Essential Oils

Lavender Sandalwood Sugar Scrub

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I love this scent combination! Lavender and Sandalwood have got to be some of my new favourites. Sandalwood is a wonderful scent that is often used in shampoos and body wash. At least for me, that’s what I always think of with this scent: Clean and fresh!

Lavender flowers and pure lavender essential oils in particular are always beneficial to have on hand for SO many reasons.

Here’s a short personal story of how lavender has helped me.

A few weeks ago (RIGHT before we left for the holidays), I fell backward to the floor and hit my head pretty hard. I was pretty sure it was a mild concussion due to the immense pain, dizziness and goose egg that followed shortly after. (Thankfully because the fall was backward, I was not as worried that our 20 week baby was harmed in the womb).

The next two days were very difficult and busy with trying to finish packing for going away for two weeks. Balancing ordinary life with two little kids, was also a challenge, and trying to take care of my concussion. Thankfully the hubby was able to take one of those days off to take care of the kids, which made it much easier.

In general, I have a hard time “relaxing” or laying around when there’s lots to do! So that’s also why these few days were particularly difficult.

When Jesse and I got married, my aunt had given me a sachet of home-dried lavender flowers that I usually keep in my clothes dresser so that the contents of the drawer smell nice. When the concussion happened, I knew that the relaxing scent of lavender would help in so many ways.

So whenever I lay down to try rest, I put the sachet of dried lavender on the pillow next to me and breathed in the scent. Within a few breaths, I could feel my muscles relax, airways open up more, and headache pain began to decrease.

I wish we could grow lavender this far in the north! Perhaps if I get a greenhouse built one of these years then I can experiment with this idea. But until then, I am very thankful for being able to purchase dried lavender online.

On a side note: this past summer, my other aunt and uncle took my mother and I to a lavender farm in the Niagara (Ontario) region, named “Mingle Hill Farms“. It was SO beautiful and calming to walk among the rows of lavender bushes, and breath in the wonderful aroma. If you are in the area, it is definitely worth checking out!

Benefits of using a sugar scrub on your skin:

  • Improves circulation
  • Cleanses the skin pores
  • Removes any dead skin
  • Moisturizes the skin
  • Muscle relaxant
  • Helps to remove toxins
  • Smooths the skin

What are sugar scrubs made of?

Most scrubs are simply made using products found right in your kitchen! The basis of most scrub recipes consist of: an oil and an exfoliant, with herbs and essential oils used to cleanse and exfoliate the skin, and they do wonders to relax muscles and nerves in the process!

Base Oil:

Coconut oil is the most common oil used, but olive oil, grape seed oil, and sweet almond oil are also used. I love using organic virgin coconut oil, mostly for the amazing health benefits, and the gentle scent.

Exfoliant:

Sugar and salt are most commonly used as an exfoliant, and while there are many types of sugars and salts, my opinion is that the bigger the granules are, the better it will rub on your skin. For example, I would recommend a coarsely ground sea salt over an iodized-finely ground table salt. However, I have also enjoyed learning of many more creative ingredients that can be used as the rough element in a scrub: oatmeal, coarsely ground coffee beans, rice, some seeds, veggies and fruits. Mud and sand are also great!

Dried Herbs/Flowers:

  • Lavender -Most health food stores carry this, with comparable prices on Amazon due to their popularity.
  • Rosemary -Check your kitchen spices! Or you can buy at any grocery store.
  • Peppermint -Easy to grow, or you can forage for wild mint! You can also cut open a peppermint tea bag or purchase larger dried pieces at the grocery store or online.
  • Rose Petals -You can pick your own wild roses and dry them or look for them at your local health food store, or buy online.
  • Rosehips -These grow in abundance in the north, so we pick our own wild rosehips and dry them, but you can also purchase them online or check out your local health food store.
  • Calendula -Easy to grow your own! Also available at health food stores or online.
  • Camomile -Look for these growing wild! Just be careful to select flowers that are not near roads or have been sprayed. You can also cut open a Chamomile tea bag, or buy the whole flowers at a health food store or online.

