A basic homemade sugar scrub recipe and two ideas for scents that I used: Lemon Orange and Apple and a jar of my favorite - Vanilla Peppermint

 

 

This morning I had 10 minutes free so I decided to quickly whip up some sugar scrub for the shower.  Originally I didn't plan to put it on my recipe site so I didn't even have my phone with me in the kitchen.  At the last second I decided I might want to, so I grabbed my cell phone and snapped pictures - these are those.

Although there is a very basic 'idea' recipe for sugar scrubs... you don't really need a recipe.  What you need is a few basic products (only two really... the rest are all optional) and other than that, additions are completely up to you and your nose.

A Basic Sugar Scrub

• 1 c white granulated sugar
• 1/2 c oil of your choice (olive, coconut and almond are popular choices) 
• Essential oils 
• Extracts 
• Almond Oil 
• Tea Tree Oil 
•  Dried orange/lemon peel 
• Himalayan Salt
• Coffee Grounds
  
• Lavender etc. or spices like cinnamon
  

Blend the sugar and oil - add 15-20 drops of your favorite essential oil scent, and/or 1/2 t of your favorite extract and mix.  Smell test and add according to your personal likes.  If you think it's too dry, add a tablespoon of oil, if it's too moist, add a tablespoon of sugar, stir, and add until you are happy with the texture.   

Spoon in to a jar with a tight lid.  Small wide mouth mason jars are perfect.

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Here is when I first started to grab items from my kitchen.

I chose coconut oil for one blend because I have a lot of it and I really don't like cooking with it.  I am low carb/keto and a lot of recipes call for it but I am one of those people who can taste coconut  in anything... even if it's a small amount.  I like some coconut candies but I really really don't like using coconut oil or coconut flour for the most part.  So I decided to use it as the base of a sugar scrub.

 

 

To the coconut oil sugar scrub I wanted to use something with orange and lemon.  I would have loved a lavender orange or lavender lemon but I don't have lavender oils or dried real lavender right now so instead, I went with....

 

 

1/2 c warmed coconut oil, a half cap full of dried lemon peel, a half cap full of dried orange peel, 1 cup of white sugar, and 1/2 t apple extract.  I added the apple after pondering the lemon/orange/coconut.  It needed one more thing to offset it just a touch and I decided apple was perfect.

It was. If I had to describe this one... it smells similar to an orange Julius drink.

 

I love the bits of dried lemon peel and orange peel.  It's really pretty!

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But now, my favorite!

My personal favorite is vanilla peppermint.

I didn't want to use coconut oil for this one so I used avocado oil as it was right in my pantry.  I have peppermint oil on hand and I used the Watkins (good) vanilla from my cupboard.  I used sweet almond oil in this one and would have loved to use the sweet almond oil for the whole base, but it's expensive and I didn't want to use my entire little bottle up, so I opted to use just 1 T.  I also added a tablespoon of himilayan salt to this one.  It has healthy properties but honestly I was hoping the pink salts would color the scrub as well; it didn't really, and I don't want to use food colors in my natural scrubs so I left it as is.

My Peppermint Vanilla Scrub

1 cup sugar, just shy of 1/2 cup avocado oil, 1-2 T sweet almond oil, 25 drops peppermint oil, 1/2 t vanilla extract and 1 T Himilayan salt.

 

NOTE:  the difference in the consistency and texture.  The top is more whippy and thick as it's made with a coconut oil base.  The bottom is more liquid as it's an avocado and almond oil base. They make no difference in use, but you may prefer one over the other.

 

Homemade DIY Deodorant - (Cornstarch and Baking Soda Version) Yes it really works!

To make this you will need a container to keep your deodorant in.  If you have some (or friends or family do) - wash them and reuse them.  Great money saver.  However, if you have thrown them all out or the center piece that holds the product and moves up and down the container is gone, you can order empty containers from Amazon (I'll link at the bottom of this post!)

