Sugar scrubs are one of my favorite ways to exfoliate my skin. Unlike some of your other scrubs they melt away without leaving a residue, which for me is an added bonus, since there’s no clean up afterwards.
Benefits of scrubs
The main benefit of scrubs is their ability to exfoliate the skin. This is an extremely effective way to remove surface debris and dead cells from our skin. Which encourages new skin growth, and if we’re following a healthy diet it will encourage healthy skin growth. People often ask me where do I get my glow, besides my healthy lifestyle choices exfoliation is helpful in this area too since it does promote fresh and glowing skin. It also decreases the depth of wrinkles. With so many benefits, why wouldn’t you exfoliate your skin?
In the recipe below, I added essential oils. For those who are looking for animal friendly products, look no further than this soothing sugar scrub, it’s Vegan! You can make your scrubs without essential oils, and still have an amazing scrub that will leave you with soft skin, however I tend to add a few drops of essential oil since they do enhance my natural skin care products.
Soothing Sugar Scrub
- 1 cup raw turbinado sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1/2 cup Jojoba oil (you can also use sweet almond oil, peach oil, or coconut oil)
- *3 drops of lavender, rose geranium, or ylang ylang essential oil (optional)
Directions
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl
- Massage gently onto skin
- Let the sugar scrub remain on skin for 3-5 minutes
- Rinse off
- Enjoy your softly scented skin
Be kind to your skin! If you exfoliate too hard or too often you can leave your skin raw or cause skin irritation.
Skin Patch Test
If you’re trying a new product on your skin I always do a patch test. I choose an area on my skin that isn’t noticeable. I then apply the product and wait 48 hours. If I don’t have a reaction I’ll use the product. I cannot think of the last time I’ve had a reaction to my natural skin care products, however just because a product is natural doesn’t mean you can’t have a negative reaction.
A quick look at the sugar scrub ingredients
If you’re like myself, not only do you want to know what’s going into the foods you eat. You want to know what’s going into the products you put onto your skin too. Creating your own natural skin care recipes is an effective way to control what’s going into your skin care products. I’ve compiled a short list of information about the ingredients I used in the sugar scrub. I hope you find it helpful.
Raw Turbinado Sugar
Raw turbinado sugar can be found in many of your sugar scrubs. I love it because of its a slightly larger grain than your regular sugar. It’s a great for exfoliator, and since it’s sugar it tends to melt away leaving no residue.
Most sugars contains glycolic acid. Gycolic acid can be found in many skin care products because of its ability to penetrate the skin. Studies have shown that it may reduce wrinkling, hyperpigmentation, acne scarring, along with other skin conditions.
Jojoba oil
Jojoba oil is a natural oil and is suitable for all skin types. Although you can use it alone, it’s usually used as a ‘base or carrier oil’ to which other ingredients, like essential oils are added. Jojoba oil has numerous benefits and it’s something I use often in my hair and skin regimen. Jojoba oil is easily absorbed because its chemical composition closely resembles that of our skins natural sebum.
Rose Geranium essential oil
I love the scent of rose geranium essential oil. It’s wonderful for sensitive, dry, or oily skin. It’s also used to treat acne, skin inflammations, and eczema.
Lavender essential oil
Lavender essential oil has a calming scent. It has been used to treat numerous skin disorders such as eczema, acne, psoriasis. Lavender essential oil effectively has been used to heal wounds, cuts burns, aids in treating migraines, headaches, etc.,
Ylang Ylang (pronounced ee-lung ee-lung) essential oil
Ylang Ylang essential oil is one of my favorite essential oils. I use it often in perfume blends. Ylang Ylang essential oil is great for oily and dry skin. It’s a natural conditioner and it’s been reported that it stimulates natural hair growth. There are numerous grades of this oil. I tend to purchase the Ylang Ylang superior.
If you have an active life, you know how easy it is to get so get wrapped up with your activities that you forget to take out time for yourself. I’m sure many of us have heard the cliché, Stop and smell the roses. Just do it. It’s something we all need to do now and again. One of the many ways I take a timeout from my busy life is pampering myself with a simple sugar scrub.
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Moondancer, Recipes, Vegan, Natural Skin Care
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