Body polishing is a beauty treatment popular with soon-to-be brides, for achieving a flawless, bridal glow. But anyone who wishes to get rid of dead cells, dirt and impurities from their skin, can get this treatment. It’s usually done at spas, but that can be fairly expensive for some. Fortunately, you can get the same results with a DIY body polishing treatment at home, and you can save a few extra bucks as well as customise it to your skincare needs. Let’s take a look at what involves a body polishing treatment, the benefits it offers to your skin, and how you can do the treatment by yourself at home. 

What is Body Polishing?

Body polishing is an elaborate skin treatment that exfoliates and hydrates your skin, boosting blood circulation, to give you soft, supple, and smooth skin. It also helps reduce dryness and lightens the appearance of dark spots and signs of sun damage. Last, but not least, body polishing treatment relaxes and rejuvenates, not just your body or skin but also your mind. 

Body polishing is safe for most skin types, but you must consider your skin type before choosing a body polish. Here are some quick tips:

• Use body polishes with sea salt or bath salts if you have oily skin  
• Use brown sugar-based body polishes if you have dry skin 
• Go for body polishes that contain shea butter if you have sensitive skin. The shea butter will reduce the chances of skin irritation, and also calm your body
• Sugar scrubs work best for normal skin type 

Whether you use DIY body polish or a store-bought, first test it on a small patch of your skin to look out for allergies.

Homemade Body Polish Recipes 

If you are making body polish from scratch with natural ingredients, fruits rich in natural acids are highly recommended as they can help detoxify and cleanse your body. Here are 3 popular body polish recipes you can try at home.

Recipe 1
The easiest body polish recipe requires salt, sugar, and honey. To be more precise, you will need: 

• 1 cup bath salt 
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan rock salt
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ½ cup coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves (optional)

Blend the ingredients well in a bowl until you have a thick, creamy paste. Transfer it into a jar, leave it in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes and then use. 

Recipe 2
If you want an exfoliant that’s rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, use an orange-based body polish. To create this recipe, you will need: 

• 2 teaspoons orange juice (freshly squeezed)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup olive oil

To lend the recipe some extra colour and fruity fragrance, you can also add: 

• 1 teaspoon orange zest 
• 2-3 drops of orange essential oil 

Blend all the ingredients and the body polish is ready for use. 

Recipe 3
People with mild to moderate psoriasis can opt for this baking soda-based body polish. To create this recipe, you will need:

• 1 cup baking soda
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (unrefined)
• 2 drops of any essential oil

Blend all the ingredients, and the body polish is ready for use. Regardless of which recipe you opt for, make sure to finish the body polish within a month, and avoid adding any preservatives as that can reduce the product’s shelf life.

How to Use Body Polish?

Now that you have your favourite body polish at hand, you can add it to your skincare routine by using it once a week. For the cleansing routine, you will need:

• Body polish of your choice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Pumice stone
• Loofah (natural or synthetic)

Step-by-step Body Polishing Routine 

• Step 1: Take a shower with lukewarm water. Once you’re out of the shower, don’t apply any moisturiser or other skincare product 
• Step 2: Massage your entire body with mildly heated olive oil for 10 minutes
• Step 3: Pour some body-polish on the loofah and gently massage your body with it for at least 10-15 minutes in a circular motion 
• Step 4: Take the pumice stone and gently scrub the hard areas on the elbows, knees, and heels 
• Step 5: Now rinse the product with a refreshing bath, but without using any soap

Body polish, both store-bought and homemade mixtures, can instantly give you that youthful glow that we all crave. As tempting as that sounds, avoid using body polish on your skin too frequently, just once a week is enough. 

Key Takeaway

Many people also confuse body scrubs with body polishes. While it does contain sugar, salts, and other grains, body polish is not as abrasive as a body scrub. A lot of homemade body polishes, for instance, contain ingredients like coconut oil, olive oil, honey, and essential oils, all of which provide deep nourishment to the skin. However, body polish is still an exfoliant, hence it's best not to use it on injured and cracked skin, or on your face, as the skin there is thinner and more sensitive than other body areas. 

Disclaimer: The above content is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a qualified physician or doctor. The Company does not vouch for or endorse any of the above content, and disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, relating to the same.