How To Make A Body Scrub
A Home Recipe For Exfoliating, Softening, and Smoothing the Skin
Aug 26, 2008
Day spas and destination spas charge as much as $150 for a body polish or salt glow service. But an at-home version that will leave the body feeling smooth, supple, and hydrated can be made for less than $10 for. Exfoliating the skin is important to keep the skin healthy and happy. When the dead, dry skin cells have been sloughed away, the skin more readily accepts and retains moisture, a key component to overall skin health.
Ingredients and Tools
- 2 cups sea salt, kosher salt, or white sugar. Salt will be slightly more abrasive than sugar.
- 1 cup sweet almond oil. Grapeseed and olive oil are also excellent choices for oils.
- 10-30 drops of cosmetic-grade and/or high quality essential oils of your choice. Lavender is suitable for most skin types.
- A covered, plastic container for mixing and storage.
Making the Scrub
Combine the salt or sugar with the oil. Then, begin adding essential oils drop by drop. The scent should be present, but not overwhelming. Always make sure that the essential oils are skin-care quality, to aid in the prevention of skin irritation. Oils with stimulating properties, such as peppermint or spearmint, should be avoided, as they may irritate the more sensitive areas of the body.
Directions For Using An Exfoliating Body Scrub At Home
- Step into a dry shower or bathtub. Do not turn on any water.
- Beggining with one or two tablespoons of homemade exfoliating scrub, apply the scrub to one area of the body at a time. Start with the feet and legs and work upward, adding more of the body scrub as needed.
- Keep in mind that sensitive areas, like under the arms or the inner thigh, need only a light amount of pressure, whereas rougher areas such as the bottom of the feet and ankles can withstand a more firm pressure.
- Turn on the water and shower (or bath) and rinse the body completely, ensuring that the homemade body scrub has been thoroughly washed away.
- Turn off the water and pat the skin dry. Rubbing can irritate the freshly exfoliating skin. Patting the skin dry is a gentler, softer way to remove the water without removing the oils that have been added to the skin.
- If skin feels as though it needs more hydration, apply a favorite body moisturizer. Because the skin is recently exfoliated, body moisturizers without fragrance are preferable.
This recipe yields approximately three to five full body exfoliation sessions at home. Remember that oil can go rancid over time, and without preservatives, the body scrub should be used within one month. For best results, a weekly or bi-weekly body exfoliation is the recommended usage. Furthermore, this body scrub recipe is too abrasive for the face and should be used on the body only.
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