Image © <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/curiouskiwi/">Brenda Anderson</a></em>
Basic Salt and Honey Scrub
- 1/2 cup of sea salt
- 1/2 cup of honey
This is a basic salt-and-
honey scrub recipe that exfoliates, moisturizes, and nurtures skin. Some people add rosemary to theirs, while others use lavender, basil, or mint. To use, blend the ingredients, and dampen your skin in the shower. Place a spoonful of scrub in the palm of your hand, add a bit of water to make it smoother, and then gently scrub your body down with it. Wash with soap and water afterward, and rinse clean.
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Winter wreaks havoc on our skin, and whether you’re dealing with greasy, ashy, or scaly “lizard” skin, a little TLC could work wonders. Body scrubs are great for exfoliating: they slough away dead skin cells and nourish the new skin beneath, leaving you soft and glowing all over. Below are a few ideas for DIY scrubs you can make at home, instead of spending a ridiculous amount of money on them at specialty shops.
When you create your own body care products, it’s important to use the highest quality ingredients that you can afford. Everything you put on your skin gets absorbed into it, so take that into consideration when shopping for your scrub materials; try to use organic and fair-trade ingredients whenever you can. One way to keep costs low while still using quality ingredients is to pool resources with friends—decide which scrub you’d like to make, and then share costs evenly between you. An eight-pound bag of sea salt runs around $8 USD, and will create 10+ jars of body scrub, so if a few friends get together and pool cash together, everyone will be scouring themselves happily for months, at pennies per shower.
Salt Scrubs
To create a salt scrub, you basically just need coarse sea salt or Epsom salt, a carrier liquid (like oil, glycerin or honey), and a scent. Feel free to experiment with different oils, salts, and essential oils to see which you like the most, and which work best for your skin.
Citrus Morning Scrub
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 cup sea salt
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 drops grapefruit essential oil
Mix all ingredients together, and pour into a lidded jar. Wet your skin in the shower, and gently massage the scrub all over yourself—preferably in gentle, circular motions—to exfoliate it. Rinse thoroughly, pat dry, and moisturize if necessary.
Basic Salt and Honey Scrub
- 1/2 cup of sea salt
- 1/2 cup of honey
This is a basic salt-and-
honey scrub recipe that exfoliates, moisturizes, and nurtures skin. Some people add rosemary to theirs, while others use lavender, basil, or mint. To use, blend the ingredients, and dampen your skin in the shower. Place a spoonful of scrub in the palm of your hand, add a bit of water to make it smoother, and then gently scrub your body down with it. Wash with soap and water afterward, and rinse clean.
Salt/Sugar Scrub
Mediterranean Olive Oil Scrub
- 1/2 cup of sea salt
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar (like muscovado or demerara)
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- A couple of drops of orange essential oil
Blend all the ingredients together, and then rub over damp skin in the shower. Rinse thoroughly. You shouldn’t need to moisturize afterwards, since the olive oil will leave your skin dewy-soft.
Sugar Scrubs
You can use either white or brown sugar for your scrubs, but stick to brown if you want to keep them vegan. Muscovado sugar is softer than turbinado or demerara and will be gentler on your skin, but won’t exfoliate quite as well.
Note: people who are prone to yeast infections should take care when using sugar scrubs. Refrigerate unused portions, and be sure to use these products within 2 weeks of making them. The last thing you want is to scour yourself with anything that might be moldy or laden with bacteria.
Coconut, Brown Sugar, and Vanilla Scrub
A basic, simple sugar scrub that can be whipped together in minutes.
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix together all ingredients. Dampen skin in the shower, rub scrub all over in firm, circular motions, and then rinse clean.
Rose Petal Scrub
- 1 1/2 cups of brown (turbinado) sugar
- 1 cup of coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon of sweet almond or jojoba oil
- Petals from one rose (pink or red)
- 1 clean mason jar with a lid
This scrub has to be made a few days before you plan to use it, or to give it as a gift. Pour the coconut oil into the jar, and follow it with a handful of rose petals. Then add the raw sugar, and top with the almond or jojoba oil. When you’re ready to use it, mash it all together with a large spoon, slather it all over your body, massage into your skin, and then rinse well.
Coffee Scrub
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup brown turbinado sugar
- 15 drops peppermint essential oil
- 1/2 cup used coffee grounds from a freshly brewed pot
Blend all ingredients together, dampen skin, and massage the scrub all over your body, starting from your feet and working your way up. Be sure to pay special attention to rough spots like heels, knees, and the backs of your arms. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry.
Ground Nut Scrub
Ground Almond and Avocado Scrub
- 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and mashed
- 1/3 cup of ground almonds
- 3/4 – 1 cup of ground oatmeal
This rich, buttery scrub moisturizes and nourishes dry skin while exfoliating dry skin away. Mix all the ingredients together, and then rub them all over your body from the top down. Massage in gentle circles, and then rinse thoroughly. Be sure to rinse your tub/shower enclosure well afterward.
Note: You can use also use ground hazelnuts for this if you don’t have any almonds on hand.
These scrubs are sure to cleanse and soften skin that winter may have abused, leaving you soft and radiant for whatever adventures you’ll have this summer.
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