As we’ve been mentioning in our Self-Care Series, there are lots of ways to take care of yourself; one of the quick ways to feel a little pampered while taking care of your skin is to make up a batch of salt or sugar scrub. Yes, you can absolutely purchase this at lots of places, and if that is your thing, you go for it.
But, if you want to be creative and customize your experience, while saving some money, you can take a look at my easy-to-make directions below!
- First things, first – what is your exfoliant? You need something that is going to take off all of those dead skin cells, right? Might as well start with something that is often on hand and is better for the environment than those little plastic microbeads that mess up our water and the things that live in them that we might someday eat (I’m looking at you, fishies). For a basic scrub, maybe one of these:
- Regular white sugar
- Table salt
- Brown sugar
- Coconut sugar
- Kosher salt
- Second, how are you going to get the scrub to feel good and not just scratch you? How about some oil to sooth and seal your newly uncovered skin? You’ll want to pick something good based on your skin’s needs and the season. Try one of these:
- Avocado oil
- Safflower oil
- Jojoba oil
- Sweet almond oil
- Olive oil
- Extra virgin coconut oil
- Okay, you’ve collected your two main ingredients, now what? Time to mix! What you want to do is use 1 part oil to 2 parts exfoliant. For this example, let’s use ½ cup as a part.Add ½ cup of oil to a bowl and then 1 cup of sugar or salt. Mix with your hands, a spoon, or a fork (you do you).
- This smells…like oil. Yup, so if it is a fragrance that you love, scrub away on your pre-moistened skin. But, if you’re looking for a little more spa in your treatment, try adding:
- About 20 drops of essential oil (like lavender or peppermint or lemon, or whatever you want)
- Lemon or lime zest – perfect for summer or springtime
- Coffee grounds – yes! If you want to give yourself a little pick-me-up first thing in the morning, add the used grounds from a fresh k-cup to your scrub and let the coffee do its thing for ya twice!
- Tea leaves – your brewed tea leaves can do the same thing for you – let them brighten your skin and your morning as you add them to your scrub
Notes:
- You’ll want to store your scrub in an airtight container because we’re talking about organic materials that have a shelf life, so keep them sealed and fresh.
- If you have easily irritated skin or are under the care of a professional for a medical or skin condition, you’ll want to check with before using a scrub because you could worsen or cause another condition and this is about self CARE 😊
- Have fun!
Let me know how it turns out for you and share your own tips below! I’d love to learn from you, too!