Commonly Used Essential Oils for Body Scrubs and Their Medicinal Uses:

  • Lavender: Lowers stress, anxiety, and headaches. Improves sleep quality, relaxes muscles, lowers pain. Also used to treat head lice and stimulate hair growth.
  • Peppermint: A great resource for opening up the sinuses and relieving headaches.
  • Sandalwood: Calming and a relaxing scent.
  • Lemon: A bright and refreshing scent that helps to even out the skin tone.
  • Tea Tree: Aside from being used to treat lice and insect bites, Tea Tree oil is also known as an anti-fungal, and anti-septic and an anti-inflammatory.
  • Eucalyptus: An antiseptic, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial essential oil. Fights infection and promotes healing.
  • Rosehip: Primarily used for treating eczema, acne and rashes. It has linoleic acid in it which shrinks pimples and reduces inflammation.
  • Sweet Orange Oil: An anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, aides in digestion, but most known to act as a mood enhancer and relaxant.
  • Geranium: Used to treat depression, balance hormones, improve circulation, and sleep aid to name a few.
  • Carrot Seed Oil: An antioxidant, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. Primarily used to treat skin infections and inflammations.
  • Jasmine: Used to treat depression and anxiety, aides in balancing hormones and improving energy and sleep.
  • Grapefruit: Treats acne and other skin infections. Mood enhancer and may also help with weight loss.

Other Commonly Used Skin Care Oils:

  • Vitamin E Oil is one that I always add a few drops of into whatever skin care products I am making at the time. It is highly beneficial to the skin because of its moisturizing properties and it is also an antioxidant.
  • Jojoba Oil is another all-around essential skin oil that is a great moisturizer and cleanser. It is also known to help with treating acne, psoriasis and eczema.

How to Make Lavender Sandalwood Sugar Scrub

Supplies Needed:

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. If the coconut is hard, you can soften it a little in microwave or small pot on the stove.
  2. Mix in all the other ingredients.
  3. Let cool if the oil is still warm.
  4. Spoon into the small glass jar, pressing down to fit it all in.
  5. Add a few more dried lavender flowers to the top and a few more drops of lavender and sandalwood oils before closing.
  6. Enjoy!

Optional: Label and tie ribbon or twine around it for a cute DIY gift!

Here are More Sugar and Salt Scrubs to Try!

More Ideas for Natural Living:

Hi, I’m Jessie!

I’m a Wife and Homeschooling Mom living in a remote town in Northern Ontario, Canada. I love making wholesome meals for my family from scratch, homeschooling our girls and learning more about natural living.

Read more about my story HERE.

Subscribe to Northbird’s email list to get weekly posts on: tasty recipes, activity ideas for kids, natural living tips, and some genuine mom thoughts and encouragement!

Recent posts from Northbird:

Check out on the Natural Living Page:

Nature’s Medicine

An on-going picture collection of various herbs, vegetables, fruits, oils, etc and highlighting some of the amazing health benefits that they have to offer us!

  • Servings: 1 small jar
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

A refreshing and relaxing sugar scrub to brighten up your skin


Supplies Needed

  • Mixing bowl and spoon
  • Small glass jar, 125ml
  • Measuring cups
  • Teaspoon


    • Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
  • 2 teaspoons dried Lavender Flowers
  • 10-20 drops of 100% Pure Lavender Essential Oil
  • 10-20 drops of 100% Pure Sandalwood Essential Oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon Vitamin E Oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon Jojoba Oil


    • Directions

    1. If the coconut is hard, you can soften it a little in microwave or small pot on the stove.
    2. Mix in all the other ingredients.
    3. Let cool if the oil is still warm.
    4. Spoon into the small glass jar, pressing down to fit it all in.
    5. Add a few more dried lavender flowers to the top and a few more drops of lavender and sandalwood oils before closing.
    6. Enjoy!

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    Easy Recipe for Homemade Laundry Soap

    NorthbirdLeave a comment

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    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclosure HERE.

    Jump to Recipe Card

    Does Homemade Laundry Soap Actually Work?

    Yes! It not only cleans our laundry extremely well, but also has a bright & fresh scent from any essential oils that are added.

    There are a lot of homemade laundry soap recipes that I’ve seen, and I’ve tried a few different ones but this is the one I keep coming back to. Credits to my-sister-in law K, for first sharing a laundry bar recipe with me several years ago!

    Is Homemade Laundry Soap Less Expensive?

    This is one of the biggest money savers I have used over the past five years of living in remote communities. I honestly don’t remember how much it cost for a small jug of laundry detergent at the first fly-in community we lived in, but I remember being completely shocked at the price. That year I was ever so thankful to already know about a few household budget-savers!

