When he was small, my youngest son had a habit of filling his pockets with treasures he encountered in his daily adventures. I didn't always understand the value he saw in his chosen objects -- really, how many rocks and sticks could one boy keep? In his eyes, though, each one was beautiful and important. Life is just like that on a larger scale, isn't it? We gather up the precious bits of our experiences and save them all to learn from and enjoy later. Perhaps you'll find a little something here that you'd like to keep in your own pockets. Thanks for visiting.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Homemade sugar scrubs (for naturally beautiful skin)

If your hands are anything like mine, they take a bit of a beating once the chilly winter weather sets in.  Between cold outdoor winds, dry indoor air, and the frequent handwashing that comes along with cold and flu season, I often find the skin on my hands becoming dry, tight, and irritated.  I recently discovered a very simple and lovely solution to this problem:  homemade sugar scrubs.  Made with just a few basic ingredients I usually already have in my kitchen, sugar scrubs gently exfoliate dead skin cells and nourish hands with moisturizing oils (without any harmful chemicals), leaving hands feeling incredibly soft and soothed.

Orange Cinnamon Brown Sugar Scrub
(inspired by this recipe at Oh She Glows)

 
1 cup brown sugar (I used organic whole brown sugar)
1/2 cup sweet almond oil
the freshly squeezed juice of half an orange
1 tsp orange zest
several pinches of freshly grated cinnamon stick

Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl until they are well combined.  Spoon mixture into an airtight glass jar for storage, and keep it in the fridge between uses for maximum freshness.

Coconut Peppermint Sugar Scrub
(inspired by this recipe at Food For My Family)


1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup sweet almond oil
1 cup sugar (I used organic golden cane sugar)
2 to 4 drops of 100% pure peppermint essential oil

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the coconut oil.  Remove from heat and stir in the almond oil; let oils cool to room temperature.  Stir in the sugar and add the peppermint essential oil one drop at a time, stirring after each drop, until you're pleased with the scent of the mixture.  Spoon mixture into an airtight glass jar for storage.

To use either of these homemade sugar scrubs, simply wet your hands with warm water and add a small amount of the sugar scrub to them.  Gently rub the scrub all over your hands in a circular motion, and then rinse with warm water.  Use the scrub anytime your hands need a little extra love and care.  These scrubs smell wonderful and are also great to use on your whole body.

For my first attempts at making my own sugar scrubs, I chose orange cinnamon and coconut peppermint because they seemed fitting for the upcoming holiday season.  (Sugar scrubs packaged in cute little jars and tied with pretty ribbons also make lovely seasonal gifts!)  You can experiment with many different kinds of oils, sugars, and essential oils to make your own favourites -- please let me know in the comments section if you do!  I hope these sugar scrubs will help keep your hands happy throughout the winter season.



2 comments:

  1. The kids and I are making some of these this weekend. Looking forward to it!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Heather. I'm so glad you're looking forward to making these sugar scrubs! I've been using mine regularly since I made them and I really love them -- I hope you and your girls do, too! Thanks for stopping by. :)

    ReplyDelete