Glow Like Giada With This Easy At-Home Scrub

Giada's favorite antioxidant-rich scrub is good enough to eat - literally.

When it comes to skincare, all you really need are a few basics to set yourself up for success. While specialty products like serums, masks, and treatments can have an impact, the fundamentals of cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen are what really contribute to the health and appearance of your skin. In Giada’s skin routine, she has one tried-and-true recipe that aids in both cleansing and moisturizing, a family secret her mom taught her years ago. This DIY rice flour scrub uses just two simple ingredients that are good enough to eat—literally!

What you put on your body should be just as high-quality as what goes into it. Using just extra-virgin olive oil and finely ground pure carnaroli rice flour, this scrub is as clean as it gets. And while regular exfoliation is key to improve skin’s texture and reduce dullness, we find that store-bought exfoliating scrubs can be too harsh on delicate facial skin. The minute texture of the rice flour in this method gives just enough traction to remove those dead skin cells without any scratching or pulling, and the olive oil helps it glide smoothly. Plus, the rich Sicilian olive oil contributes a major dose of antioxidants in the form of polyphenols (the same thing that makes it taste so incredible), which can improve the skin’s natural renewal process and reduce inflammation.

The best part of this method is it’s so easy, you can mix it in the palm of your hand! Simply take a teaspoon or so of the rice flour in your palm and add a drizzle of olive oil until you have a runny paste that spreads easily.  For avid measurers, Giada recommends about a 2:1 ratio of rice flour to olive oil - so if you're making a larger batch, 2 tablespoons rice to 1 tablespoon olive oil should be just the right consistency. Gently massage the mixture into your skin, then rinse thoroughly. A very light residue will be left from the olive oil, giving you a major moisturizing boost and instant glow. If your skin doesn’t tolerate oils well, simply use your everyday cleanser after rinsing off the scrub to remove those last traces of olive oil. Either way, you’ll be glowing.

Get everything you need for this scrub in our new Italian Wellness Kit!