You can put it into a muffin tin and apply it with your hand each morning (messy) or put it in a jar and scoop some out to rub on if you wish, but if you have an empty deodorant container, you can use it and it will 'roll up' as it's being used, just like regular deodorant does.  This recipe will make enough for 1 really large container or about 1 1/2 of the normal smaller sized.   I also sometimes add a fragrance oil to this but it doesn't need it and it's optional.

Homemade Deodorant

2 empty deodorant containers (or 1 but you'll have a little left over)
1/4 c baking soda
1/4 c cornstarch
5 T coconut oil (when you buy it, it's solid, like shortening)
2 T beeswax (I like white for this but you could use yellow)
optional:
1/4 t vitamin E oil (a preservative)
8 drops tea tree oil (natural anti-bacterial oil with a strong scent so you may not want to use this)
drops of your favorite fragrance essential oil

Melt the coconut oil and beeswax in the microwave in a small bowl or container and stir until smooth (about a minute or so).  Add to everything else in a small bowl and stir until smooth, blended and incorporated.  As it starts to cool, the coconut oil starts to make it thick.  You can pour it directly into your container (if you stir for a minute or two more, it gets to the consistency to scrape and push it into your container if that is what you prefer, although  it's messier.  If you take too long and it's thickened up too much, just pop it into the microwave for 30 seconds and melt again. 

Gently tap the container on the counter during the filling process and after to get it completely to the bottom, and release air bubbles.  Then, refrigerate or let set in a dark, cool cupboard until it completely sets up.  When you use it, you gently glide it on your skin. 


*NOTE - the reason I was going to 'update' my deodorant post (that I never posted in the first place) is that I have found through my own trial and error that BRAND NAMES MATTER.  The first 3 or 4 times I made this, I used the coconut oil I had on hand that I always buy for cooking, baking, salves, etc.  It's a cheap brand I pick up at almost any grocery store or Walmart.  My finished products were fine and useable but it wasn't until I happened to invest in better quality coconut oil on my last shopping trip, and also happened to pick up a different brand of corn starch that I made this latest version of deodorant and OMGOSH I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT.  Yes, I typed that in caps.  Using a little bit more expensive brand of coconut oil and a different brand of cornstarch completely made this an even better quality product and it's ON PAR with ANY deodorant I've ever tried that was store bought and full of chemicals.

Moisturizing Cream & Body Lotion

Some day you are going to find me (hopefully) on a couple acres of land, barefoot, in a long white skirt with my hair braided down my back. I'm going to be gathering eggs from the chickens and then I'm walking into the house to continue whipping up some homemade lotions, bath scrubs and bath fizzies. I'll do this inbetween making my homemade soap and baking the bread. When I need a break I'll wander out to the garden and check my peppers and tomatoes, possibly stop by my flower garden to say hello to fuzzy yellow and black bumble bee's and then come back inside home where I'll sip some ice cold freshly squeezed lemonade.

Peppermint Body Lotion

1/4 t borax
1 t white beeswax
1 t lanolin
2 T petroleum jelly
5 t apricot kernel oil
4 t cold-pressed sunflower oil
10 drops peppermint oil

Disolve borax in 2 T boiled water. Melt the beeswax, lanolin and petroleum jelly with the apricot kernel and sunflower oil in a double broiler. Remove from heat and stir well. Add the borax solution, whisking until cool. Stir in the peppermint oil. Pour into a large glass jar and store in a cool dark place.



A Favorite Oil

3 T almond oil
1 t wheat germ oil
10 drops chamomile oil

Pour into a pretty glass bottle and store in a cool place.





Moisurizing Cream
(fragrance free for guys and girls)

2 T carnauba wax
1 T white beeswax
1/2 c almond oil

Melt the waxes and oil in a double broiler over low heat. Remove from heat and pour into a pot. Let cool to set up. Use as any moisurizing cream, especially before going out into the cold outdoors.