I love getting new body products. The luscious lotions, soaps, and scrubs smell so good and always make me feel spoiled and special.
What I do not like are the toxic chemicals and perfumes they often contain. It’s rather dreadful to have saved up for a special jar of something, only to discover it burns, itches, or stings.
Recently I’ve been studying how to make my own and it has been so much fun. 🙂 I feel like a little girl in kindergarten mixing and brewing, stirring and sniffing as I experiment.
My recent favorite bit of pampering is a Peppermint Sugar Body Scrub.
Essential oils are wonderful, healing, soothing, restoring, and all manner of good things. Although I’ve chosen peppermint for this one, you can choose any essential oil you like, from lavender or eucalyptus to rose or bergamot.
I like peppermint because it feels Christmasy and cool and is an excellent oil for easing sore muscles, clearing sinuses, and taking away headaches.
You can use any pure extra virgin oil for this recipe, but I prefer apricot oil because it is so wonderful for the skin and is easily absorbed.
The nice thing about this scrub is that it can be made in less than five minutes and looks like snow in the jar, a perfect Christmas project.
Do you ever make your own body products? What is your favorite scent?
Peppermint Sugar Body Scrub
Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1/4-1/2 cup extra virgin apricot oil
10-15 drops peppermint essential oil
Directions:
- Pour sugar into medium-sized bowl.
- Add apricot oil a spoonful at a time, mixing well after each addition, until mixture resembles wet sand or slushy snow. You should be able to form it into shapes that hold together.
- Add peppermint essential oil and mix well.
- Scoop mixture into clean glass jar, tamping it down so there aren’t any large gaps.
- Top with 1-2 spoonfuls of oil to keep moist.
- Seal and store until ready to use.
How wonderful. My kids would love this. They are always concocting some facial remedy or the other! I thinl almond and coconut oils would work beautifully too.
That’s great, dear Oz! 🙂 I used to make concoctions like that when I was little too. So fun! 🙂
Peppermint is one of my favourite bath-time scents. So invigorating! Lavender tops the list for me …. but rose oil and bergamot are right up there as well.
It IS invigorating, Jacqueline!! 🙂 I always feel so alive and perky with it. 🙂 But lavender is wonderful too – so calming and soothing. 🙂
I saw these photos on your Facebook page and just had to click over! Pampering yourself during the holidays is just my kinda thing 🙂 Thanks for giving me another
great indulgence to try! bon weekend to you Krista 🙂
You are so welcome, Tuula!! I’m so glad this is something you like too. 🙂 xo
That’s an amazing idea! It could make a great DIY Christmas present!
Thank you, Aude!! It would make a great present! 🙂
I’ve never made my own body scrub, but this looks so easy!
It is super easy, @8c55800e368a37aa499c24f6424eb7b2:disqus and it smells amazing. 🙂
I love that wooden spoon!!
Thank you, @Cailins:disqus 🙂 Me too!!! 🙂
This looks so luxurious to me after being on the road for 4 months. I hope someone makes me some as a late Christmas present for when I get back home!
Oh, you DO need some pampering after all that travel, @BeyondBlighty:disqus 🙂
Ooh this looks fabulous! I haven’t done a scrub in a while and not sure I can get the ingredients here in Korea, so I may need to wait until I’m back in the UK. Where can you buy essential oils, anyway? Not something I’ve ever looked for, having never done DIY beauty products myself!
Thanks, @waegook_tom:disqus 🙂 You can buy them online (Young Living) or any good health food store. Just make sure they’re pure essential oils and don’t have any bad crap in them. 🙂 They’re brilliant! 🙂
I love this idea! I am so going to do this for someone (or someones) for Christmas. My only problem is I’m running out of nice jars to use, with jamming at the moment too! I love apricot kernal oil too. I used to use it mixed with almond oil for massaging (back in a previous career life). I’ll have to get hold of some…
I just came across from The Black Fox Homestead list of easy Christmas gifts, by the way.
This would be a great post for my Simple Seasonal Goodness linky list too, over at SustainableSuburbia.net at
http://sustainablesuburbia.net/simple-seasonal-goodness-celebrating-advent-with-a-difference/
I’d love you to come and add it.