No matter what religious or cultural tradition you follow, the Winter Solstice (shortest day and longest night of the year) was yesterday and we’re now less than ten days from the New Year. I think it’s safe to say the winter holidays are finally here!
For those of us still scrambling to get gifts for family or friends, here’s a recipe for making a holistically healthy skin scrub. Everyone who baths or showers can enjoy this gift, and it’s easy, quick, and inexpensive to make. For those of us who have all our holiday gifts taken care off, treat yourself with this skin scrub and a nice warm bath to get in the right mood for holiday vacation…
Here’s some background: All-natural scrubs help to renew and promote healthy skin by gently clearing away dead skin cells and allowing the living skin cells to absorb moisture and nutrients. Salt Scrubs help to eliminate toxins from the body while leaving your skin silky and soft.
A Salt Scrub is easy to make and ingredients are available at your local grocery store, no matter where you usually shop. If you want a special essential oil or fragrance, they sell them at Richard’s Markets and certain “regular” grocery stores, such as Sweetbay. To make, simply mix together all the ingredients in a bowl. Put the scrub in mason jar or other small container (even a plastic baggies works) with a ribbon and you’ve got an easy, affordable, all-natural holiday gift!
You may want to add a pretty card with the ingredients and instructions for use:
“When in the shower or bath tub, in a circular motion, gently massage salt scrub on your body, starting at the feet and massaging upward. Do not put on any open cuts as it will sting or freshly shaven legs. Don't use on your face. Can leave on for about 10 minutes. Rinse off with water.”
What You Need:
1/4 cup fine sea salt
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons oil (or olive, almond, apricot oil)
What You Can Add:
1 tsp. honey
2 drops essential oil OR 6 drops fragrance according to what you like
NOTE: Be careful with essential oils. They are very strong and need to be diluted into other ingredients, or else they can burn the skin.
Notes On Choosing Salt & Sugar:
Since you are using these common ingredients for skincare, it is preferable to use all-natural sea salt and organic cane sugar.
The reason for using both salt and sugar is that the two substances have different textures, which helps exfoliate the skin.
In choosing a sugar, the raw cane varieties tend to have larger grains and may not be the best choice for people with very sensitive skin.
Notes On Choosing An Oil:
Olive Oil: Olive Oil will help you shed dead skin, but retain moisture in your skin. It has been used for hundreds of years as a beauty treatment, and has a two year shelf life. It's also relatively easy to obtain, which makes it desirable for those who don't want to place a specialty order for a more unusual and expensive oils like sweet almond oil.
Sesame Oil: Contains fatty acids, vitamins B, E, minerals, proteins, very nourishing, moisturizing and soothing. For skin: use for dry, normal, damaged skin, eczema, psoriasis
Vitamin E Oil: Vitamin E Oil is very easy to obtain, and can be found in most drugstores. Vitamin E Oil is typically used by pregnant women because it helps prevent stretch marks, and may even help repair ones that form. It is useful in scarred and damaged skin, and has an incredibly long shelf life.
May your soul be fed throughout the winter holiday celebrations with the joyful blessings of family and friends. Don't forget to feed your body some nutritious veggies and plenty of clean water in addition to the delicious holiday treats ;)
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