A Sugar High for Skin

Anyone with a sweet tooth knows how hard it is to break the sugar habit, but there's no law against applying it topically, and in fact your skin will love you for it. Sugar contains so many natural antimicrobial agents that, in some parts of the world, the white stuff is applied on wounds to help them heal. (If you're ever in a pinch on a camping trip, pour a packet of sugar on the open skin of a blister, cut, or mosquito bite.) Of course sugar is also a staple among cosmetic chemists, who stir it into face and eye creams because it encourages desquamation, or skin-cell shedding, without the stinging side effects of alpha hydroxy acids. If stinging isn't a problem, then you're probably already using and benefiting from one of the best known AHAs, glycolic acid, derived from (drum roll) sugar cane.

But sugar really shines in those fragrant jars of exfoliating pastes from companies like Origins, Fresh, and Neutrogena, that zap flakiness while leaving the skin smooth and soft. They're a beauty indulgence that one can justify on several grounds, according to New York City dermatologist Amy Wechsler, M.D., author of “The Mind-Beauty Connection.”

“The mildly abrasive action of the sugar helps remove dull, dead surface cells to reveal younger, smoother cells underneath,” she says. “And sugar granules are not as sharp-edged as the seeds and shells used in other scrubs, which can remove too many layers of cells. Sugar doesn't sting, unlike some scrubs that are potentially irritating. Plus there's something about the sweet smell of sugar that people find soothing and calming. It’s like putting dessert on your skin!”

Say yes to dessert with the following scrub guaranteed to wash away the stress of the work week, courtesy of organic-beauty guru Liz Earle, whose latest book is “New Vital Oils” (Vermilion).

SATURDAY MORNING SUGAR SCRUB: You've had your breakfast, now it's time to feed your skin.

1 cup sugar
½ cup sweet almond oil
4 natural-source vitamin E capsules
12 drops essential oil of neroli

Pierce and drain the vitamin E into a plastic bowl, discarding the capsules. Add remaining ingredients and, once in the shower, mix well by hand. Working from the neck down, massage generous scoops into the shoulders, arms, and torso, paying extra attention to neglected areas on the upper back. Sugar-coat your derriere, thighs, knees and shins, using any extra scrub on the rough skin of ankles and heels. Hug yourself to make sure you've scrubbed the dead cells off every inch of your torso and limbs and inhale: aromatherapists say neroli is calming. Rinse off with care (floor will be slippery) and pat skin dry with a towel. No need to moisturize, as you'll know from your glow.

[Laurie Drake was a staff writer at “Vogue” in NYC and has contributed stories on beauty, health, and fitness to “The New York Times,” “The Los Angeles Times,” “Allure,” “In Style,” and “Prevention,” among others. She lives in Santa Monica, CA.]