Have you ever indulged in a body scrub? I know of no better way to exfoliate, hydrate, and stimulate the skin—and they smell wonderful! Scrubs can retail for fifteen to twenty dollars, but why spend the money when you can make you own? You probably already have most, if not all, of the ingredients.

You will need:

A jar or other container

Ground Sea Salt or Granulated Sugar.

Sea salt contains beneficial minerals but you want to choose a salt already ground, don’t just use your home grinder. When using a home grinder the resulting crystals have sharp edges and are too abrasive.

Carrier Oil.

Choose an oil that will be absorbed into the skin and has a decent shelf-life. Here are some choices:

Grapeseed—grapeseed is often used because it is relatively inexpensive and has a long shelf life.

Jojoba—jojoba penetrates more deeply into the skin

Sweet Almond—sweet almond contains minerals, vitamins, and protein

Essential Oil

Essential oils not only provide fragrance but also offer health benefits. Here are a few of the most common–you can combine two or three:

Relaxing/Comforting/Soothing

Jasmine–comforting
Lavender–relaxing
Neroli (Orange Blossom) —soothing
Rose—soothing

Stimulating/Mental Alertness

Eucalyptus–stimulating
Orange/Lemon—mental alertness
Peppermint—mental alertness
Tea tree—stimulating, anti-bacterial/anti-fungal

Grounding

Cedarwood
Patchouli
Sandalwood

Directions:

• Fill your container about ½ to ¾ with salt or sugar

• Top with layer of oil about 1 to 1 ½ inches

• Add your essential oils—The general rule for essential oils is up to 15 drops (total) per tablespoon of carrier oil but it is best to start with a light hand. I suggest starting with 10 drops total per jar of scrub, you can always add more if you desire a stronger scent.

If using two or three scents you may wish to blend them in a separate bowl before adding to the scrub. When blending, decide first what your base note will be as you will be using more drops of that scent. For instance, if I wanted sandalwood-rose I would begin with 5 drops of sandalwood and add two or three drops of rose.

That’s it! Leave the oil sitting on top and stir just prior to use.

Go ahead and pamper yourself! Scrubs also make perfect gifts for:
Birthdays/Graduations–make two or three different scented scrubs to tuck into a gift basket.
Weddings–gift your bridesmaids with matching scents.