    I stock up on “The Soap Works” laundry stain remover bars purchased from the Bulk Barn whenever I am in the south, and with some cartons of baking soda I am all set for a few years!

    You can also purchase them directly from The Soap Works website HERE. I have found that 2 of these laundry soap bars and 3-4 small cartons of baking soda are all we need for a year’s supply of laundry soap, for 4 people (Approximately 3 loads a week). When you compare that to buying liquid laundry detergent or pods for a year, the price difference is pretty clear.

    Are Commercial Laundry Detergents Bad for the Environment?

    Making your own laundry detergent is not only better for your bank account, but also for the environment. Commercial detergents use harsh chemicals that can have harmful effects on the environment.

    Phosphates are found in most laundry detergents and cause algal blooms in waterways, lakes and streams which block sunlight from reaching lower aquatic plants, eventually depleting oxygen from the water. This is one example of how chemicals from littered garbage can make changes to the ecosystem. You can read more HERE about this.

    Why is Homemade Laundry Soap Better for Your Health?

    Natural, homemade laundry soap is not only non-toxic, chemical-free and artificial fragrance-free, but also way more gentle on your skin. You are using safe and natural ingredients, some of which you may already have in your pantry!

    When combined with pure essential oils, Homemade Laundry Soap is much more beneficial to your health and wellness than using commercial detergents.

    Why are Pure Essential Oils Better to Use than Artificial Scents?

    Artificial fragrances and perfumes are everywhere: in candles, in air fresheners, hand soaps, body lotions, shampoos & conditioners, and very heavily in most commercial based laundry products. (One reason why it is so important to check labels!)

    Synthetic scents are usually petroleum based and these chemicals have very serious effects on the human body. Some common chemicals used include benzophenone and styrene (carcinogenic) and phthalates (endocrine disruptors). You can read more about this HERE.

    I suppose that makes sense why there are so many allergies and asthmatic reactions to strong scents!

    What Essential Oils are Commonly Used for Laundry Soap?

    My personal favourites that I alternate for adding to the laundry soap recipe are lavender and lemon. I have also included a few other scents that people enjoy using for homemade laundry soap, and the medicinal and natural properties that these oils have for use in laundry soap.

    • Lavender: Relaxing and calming, this is great to use for washing bedding.
    • Citrus Oils (Lemon, Grapefruit, & Orange): A bright, fresh and deodorizing scent. This is my favourite for washing clothing in.
    • Tea Tree: Anti-fungal and anti-viral, this is good for washing clothing and bedding after someone has been sick.
    • Peppermint: Fresh and bright scent, this is also anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-viral.
    • Eucalyptus: Refreshing and clean scent. I like to use this for towels.
    • Rosemary: A fresh and woodsy scent, it is also anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-viral.

    You can also opt out of adding any essential oils for an unscented batch of homemade laundry soap!

    How to Make Homemade Laundry Soap

    Supplies Needed:

    Ingredients:

    • 3 Litres of water
    • 3 + 1/2 Tablespoons of shaved stain remover laundry bar, The Soap Works (1/8 bar, or 25-30g)
    • 1/4 cup of baking soda
    • 10 Drops of pure essential oil (See ideas above)
    • 1/4 Cup white vinegar (add separately to wash load)

    Directions:

    1. Boil 2 litres of water in a large stock pot, and turn burner off when it hits a rolling boil.

    2. Mix laundry bar shavings with baking soda in small bowl. Add slowly to boiled water in small amounts, whisking in constantly. (*The first time I made this I just dumped it all in and then had to deal with all the soap bubbles spilling all over the stove, into the stove, onto the floor…it was everywhere! But I had a very clean stove after that.)

    3. After dry mix has dissolved in the water, let cool completely for several hours, whisking occasionally. It may clump up into jelly-like consistency as it cools, just whisk it out.

    4. When completely cool, whisk in approximately 10 drops of pure essential oil. This amount can be more or less, depending on your oil selected, and how strong of a scent you like your clean laundry to have. You can see some suggestions above of what oils are nice to use in laundry detergent.

    5. Pour with funnel into your choice of storage container for liquid laundry soap. In the past, I have used glass jars and recycled pourable juice containers. But a lot of people also use refillable glass jug dispensers (see “Shop This Post” for ideas).

