGAR mask I said I’ll give that a try. So, I have [now] been [using it] for the past 3 months. After the 1st month I saw nothing happening and was about to give up..but I didn't …[and guess what?] It HELPED =) This helped me a lot …[tho]it may not work for everyone... .For the first month i used it day and night  - everyday, but now i only use it twice a week"

So I am going to go get me some lemons and start this easy home treatment. As usual, I'm sharing it with you because sharing is definitely caring! =] Here is a recipe I found online that looks pretty good. This DIY lemon and sugar scrub can be used on both the body and face. It is ideal for rough spots like feet, knees, elbows and hands. It’s also great for nail beds and cuticles. To use on the face, this scrub works wonderfully for those with acne-prone skin. But, of course, the entire body can benefit from a lemon and sugar exfoliation that leaves skin soft and insanely smooth. Indulge in this scrub from head to toe!

Lemon & Sugar Face & Body Scrub

Ingredients:

Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
1/2 cup of  sugar [brown works well]
1 Tbsp of olive oil
1 Tbsp of organic honey [optional]
1 bowl with lid for storage


Directions:

Add lemon juice and olive oil in to a bowl and mix together. Add the honey and whisk or stir quickly until the ingredients bind together into a medium thick consistency.  Add in the sugar and mix. If you sense that there is not enough sugar to get the scrubbing done, add a bit more.This is purely up to personal preference.

Tips:

• You can add or subtract the amount of olive oil and honey that you use depending on how thick you want your scrub to be.
•  I would keep the lemon to the juice of half  freshly cut lemon for every 1/2 cup of granulated sugar.

How to Use

As a face scrub: Cleanse face prior to application (remove makeup etc). Apply to entire face with gentle circular motions. Leave on for about 10 minutes and rinse with cool water. Moisturize with your favorite moisturizer.

This scrub is ideal for people who suffer from breakouts and acne as all of the ingredients are highly beneficial to acne prone skin. Lemon tightens pores and evens out the skin tone, sugar removes dead skin cells and cleans pores, olive oil heals acne scaring, and honey prevents future breakouts. 

*Be cautious of using on open wounds as the lemon may sting. 

As a body scrub: Apply to body, paying extra close attention to elbows, knees, feet and hands (nails and cuticles especially) and rub in circular motions for 3 to 5 minutes. Rinse. Enjoy the silky softness of your impossibly smooth skin.

Benefits of the Ingredients:

Lemon – A natural source of Vitamin C; an ingredient commonly used to lighten sun and age spots and even out skin tone; A natural astringent that tightens pores and brightens the complexion.
Sugar – A natural exfoliator; a natural source of glycolic acid which evens out skin tone, cleans pores, and improves overall skin texture by removing dead, dull skin cells.
Olive Oil – High in Vitamin E which soothes and heals skin; a natural moisturizing ingredient often used for it’s anti-aging benefits.
Honey – A natural source of anti-oxidants making it a perfect ingredients for age preventions; a natural humectant so it locks water into the skin keeping the complexion hydrated; the antibacterial properties benefit acne-prone skin by reducing breakouts.

How Often to Use:

This scrub, as with any exfoliation scrub, should not be done too often. I would suggest twice weekly but it is completely up to you how often you apply it. You may choose to apply it more regularly to treat acne scars and gradually use it less frequently as time progresses. 

For those wanting simply to keep acne breakouts at bay, twice weekly should be ideal.

For Smaller/Daily Batches Use:

1 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
Olive oil (just enough to form a paste)
Honey if you have it

Let me know if you try it and how it works for you and happy acne-scar-fighting!!

P.S. - here is a link to Jay's Facebook Page. Go on over and show some L.O.V.E! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jay/506977669366487

Ms Joanna Copeland - Antiguan