Five Product Free Ways to Exfoliate Your Body

Let me begin by clarifying exactly what I mean by "product free" - no body scrubs, salts or lotions, just manual tools that are affordable, can be readily found, not to mention used time and time again. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy traditional body scrubs as much as the next person but sometimes I like to go back to basics, not to mention a body brush and/or mitt do tend to be more intensive - a must to remove both self tan and the toughest of dry skin. So without further ado, let me share five ways to exfoliate your body without relying on a gritty body scrub - some you may already own...

1, Facial Cloth - Believe it or not a damp terry cloth or muslin cloth, combined with a little soap or body wash is a great, gentle way to exfoliate the body. Before I was introduced to the other methods below this is how I would remove old self tanner; quick, easy and affordable, not to mention you can keep facial clothes sparkling clean by chucking into the washing machine. A great option when you have no other alternative, easily irritated skin or to save space when packing for a trip

2, Dry Brushing - Not only does dry brushing improve the circulation and aid lymphatic drainage but it leaves the skin feeling softer, supple and glowing, all the while improving the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks. Unlike any of the other products on this list there is no need for water nor a body wash, simply use large sweeping strokes to remove dry and dead skin cells. Admittedly dry brushing does take a little getting used to but it does quickly become addictive. For more dry brushing tips and technique pointers, please see this post - link.

3, Natural Loofah - Fun fact, natural loofahs are made from a fibrous material found within certain fruits - the more you know huh? Anyway a natural loofah is a dry, almost rough textured sponge that softens when combined with water. Oddly the fibrous texture gently but effectively sloughs off dry and dead skin with ease; it can also be combined with a body wash or soap should you wish, or used alone with just water. I would deem this to be gentler than body brushing yet offers similar results, not to mention it is also less time consuming.

4, Exfoliating Gloves - Exfoliating methods such as loofahs and facial cloths are gentle enough to be used daily  but when you need something quick and intensive you need to employ the services of exfoliating gloves. Nothing and I mean nothing, removes stubborn patchy self tanner like exfoliating gloves: cheap, cheerful and easy to use. Personally I recommend using exfoliating gloves sparingly as they are intensive, save for a once a week, all out treatment. Every shower should have an exfoliating glove and with the likes of Primark and the Poundshop offering super affordable options it has never been easier.

5, Synthetic Loofah - Much like facial cloths, I'm pretty sure the majority of us already own at least one synthetic loofah? Commonly found in bath and body sets and at the bottom of Christmas stockings these plastic pouffes are a gentle way of gently scrubbing the body. I'll admit that they will not remove stubborn dry skin nor the remains of a spray tan but used with either a brush or glove it is  great way to encourage new skin cell turnover daily. As an added bonus shower loofahs really encourage shower gels and body washes to foam, allowing you to use less product than normal.

Do you have any other methods that you would add to the above list?