If you want to make the perfect face scrub at home that’s gentle and effective but also budget-friendly, take a walk to your kitchen for the answers! This might sound like an odd concept to some, but in India, using natural flours for skincare isn’t just a trend, it’s a tradition passed down for generations. Whether you want the best face scrub for glowing skin, a scrub for sensitive skin, or if you’re just trying to learn how to exfoliate skin naturally, there’s a flour for every skin problem.
Why Use Flours as Face Scrubs?
Flours like besan (gram flour) and rice flour are packed vitamins and minerals that exfoliate the skin naturally. These cooking ingredients can be used to remove dead skin cells, unclog pores, and brighten your complexion – without harsh chemicals. Plus, you can easily customise a homemade scrub for your skin’s needs, without the hassle of looking for a reliable product to suit your skin type and address your concern.
Exfoliation in general is an important step in skin care, helping reduce acne, pigmentation, and even premature aging. So exfoliating with natural ingredients adds their benefits to the mix too. Your skin ends up feeling smoother, softer, and more radiant. Besides, haven’t we already learned from our nanis and dadis about the power of natural ingredients? So why not put it to use!
1. Besan: The All-Rounder
Besan has long been used in traditional Indian skincare. It’s commonly used as a skin brightener, but it’s also known for its exfoliating and oil-absorbing properties. Rich in zinc and antioxidants, besan helps fight acne, remove tan, and even out the skin tone. Overall, besan helps cleanse the skin, remove dead cells, and maintain our skin’s pH balance. What’s best – it’s suitable for all skin types.
Best for:
• Oily skin (absorbs excess oil)
• Dry skin (when mixed with curd or honey)
• Acne-prone skin (clears pores)
• Best whitening scrub for face (removes tan and brightens)
How to use: Mix 2 tablespoons of besan with a pinch of turmeric and enough milk or rose water to form a paste. Apply to damp skin with a light massage and wash it off after 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Rice Flour: The Skincare Secret
Rice flour is another favourite for its gentle exfoliation and oil-absorbing abilities. It’s actually the reason behind that stunning glass skin you see in Kdramas. Its ingredients are found to have antiaging, anti-inflammatory, whitening, photo-protective, and moisturising properties (1). It’s also stable and easy to make into a face scrub, and the result is healthy glowing skin with a low risk of irritation.
Best for:
• Sensitive skin (gentle exfoliation)
• Oily skin (absorbs oil)
• Dull skin (boosts glow)
• Homemade scrub for pigmentation and acne marks
How to use: Combine 1 tablespoon rice flour with 1 tablespoon each of honey and aloe vera gel. Use soft, circular movements while scrubbing, then rinse thoroughly.
3. Wheat Flour: The Mild Exfoliator
Atta or wheat flour is a good option for those who want a gentle natural exfoliant. It’s less likely to irritate compared to some harsher scrubs, and it’s mild enough to suit most skin types. It helps remove dirt, dead skin, and excess oil, and can be mixed with other ingredients for added benefits.
Best for:
• Normal to oily skin
• Everyday exfoliation
How to use: Mix 2 tablespoons of atta with a little milk or rose water until it forms a paste. Apply gently, scrub, and rinse.
4. Oat Flour: The Soother
Oats are famous for their soothing, anti-inflammatory effects. You’ll find that oat flour is especially good as a scrub for sensitive skin or anyone dealing with redness, irritation, or dryness. It contains compounds that reduce inflammation and itching. Oats also help maintain the skin barrier and improve hydration, making them perfect for sensitive or dry skin.
Best for:
• Sensitive or irritated skin
• Dry skin (hydrates and soothes)
• Gentle exfoliation
How to use: Mix 2 tablespoons oat flour with honey and a few drops of coconut oil. Massage it onto your skin gently and let it sit for some time before rinsing.
5. Brown Rice Flour: The Oil Controller
Brown rice flour is especially helpful for oily and sensitive skin. It absorbs excess oil and calms inflammation, which can also reduce the likelihood of pimple breakouts. You can combine brown rice flour with ground almonds for extra exfoliation (2).
Best for:
• Oily, acne-prone skin
• Sensitive skin needing gentle exfoliation
How to use: Mix 5 tablespoons brown rice flour with 3 of milk powder. Stir in rice water until it forms a paste, then apply. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes, then gently scrub and wash off.
But Why Choose Homemade Scrubs?
What’s the ease and convenience of making your own face scrubs at home, you ask? Homemade scrubs win as skincare because:
• Customisable: You can tweak the recipe for your skin’s needs.
• Affordable: Most of the ingredients are already in your kitchen.
• Natural: Free from strong chemicals or artificial scents.
• Effective: Backed by both tradition and research, these flours deliver real results.
Final Thoughts
Now we know, even for our skin, the answer lies in our kitchen. Whether it’s besan for brightening results, rice flour for gentle exfoliation, or oat flour for a soothing experience, these natural scrubs are safe, effective, and easy to make at home. And as research shows, they really do work wonders for your skin. So next time you want a face scrub at home, skip the store and try these age-old Indian remedies – and see the glow for yourself!
FAQs
Q1. Which flour is best for the face?
Gram flour (besan) or rice flour (atta) are the best options for facial skincare. Gram flour has deep cleansing properties and controls oily skin. Rice flour offers gentle exfoliation, skin brightening, and oil absorption, making it suitable for various skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone skin.
Q2. How to apply besan on face?
You can use besan on your face as a natural exfoliant, it helps brighten your skin. Combine besan with other ingredients like milk, honey, or yogurt to create a paste, apply it to your face, let it dry, and then rinse off with lukewarm water.
Q3. Can we apply rice flour on face daily?
It’s not recommended to use rice flour on the face daily. For best results, use it about 2-3 times a week.
Q4. How to get Korean glass skin with rice flour?
You can get glass skin with a rice flour scrub. Mix it with yogurt or honey to create a paste and apply it to your face for 15-20 minutes before rinsing off. So you get the exfoliating benefits of rice flour along with the hydrating and soothing properties of yogurt or honey.