You could spend hundreds of dollars on fancy exfoliating body scrubs, but you can easily make one on your own that works just as well. This basic recipe for a body scrub/exfoliator calls on the use of only a few pure, simple, ingredients that can be as effective, if not more, than those in stores that have all sorts of foreign additives. The beauty of this recipe also lies in that it can be customized however you want depending on what you need or feel like. You can use it plain, or add various herbs for their benefits, such as lavender for relaxation, rosemary to energize and invigorate you, or thyme, for its antibacterial properties.
Ingredients: Epsom salt (or coarse salt crystals), olive oil, lemon or lime juice, lavender or other herbs (optional)
Why Epsom salt: Epsom salt is an incredible skin-care product. It is a natural mineral composed of magnesium sulfide, which is readily absorbed by the skin. It naturally softens skin, sloughs away dead cells, reduces inflammation, and relaxes muscles. It can be substituted with coarse salt crystals, which will cosmetically do a similar job, but which lacks the benefits of the magnesium sulfide.
Why olive oil: Olive oil is silky smooth and helps keep skin moist but not oily.
Why lemon or lime juice: Lemon and lime are natural whiteners, acting as a sort of bleach to whiten your nails and cuticles and lighten dark spots on the skin, such as age/liver spots. The fresh scent is also quick invigorating.
Why an herb: you can use herbs if you’d like to add more benefits to your scrub. Here we use lavender, to promote rest and relaxation.
You will need…
-½ cup + 2 tablespoons Epsom salt or coarse salt crystals
-2 tablespoons of olive oil
-Juice of one lemon or lime
-herb of choice (optional)
In a bowl combine a half a cup plus 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt, or coarse salt crystals, with 4 tablespoons of olive oil.
Squeeze in the fresh juice of 1 lemon or lime, and stir together. Place in a jar with a tight fitting lid and use once a week for smooth, glowing skin. If you’re using an herb, cover the top of the mixture with it and stir it in after the lemon/lime juice. It will infuse the salt around it, and you can use the buds/sprigs and all when you scrub.
Place in a jar with a tight fitting lid and use once a week for smooth, glowing skin. You can scrub it on dry or in the shower, but if you do the former, rinse off with warm water afterwards.
Exfoliation leaves your skin soft and radiant, scrubbing away dead skin cells and allowing your “new” skin to breathe and shine. It also breaks up things on the surface of your skin that can cause unwanted blemishes. Experiment with different herbs, save money making your own scrubs, and enjoy!
Tip: you can adjust the amount of oil depending on if you want a coarser (less oil) scrub or a more uniform, softer (more oil) scrub.
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