    6. When you are ready to do a load of laundry, you can use 1/3 cup of homemade laundry soap for a medium sized load (1/2 cup if laundry is really soiled!), and add 1/4 cup of white vinegar directly to the clothes. If the laundry liquid has become jelly-like, just give the jug or jar a little shake. It will still work well if it comes out clumpy.

    Optional: Funnel into a glass jar, label and tie ribbon or twine around it for a cute homemade housewarming gift!

    More Ideas for Natural Living:

    Hi, I’m Jessie!

    I’m a Wife and Homeschooling Mom living in a remote town in Northern Ontario, Canada. I love making wholesome meals for my family from scratch, homeschooling our girls and learning more about natural living.

    Read more about my story HERE.

    Subscribe to Northbird’s email list to get weekly posts on: tasty recipes, activity ideas for kids, natural living tips, and some genuine mom thoughts and encouragement!

    Check out on the Natural Living Page:

    Nature’s Medicine

    An on-going picture collection of various herbs, vegetables, fruits, oils, etc and highlighting some of the amazing health benefits that they have to offer us!

    Recent posts from Northbird:

    Homemade Laundry Soap

    • Servings: 1 jug
    • Difficulty: Easy
    • Print

    An Easy and Inexpensive Way to Have Clean Clothes


    Supplies Needed

  • Measuring cups
  • Tablespoon
  • Large stock pot (8 quart works great)
  • Whisk
  • Small bowl & spoon
  • Funnel
  • Storage container for liquid laundry soap


    • Ingredients

  • 3 Litres of water
  • 3 + 1/2 Tablespoons of shaved stain remover laundry bar, The Soap Works (1/8 bar, or 25-30g)
  • 1/4 cup of baking soda
  • 10 Drops of pure essential oil (See ideas above)
  • 1/4 Cup white vinegar (add separately to wash load)


    • Directions

    1. Boil 2 litres of water in a large stock pot, and turn burner off when it hits a rolling boil.
    2. Mix laundry bar shavings with baking soda in small bowl. Add slowly to boiled water in small amounts, whisking in constantly.
    3. After dry mix has dissolved in the water, let cool completely for several hours, whisking occasionally. It may clump up into jelly-like consistency as it cools, just whisk it out.
    4. When completely cool, whisk in approximately 10 drops of pure essential oil. This amount can be more or less, depending on your oil selected, and how strong of a scent you like your clean laundry to have. You can see some suggestions above of what oils are nice to use in laundry detergent.
    5. Pour with funnel into your choice of storage container for liquid laundry soap. In the past, I have used glass jars and recycled pourable juice containers. But a lot of people also use refillable glass jug dispensers (see “Shop This Post” for ideas)
    6. When you are ready to do a load of laundry, you can use 1/3 cup of homemade laundry soap for a medium sized load (1/2 cup if laundry is really soiled!), and add 1/4 cup of white vinegar directly to the clothes. If the laundry liquid has become jelly-like, just give the jug or jar a little shake. It will still work well if it comes out clumpy.

      7. Optional: Funnel into a glass jar, label and tie ribbon or twine around it for a cute homemade housewarming gift!


    Return to Top

    Green Tea and Peppermint Sugar Scrub

    Northbird2 Comments

    Find Northbird on social media:

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclosure HERE.

    Jump to Recipe Card

    Return to “Natural Living”

    Sugar scrubs! These are timeless, easy and a fun DIY for personal care products.

    I have many fond memories of making these with friends and then giving each other foot scrubs and pedicures afterward! I love the creativity and endless possibilities that one can come up with for mixing sugar and salt scrubs, and doing it with friends: even better!

    Why use Green Tea?

    Green tea not only has a calming taste and many health benefits, but for some (most importantly) it contains caffeine.

    Do you know what I learned recently? Our bodies can absorb caffeine THROUGH OUR SKIN. Certainly not as effective as drinking a cup of coffee, but there have been some studies that prove it to work as a stimulant when applied topically.

    Most studies seem to agree that caffeine can help protect your skin cells from UV radiation, reduces baggy skin under the eyes, and help prevent fine lines and wrinkles. Some disadvantages from overuse of topically applying caffeinated skin care products is dry skin.

    How to Make Green Tea and Peppermint Sugar Scrub:

    Supplies Needed:

    Ingredients:

    Directions:

    1. Melt the Coconut oil in microwave or in a small pot on the stove.
    2. Mix in all the other ingredients.
    3. Let cool if the oil is still warm.
    4. Spoon into jar for storage.

