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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

DIY Beauty-body & face scrubs

(coffee, honey and oatmeal scrub)

My friend, Whitney, gave me a wonderful recipe for a homemade scrub, I have made this scrub multiple times. Everytime I have used this scrub my skin has felt fresh, clean, smooth and it glows!

Find the recipe below as well as a few others.

This amazing scrub can be used on the body but also the face and lips!

Here is Whitney's simple and easy to follow recipe:

Ingredients:

*Sugar - I usually use brown, it really exfoliates your skin but isn't as rough as white/castor sugar

*Vanilla (essential oil) - Add as desired for scent; one/half teaspoon (or approximately ten drops) is usually enough depending on the quantity you are making. For an interesting mix, blend two scents.

*Baby Oil (carrier oil)- The baby oil combines with the sugar to help blend the ingredients, again add small amounts and mix until the scrub is at the right consistency for you.

Whitney's scrub-
looks good enough to eat!

Method:

*Blend the ingredients you choose together until you are happy with the consistency, add the carrier oil to the texture ingredient in small portions and then add some of your chosen scent.
*Use a spoon to mix-either use a bowl or add the ingredients straight into the jar you will store it in.
*The scrub can be used 'dry' (use a loofah on skin that isn't wet) before washing it off in the shower. It can also be used in the shower/bath, lather and scrub- the water will heighten the scent of the scrub.
*Once you have scrubbed the mix onto your skin, rinse it off with lukewarm water, pat the skin dry and moisturise. If there is some mixture leftover, store in an airtight jar and use next time!



Some Tips:

* I have discovered some wonderful ingredients that could be used for some variation:

~Essential oils: The fun part! Pick your scent...I have mostly used vanilla as it isn't too overpowering but some other scents to try include rose, peppermint, lavender, cherry, peach, chocolate or even add some of your favourite perfume!
~Carrier oils: baby/olive/vegetable/sunflower/almond/coconut oils, lemon/lime juice, milk
~Ingredients for texture: sugar (white, brown or raw), sea salt, coffee, coconut, oatmeal, strawberries (mashed), cucmber (grated), yoghurt or honey

     
*The carrier oils are used to provide enough moisture to the scrub mix as the essential oils used for scent are too potent to use them solely in order to soften and combine the scrub

*To decide what you should use as your main ingredient look at what you have available and/or how smooth or rough you desire the scrub to be (consider the area it will be used on)


~For a smoother texture, add more of the liquid based ingredients or use a smoother texture option, such as honey, strawberries or yoghurt (yoghurt blended with oatmeal is great for mild facials)
~If you want a rougher, highly exfoliating scrub use salt, sugar, coconut or coffee and consider limiting the amount of carrier oil you combine in the mix.

*You can mix these ingredients around to make different types of scrubs- perfect gifts for friends and family! One that I would love to try is a chocolate-vanilla strawberry scrub.
*A rough, exfoliating scrub is perfect for the larger and dry areas of the body such as abdomen, back, legs, arms, elbows, feet and hands. Very useful in winter, before tan application or waxing.

                                                       *A smoother mix or a small amount of the rough mix is perfect for using on your lips (to get that perfect pout), face, hands and feet (DIY facials, manicures or pedicures).
*For lips I find using a toothbrush or eyebrow brush alongside the scrub help to prevent chapped lips.  
*Soaking hands and feet in warm water, milk or lemon juice before applying your scrub to soften dry skin. Use a pumice stone to remove dry skin and then moisturise.

*Lemon and milk are fantastic and gentle exfoliators due to the acids and enzymes present. Milk also helps to restore and rejuvenate the skin. Honey is amazing for creating soft skin and reducing scars. Cucumbers and strawberries soothe the skin and reduce fluid build up (such as puffy eyes or ankles).


Enjoy making your own scrubs!
I love it and can't wait to start gifting them to people,

Kooklah, Xx


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