How to: Make Body Scrub
Last week was homemade hand sanitiser now for something a little more fun.... Summer is fast approaching, so time to get skin ready!! It’s best not to use a body scrub on your skin every day as over-exfoliating your skin can leave it dry and irritated. I generally exfoliate my skin two times a week. If your skin is dry and sensitive, you may want to exfoliate only once a week. If you have a skin condition, or if you’re unsure how often you should exfoliate your skin, I would consult a dermatologist. I apply my body scrub either in the shower or before I jump in the bath. Gently massage the scrub into your dry skin in a circular motion and rinse it off thoroughly with warm water.
Here are some fab recipes to make your body scrub. The tools needed before you start are:
spoons for mixing
mixing bowl
measuring spoons or cups
a carrier or base oil, such as coconut oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, almond oil, or olive oil
sealed container to store the scrub in
a few drops of your favourite essential oils, if desired
Mix the oils with the granules of your choice, such as salt or sugar (I prefer a fine brown sugar) You may also want to add other ingredients that can benefit your skin, like honey or green tea, you can find in recipes below.
With any homemade body scrubs, it’s important to get the consistency right. You don’t want it to be too runny, this can make it hard to scoop into your hands, but you also don’t want it to be too crumbly.
Here are some of the most popular types of DIY body scrubs that are both beneficial to your skin and easy to make.
Coffee scrub
There’s some scientific evidence that caffeine may help diminish the appearance of cellulite.
Coffee is a popular ingredient for many DIY body scrubs. The tiny granules are gentle on the skin, while still being effective at removing dead cells from the skin’s surface. And who can’t resist the aroma of a cup of coffee?
Ingredients
1/2 cup coffee grounds
2 tbsp. hot water
1 tbsp. coconut oil, warmed
Directions
Add the coffee grounds and hot water to a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly with a spoon.
Add the coconut oil. If needed, add more coffee grounds or more oil to get the consistency right.
When you’re satisfied with the consistency, spoon the mixture into a container
Brown sugar scrub
Brown sugar is an inexpensive and accessible ingredient that also does a fab job of exfoliating your skin.
Brown sugar is kinder on the skin than sea salt or Epsom salt. This makes it an ideal ingredient for sensitive skin. The sugar granules might make your skin feel sticky, so be sure to rinse thoroughly after you’ve exfoliated.
Ingredients
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil of your choice, such as coconut, jojoba, olive, almond, or grapeseed
essential oils (optional)
Directions
Combine brown sugar and oil in a mixing bowl.
Mix thoroughly. If needed, add more sugar or oil to get the consistency right.
If desired, add one or two drops of your favourite essential oil, and stir it into the mixture.
When you’re satisfied with the consistency and fragrance of your scrub, spoon it into a container.
Green tea sugar scrub
Rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, green tea may benefit your skin in many ways.
Green tea may be able to reduce harm to the skin caused by sun damage.
Green tea can easily be added to a homemade body scrub together with other nourishing ingredients.
Ingredients
2 tea bags green tea
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
Directions
Add tea bags to hot water. Let the tea steep until it cools.
While the tea is cooling, add brown sugar to a bowl.
Add coconut oil and mix thoroughly with the sugar.
Once the tea has cooled, add it to the sugar mix. The tea must be cool so the sugar doesn’t dissolve.
If the mixture is too crumbly, add more coconut oil. If it’s too soggy, add more brown sugar.
When you’ve reached the desired consistency, spoon your scrub into a container.
Honey sugar scrub
Honey has antibacterial properties. Not only can honey help repair skin tissue and protect against UV damage it may also help kill germs on the skin.
Honey can easily be combined with granules and oil to make a skin-nourishing body scrub. After massaging the scrub into your skin, be sure to rinse your skin off thoroughly to prevent stickiness.
Ingredients
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp. honey
Directions
Add brown sugar, coconut oil, and honey to a mixing bowl.
Mix the ingredients thoroughly, and add more coconut oil if it’s too crumbly.
Once you’ve reached the desired consistency, spoon your scrub into a container.
Safety tips
These homemade scrubs are only intended to be used on your body, not your face. The skin on your face is more sensitive than the skin on the rest of your body.
Avoid exfoliating skin that is:
sunburned
chapped or broken
red or swollen
recovering from a chemical peel