Body scrubs (salt and sugar)

A recent trip to a spa where I treated myself to a wash, scrub and massage using 'dead sea minerals' reawakened my desire for homemade, organic products which really made my skin sing. When I arrived home, I nosed around online for some tempting recipes and inspiration for my own salt and sugar scrubs.

I'm a huge fan of salted caramel, so sweet/savoury combinations really appeal to me, but I'm not convinced they work in a combined product for the skin (but I may be wrong). So, instead I have come up with two different products: a lemon, rosemary and olive oil salt scrub (which makes me feel like a delicious smelling human focaccia) and a cinnamon, sugar, coconut and cocoa sugar scrub (for that hot chocolate feeling).

I've since used each on my skin, and have left the shower feeling fresh, clean and silky smooth, and not at all sticky or salty. I rounded off the shower experience with some of my body lotion (previous entry) and woke up in the morning still soft and smooth.

So, on with the recipes...

Lemon, rosemary and olive oil salt scrub

A lemon and olive oil mixture appealed to me because not only is it energising and moisturising, but it really helps with keeping skin soft and supple, while removing any dead surface skin. I added some fresh rosemary sprigs for an added oomph as it compliments the lemon and olive perfectly in addition to having some restorative properties if aromatherapy is to be believed. If you wanted to encourage relaxation, some fresh lavender could be used as a substitute.

For one 300g jar, you will need:

• Juice and zest of one lemon.
• Extra virgin oil of your choice (preferably organic). I used olive oil, but you could use any of the others previously mentioned, or avocado, grapeseed, another nut oil or even sesame oil.
• Salt [Note: You can be as technical or as straightforward as you like; table salt will work, but I would recommend you use a sea salt. You can use finely ground or coarse salt crystals or, alternatively, Epsom salt. Epsom salt is a natural mineral containing magnesium sulphide which naturally softens skin as well as having the same exfoliating properties as sea salt].
• Optional: fresh rosemary or herb of your choice, chopped. 
• 1 x 300g jar, and a mixing bowl

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix 250g salt with the chopped herb, lemon zest and 100ml oil. Mix well until all of the salt is coated in oil.
2. Once the salt is covered in oil, add the lemon juice and mix again.
3. Pour into a container of your choice. I'd recommend using glass so that the smell doesn't absorb into the plastic, but plastic may be more sensible for use in the bathroom (it depends how clumsy you are!). 
4. Place near the bath/shower with a spoon or some sort of scoop (an old wooden spoon or even a seashell are perfect).
5. You will need to stir the salt scrub before each use, as the salt will sink and the oil will rise to the top. Also be careful not to get any water into the mixture (hence why a scoop or spoon is a useful accompaniment). You may want to add a little more oil once it's settled, so there is a 'protective' layer between the scrub and water while it sits in the bathroom.

Salt scrub is particularly good for cleaning particularly dry areas (knees, elbows, hands, feet). Scrub in a circular motion and leave on your skin for a few moments before rinsing off; I've tended to leave the scrub on while conditioning my hair, and then washed it off after I've washed out the conditioner. You shouldn't need to wash it off afterwards with any shower gel/soap as otherwise you're washing away the benefits of the oil. Simply pat yourself dry with a towel and get on with your usual routine!

All being well, your skin should feel soft and exfoliated, as well as moisturised. You should also have a faint smell of the lemon and herb (but hopefully not smell like an Italian bakery!). You may be a little "pink" when fresh from the shower, but that's just because of the exfoliating action of scrubbing yourself in the salt mixture.

Cinnamon, cocoa, coconut and honey sugar scrub

Sugar scrub is less harsh on the skin than salt scrub. As it's gentler, you may want to start with this product and work up to a salt scrub (if for you). As with the salt scrub, you can experiment with different types of sugar (caster, cane, brown sugar - dark, light, demerara) to work out what you prefer. Again, I tended to stick with organic products but that was a personal preference.

Unlike the more oily salt scrub, I kept this one quite dry. The recipe, however, is just as simple. For one 300g jar, you will need:

• Sugar
• Ground Cinnamon 
• Cinnamon bark essential oil (or another essential oil of your choice)
• Oil (I used coconut oil)
• Optional: ground ginger, ground nutmeg, honey, cocoa, vanilla, ground oatmeal
• 1 x 300g container (I used an old chocolate container, adding to that indulgent sweet appeal)

Method:

1. In a bowl place 250g sugar (I used 200g caster sugar, 50g demerara sugar) and mix in 1 tsp ground cinnamon and any other optional spices (I added 1/2 tsp ginger and 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1 tsp of cocoa).
2. Add 50ml coconut oil, 3-5 drops of essential oil and 1 tsp honey (optional) to the mixture. As my coconut oil was solid, I placed it (and the honey) in the microwave for about 30 seconds until melted, but not hot.
3. Mix together so that all of the sugar mixture is coated in the oil.
4. Place in an airtight container and put in the bathroom ready for your next soak/shower.

Like the salt scrub, this recipe is so simple and can be modified to suit your own tastes. Rather than cinnamon, try more ginger, cloves, citrus zest (and some juice, added after the oil coating), ground oatmeal to add with the exfoliation, vanilla (sugar, oil, pod). You could even add vitamin E, coffee granules or tea leaves. Experiment away, just don't eat it!

For information on the use of oils and essential oils, see my page here.