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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:

• 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.

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.

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