A Shower Scrub for Radiant Skin

Your skin is more likely to look dull and ashy if there’s a buildup of dry, dead cells on the surface. To speed cell turnover and get great-looking skin this summer, you’ll need to exfoliate regularly. “Once a week should do it,” says Angelina Umansky, owner of Spa Radiance in San Francisco, who pampers her clients with this all-natural body scrub. The salt and the buttermilk’s lactic acid exfoliate, and the cucumber cools. It’s especially good before applying a self-tanner to get even color.

You need:
1 medium cucumber, peeled and grated (use a cheese grater)
1 cup buttermilk
1⁄2 cup sea salt or kosher salt

Directions:

• In a small bowl, mix the cucumber and buttermilk.


• Add the salt and blend into a thick paste.


• Relax in a warm shower for 5 minutes, allowing the heat to open your pores.


• Apply the scrub, paying special attention to dry areas like elbows and knees, then rinse. (Use this scrub before shaving, because the salt can irritate freshly shaved skin.)