And because of their natural makeup, no surprise pumice stones have been used as an ancient remedy for exfoliation—even as far back as B. There's a good reason pumice stones have left their mark for more than 2, years; they're super light yet abrasive enough to lift dead skin and smooth out the texture.
Today, you might use one to manually exfoliate dead skin and callused areas; however, you don't want to rub the stone on the delicate skin on your face. To reap the benefits of a pumice stone without scratching up your skin, it's best to stick to thicker areas, like the soles of your feet, elbows, and knees—areas vulnerable to some roughness.
If you have sensitive skin, however, you might want to stick to just the feet: "It can be abrasive on the rest of the body," explains board-certified dermatologist and founder of MMSkincare Ellen Marmur, M. As mentioned, pumice stones are great for manually exfoliating the skin.
Especially for your hands, feet, elbows, and knees, as those areas naturally thicken in response to trauma i. Those calluses form as "a way of protecting the skin from bumps and dings," Patel explains, but their appearance isn't so cute. Enter, pumice stones: the all-natural remedy to soften those rough patches of skin. Consider those calluses buffed smooth. For soft, crack-free skin, pumice stones can work wonders.
Just be sure to use them correctly, as improper use can quite literally rub your skin raw. Here's the step-by-step guide, according to derms:. First things first: You'll want to start with as smooth of a canvas as you can. That means loosening the top layer of skin with some exfoliation; we're partial to gentle chemical exfoliants like AHAs lactic acid remains a fan-favorite to gently slough dead skin cells and smooth out the texture.
You may even go so far as soaking the skin, especially those rougher areas that may require a little more love. That way, the water can penetrate the skin, making dead cells easier to remove. As board-certified dermatologist Loretta Ciraldo M. After the soak, skip the towel-dry. You always want to use the pumice stone on clean, wet skin, says Patel. Here comes the fun part: Rub the stone in circular motions over the area; a medium pressure is more than enough to remove the dead skin.
When you're exfoliating, you might even see dead skin visibly accumulate on the stone gross but strangely satisfying. Be sure to stop when you've reached a desired smoothness about two to three minutes does the trick, says Marmur , or when the dead skin stops clinging to the pumice stone's pores.
After all that exfoliating, you'll want to lock in some moisture. After towel-drying your skin, be sure to apply a thick cream to seal in any micro-cracks. Don't skip this step; "Clean the pumice stone after every use," Patel advises. Just a rinse with soap and water can ensure bacteria and fungus won't grow inside the stone's pores.
Just be sure to let the stone dry completely before storing, as any leftover moisture can quickly become fertile breeding ground for bacteria. Curious about buying your own lava stone? While browsing, check the pore size: " The pore size of the stone determines how exfoliating the stone will be," explains Patel.
Smaller pores mean gentler exfoliation, which is best for elbows and knees. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Important Phone Numbers. Top of the page. Topic Overview A pumice stone can be used to remove the dead skin from a callus or corn.
Soak your foot or other affected area in warm, soapy water for 5 minutes or until the skin softens. Wet the pumice stone. Rub the pumice stone on the wet callus or corn with light to medium pressure for 2 to 3 minutes. This will remove dead skin. Related Information Calluses and Corns.
Wet the stone. Wetting the stone will help it slide more easily across your skin, rather than catching on it. Run the stone under warm water, or dip it in the water where you're soaking your skin, in order to thoroughly wet it. Rub it gently over the calloused area. Use a circular motion to start sloughing away the dead skin with the pumice stone.
If the skin is nice and soft, it should start coming right off. Keep going until you remove the dead skin and get to the fresh, supple skin underneath. Don't press too hard. Light pressure is all that is needed; let the surface of the stone do the work. If you're working on your feet, focus on the heels, the sides of your toes, and other areas where dry skin tends to build up.
Rinse and repeat. Rinse off the dead skin and take a look to see if you need to keep going. If you still see bits of dead skin, go over the area again with the pumice stone.
Continue using the stone on the area until you're satisfied with the results. Since the pumice stone will wear down slightly while you use it, you may need to turn it over to get a fresh surface you can use to exfoliate your skin.
Rinse the pumice stone often to keep its surface clean and effective. Dry and moisturize your skin. When you're finished, use a towel to pat your skin dry.
Coat the area with an oil or cream to prevent it from drying out too quickly. Your formerly calloused skin should now be soft, supple and gleaming. Coconut oil, almond oil, or body lotion are all fine to use to condition your skin after pumicing. Repeat as often as needed to keep your skin in good shape. Part 2. Scrub it after use. Dead skin will build up in the pores of the stone as you use it, so you'll want to clean the stone after use. Use a scrub brush to scrub the stone while holding it under running water.
Add a bit of soap to help clean the stone completely. This way your stone will be clean and ready to use next time you need it. Allow it to completely dry out. Set the pumice stone in a dry place so that it doesn't stay damp in between uses. If you let the stone stay wet, bacteria could grow in the pores, making it unsafe to use. Boil it if necessary. Every once in a while, you'll want to give the stone a deep cleaning to make sure it isn't harboring bacteria. Bring a small pot of water to a full boil, drop in the stone, and boil it for five minutes.
Use tongs to remove the stone from the water and allow it to dry completely before storing. If you use the stone frequently, boil it every two weeks to ensure it stays clean. If you've used the stone on a dirty surface, you can add a capful of bleach to the water to be certain all bacteria get killed. Replace the stone when it wears down.
Pumice is a soft stone that will eventually wear away after you've used it for awhile. When it gets too small to handle easily, or the surface becomes too smooth to be effective, go ahead and spring for a new one. Pumice stones are inexpensive and can be found at any store that sells beauty supplies. Part 3. Use it to remove hair. The ancient Greeks used pumice to remove body hair, and some still use it for this purpose. Pumice makes a gentle natural hair remover. Soak your skin in the bath or in a shower until it's warm and soft.
Wet the pumice stone, then rub your skin using a gentle circular motion. Within about 30 seconds, the area you're rubbing will be free of hair. The effects of pumicing are similar to the effects of shaving. The hair is removed close to the skin, rather than being pulled out. If you feel pain, make sure you aren't pressing too hard.
Use it to remove pills from clothing. The soft, porous surface of pumice is perfect for taking pills and lint off of clothing. If you have a sweater you've been wanting to clean up, lay it on a flat surface. Rub a dry pumice stone over the pills in a circular motion. Don't press too hard, since you don't want to damage the fibers of the garment; a gentle pressure is all that's needed to take the pills right off. Use it to clean your toilet. Pumice can be used to remove copper rings from the inside of a toilet.
Put on a pair of nonporous cleaning gloves to start. Then simply rub the pumice stone over the ring using a scrubbing motion. Repeat until the ring is gone. Be sure to use separate stones for toilet cleaning and body use.
Do not use the same stone for both purposes.
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