    Optional: Label and tie ribbon or twine around it for a cute DIY gift!

    Benefits of using a sugar scrub on your skin:

    • Improves circulation
    • Cleanses the skin pores
    • Removes any dead skin
    • Moisturizes the skin
    • Muscle relaxant
    • Helps to remove toxins
    • Smooths the skin

    What are sugar scrubs made of?

    Most scrubs are simply made using products found right in your kitchen! The basis of most scrub recipes consist of: an oil and an exfoliant, with herbs and essential oils used to cleanse and exfoliate the skin, and relax muscles.

    Base Oil:

    Coconut oil is the most common oil used, but olive oil, grape seed oil, and sweet almond oil are also used. I love using organic virgin coconut oil, mostly for the amazing health benefits.

    Exfoliant:

    Sugar and salt are most commonly used as an exfoliant, and while there are many types of sugars and salts, my opinion is that the bigger the granules are, the better it will rub on your skin.

    For example, I would recommend a coarsely ground sea salt over an iodized-finely ground table salt. However, I have also enjoyed learning of many more creative ingredients that can be used as the rough element in a scrub: oatmeal, coarsely ground coffee beans, rice, some seeds, veggies and fruits.

    Dried Herbs/Flowers:

    Here’s some that I have tried so far (and also a few that I plan to do next!):

    • Lavender -Most health food stores carry this, with comparable prices on Amazon due to their popularity.
    • Rosemary -Check your kitchen spices! Or you can buy at any grocery store.
    • Peppermint -Easy to grow, or you can forage for wild mint! You can also cut open a peppermint tea bag or purchase larger dried pieces at the grocery store or online.
    • Rose Petals -You can pick your own wild roses and dry them or look for them at your local health food store, or buy online.
    • Rosehips -These grow in abundance in the north, so we pick our own wild rosehips and dry them, but you can also purchase them online or check out your local health food store.
    • Calendula -Easy to grow your own! Also available at health food stores or online.
    • Camomile -Look for these growing wild! Just be careful to select flowers that are not near roads or have been sprayed. You can also cut open a Chamomile tea bag, or buy the whole flowers at a health food store or online.
    • …and Yes! Green Tea -I used the Tetley Green Tea bags for this recipe, but there are many other types of Green Tea.

    Essential Oils:

    There are so many wonderful oils to use, but I’ll just name a few of my favourites that I use most often in scrubs:

    • Lavender: Probably the most commonly used essential oil out there! Wonderful muscle and nerve relaxant.
    • Peppermint: A great resource for opening up the sinuses and relieving headaches.
    • Sandalwood: Calming and a relaxing scent.
    • Lemon: A bright and refreshing scent that helps to even out the skin tone.
    • Tea Tree: Aside from being used to treat lice and insect bites, Tea Tree oil is also known as an anti-fungal, and anti-septic and an anti-inflammatory.

    Other Oils:

    • Vitamin E Oil is one that I always add a few drops of into whatever skin care products I am making at the time. It is highly beneficial to the skin because of its moisturizing properties and it is also an antioxidant.
    • Jojoba Oil is another all-around essential skin oil that is a great moisturizer and cleanser. It is also known to help with treating acne, psoriasis and eczema.

    More Ideas for Natural Living:

    Hi, I’m Jessie!

    I’m a Wife and Homeschooling Mom living in a remote town in Northern Ontario, Canada. I love making wholesome meals for my family from scratch, homeschooling our girls and learning more about natural living.

    Read more about my story HERE.

    Subscribe to Northbird’s email list to get weekly posts on: tasty recipes, activity ideas for kids, natural living tips, and some genuine mom thoughts and encouragement!

    Recent posts from Northbird:

    • Servings: 1 jar
    • Difficulty: Easy
    • Print

    An Easy and Refreshing DIY Body Scrub



    Amount for 1x125ml glass jar

    Supplies Needed

  • Mixing bowl and spoon
  • Glass Jar
  • Measuring cups
  • Teaspoon


    • Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Organic Cane Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
  • 2 teaspoons Green Tea (about 2 tea bags)
  • 10-15 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon Vitamin E Oil


    • Directions

    1. Melt the Coconut oil in microwave or in a small pot on the stove.
    2. Mix in all the other ingredients.
    3. Let cool if the oil is still warm.
    4. Spoon into jar for storage.
      5. Optional: Label and tie ribbon or twine around it for a cute DIY gift!

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