Body scrubs are a great beauty feature most people, including myself tend to neglect. That is until you look at your skin and notice unusual dry spots, or how rough your elbows have become. If you think about it, we exfoliate our face anywhere from 1 - 3 times a week to remove dead skin and improve cell turnover, so why wouldn't we be doing this to our bodies as well?
Summertime can be just as harmful to our skin as the winter months. Skin can become dry or damaged from all the time spent at the pool or outside activities. Not to worry, I have created five easy body scrubs that will not only take your skin from glum to glow, but that you can make from items you probably already have in your kitchen pantry!
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Coffee Coconut Sugar Scrub:
Coffee is basically a natural skin tightener. Coffee absorbs and helps remove liquid fat from skin through an increase in circulation. This "caffeine boost" helps to decrease the appearance of cellulite.
11/2 cup Ground Coffee
(I used my leftover grounds from my morning pot)
1/2 cup Cane Sugar
1/4 cup Coconut Oil
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
When combining ingredients be careful not to over mix, for this can dissolve all of the sugar and there will be no grit to your scrub.
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Vanilla Coconut Salt Scrub:
Coconut oil can literally be used for almost anything! It not only gives skin instant hydration, but it retains moisture for long periods of time, helping to keep skin hydrated for hours. Coconut oil is also rich in vitamin E. This ingredient helps to smooth skin, repair daily wear and tear, and diminish the appearance of stretch marks. Finally, coconut oil is high in antioxidants, making it a great product for anti-aging.
1 cup Sea Salt
1/2 cup Coconut Oil
1/2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
1 tbsp Honey
Because this scrub contains salt vs sugar it is more abrasive. Be cautious if you have sensitive skin, for it can irritate or cause redness.
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Brown Sugar Honey Body Scrub:
Brown Sugar contains glycolic acid and AHA's (alpha hydroxy acids), these help to improve cell turnover. Brown sugar is also a natural humectant, meaning it retains moisture keeping skin glowing and youthful.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) contains vitamins A & E protecting skin against free radicals. EVOO is also super moisturizing, giving skin a beautiful glow.
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup EVOO
1 - 2 tsp Honey
Brown sugar is the most gentle of all sugars, making it perfect for more sensitive skin or anyone who wants a less gritty scrub.
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Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub:
Pumpkin is an ingredient I feel we overlook when it comes to skincare. Pumpkin is full of vitamins C, E & A, as well as AHA's. These ingredients aide in the removal of dead skin, and improving skins overall appearance and texture. Pumpkin is also rich in anti-aging fatty acids, and is great for moisturizing the skin.
1/2 cup Organic Puree Pumpkin
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Cane Sugar
1 tbsp EVOO
1 tbsp Honey
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Cinnamon
*be cautious when using cinnamon for too much can irritate skin.
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Tropical Sugar Salt Scrub:
Pineapple serves more purpose than just adding a nice scent to your body scrub. Pineapple is not only high in vitamin C making it great for protecting your skin against wrinkles, but is a natural chemical exfoliant as well. Meaning, the pineapple basically does the work itself. Whether or not you physically scrubbed this scrub, the pineapple would still help to remove skin build up, and overall appearance.
1 cup Cane Sugar
1/2 Sea Salt
1/4 cup Coconut Oil
1/4 cup Pineapple Juice
A few drops of blue food coloring
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To get the most life out of your scrubs, store them in the refrigerator in air tight containers. Just be sure to take them out 10-15 minutes before showering so they can soften.
Body scrubs not only have to be fun for you, these make great gifts as well! You can customize with different scents or natural oils, and really put your own personal touch on each of them. The possibilities are truly endless!
Now who's ready for a shower?!
*nails: OPI - You're such a Budapest
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