No matter what season. Whether when winter is coming and the air gets drier both indoors and outside; or in the heat of the summer when the AC is blasting – the skin all over the body is begging for exfoliation and extra hydration. Both tasks are easy to accomplish with a DIY body scrub.
Again, there are many to be found in a store, but they are filled with unnecessary and often harmful chemicals and preservatives, cost a lot of money, and are not always super effective.
Healthy skin is a reflection of overall wellness.
Dr. Murad
Seasonal Ingredients
Rather than spending money on a sub-par scrub at the store, I prefer to head into my pantry and whip up a scrub with just a few incredibly effective ingredients. Possibilities are endless, and it is easy to mix different things to customize the scrub to the particular needs. Also, it really simplifies things, and I am all about simplifying my skin and body care routine.
For example, during summer months, I would opt for a lighter oils for my base, such as grapeseed or sunflower, while during winter months I go for olive, almond or fractionated coconut oil.
As for actual scrubbing ingredient, one can use almond meal or ground oats for a more gentle action, or salt or sugar for more exfoliation. To combat cellulite, adding some spend coffee grounds can do wonders (one word of caution though, they can clog the shower drain, so it’s best to rub the scrub off with a paper towel before rinsing it off).
Your skin is a reflection of how well your body is eliminating the toxins that build up on a daily basis.
Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman N.D.
My Body Scrub Recipe
Here is a super simple recipe I’m currently using.
- ¼ cup Olive Oil (fractionated coconut or grapeseed oil would work fine as well)
- 1 cup Sea Salt
- 1 TBS Dried Lemon or Orange Peel (Mountain Rose Herbs carries both organic peels that work great, but you can also freeze a lemon/orange and then grate and dry it)
- 15-20 drops Orange or Pink Grapefruit essential oil (or a mix of any other citrus oils)
- Combine all ingredients until everything is mixed into a coarse scrub. Feel free to add oil or salt to reach the desired paste-like consistency (this is not exact science).
- Get in the shower or bath, cleanse your skin and apply the scrub onto it.
- Gently massage in circular motions to exfoliate your body, spending a few minutes on each part.
- Wash the mixture off with water only.
Additional bonus of this scrub is that you don’t need to moisturize afterward, as the trace of olive oil stays on the skin.
Because citrus essential oils can make skin photosensitive, it is important to only use this scrub at a time when one won’t be spending time in the sun (evening). For a morning shower, I opt for other scrubs, e.g. sugar, olive oil, coffee grounds, and vanilla essential oil.
Enjoy!
How to Make Yummy Coconut Oil and Sugar Lip Scrub
