Winter Special: Homemade Face & Body Scrubs

The DIY beauty scrubs can be made in less than 5 minutes and they will last you all winter, bestowing you with a soft, glowing skin. Check out my 2 favourite recipes here.

When I went to US for the first time, I was totally enamoured by those bath and beauty brand shops. I’m sure it is the case with most of us 😛

These shops have a way of calling out to you as soon as you enter the malls. The delightful fragrances wafting out from these stores drag you in with invisible hands. And then in a near-hypnotic state, you say “here take all my money” just to possess those lotions, potions and scrubs that promise a more beautiful, sweet-smelling and softer you 🙂 It was also good to have an indulgent husband who would buy a jar of sugar scrub for over $20 without half batting an eyelid, and I’m talking about ten years ago.

Last year, I had a moment of truth. When I attended a soap making workshop (everyone knows this right? Because I haven’t stopped waxing eloquent about it ever since), as a bonus we also learnt how to make scrubs- face and body scrubs.

It was a lightbulb moment, a guilty moment, all rolled into one… that all ingredients for a good all-natural scrub are available, right here, in your kitchen shelf.

Salt and sugar scrubs are some of the best natural scrubs you can make. And what makes these scrubs totally gentle on your skin is a good quality oil. I make my scrubs with organic virgin coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil.

Why organic you may ask. After all it is only for the skin! The very premise of making these scrubs at home is to avoid the chemicals and preservatives in the store bought scrubs. Choosing organic as far as possible in these DIY beauty potions just makes them that much more amazing!Scrubbing your face with a pinch of this scrub and washing off with warm water makes it silken soft and you can bask in the glow of not having used a single chemical on your skin, especially since the ingredients are organic here.

Make these scrubs for yourself and for your family and friends. It makes a lovely holiday gift and a super useful one for the winters too.

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients for the scrub, add a few drops of your favourite essential oil and your scrub is ready.

Recipe for Sugar-Olive Oil scrub (Makes around 1 cup)

1/2 cup organic extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup organic sugar

4-6 drops orange essential oil

In a clean mixer jar, pulse the sugar 2-3 times so the granules are very small in size.

In a bowl, mix all of the above and stir well with a wooden spoon.

Sterilize a 1 cup glass jar or 4 small ones in the microwave or in a pressure cooker (optional, but helps the product stay longer).

Fill the scrub in the jar and cover with airtight lid.

The sugar acts as a gentle exfoliant, the olive oil provides moisturising effect and the orange essential oil gives this an aromatherapy effect. 

Recipe for Cafe Mocha Scrub (Makes around 1 cup)

1/2 cup organic extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup organic coconut sugar (alternate option: brown sugar)

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp finely ground coffee (not instant coffee)

4-6 drops vanilla extract or orange essential oil

If using brown sugar, in a clean mixer jar, pulse the sugar 2-3 times so the granules are very small in size.

In a bowl, mix all ingredients and stir well with a wooden spoon. Fill in sterilized / clean glass jars with airtight lid.

The coconut sugar acts as an exfoliant. The cocoa has an antioxidant effect and coffee is known for its anti-cellulite effect. The vanilla extract gives this a delicious edible aroma. The olive oil provides an intense moisturization to the skin. 

How to use homemade body / face scrubs

Wash the face clean of any make up. Take a fingertip sized pinch of the scrub and gently scrub face in circles until the sugar dissolves. Wash with warm water and pat dry. Do not wash off with soap, unless you have an excessively oily skin.

To use as a body scrub, take 1-2 tsp, rubbing elbows, knees, heels and any other dry areas, shower with warm water to wash off.

These scrubs leave the skin totally silky and smooth.

For most skin types, these scrubs can be used once or maximum twice a week, especially in winters, however tempting it may be to use it more often.

This post is in collaboration with Phalada Agro – the products used are their Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Organic Coconut Sugar.

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