Wednesday June 17, 2015   

Last week I thought I’d try some homemade sugar scrubs. I recently had one from LUSH that left my skin so soft, but I’m also incredibly lazy and I didn’t feel like a trip to the store. I used only what I had available at home. Sugar, coconut oil, essential oils. And after I used them I was really happy with the results! My skin was soft for days after using them. Seriously, days. So I’d thought I’d share them here.

Feel free to adjust the ingredient amounts to your own liking. I like body scrubs that are drier and crumbling compared to a smooth more lotion-style of scrub. So if you like a more creamy scrub use less sugar in these recipes.

Lavender Body Scrub

Ingredients
- Granulated sugar
- Lavender essential oil
- Coconut oil (room temperature)
- Dried Lavender (optional)

Directions
Mix 1 part coconut oil with 3 parts sugar.
I used 1/4 cup coconut oil with 3/4 cup sugar.
Add a few drops of essential oil (between 2~5.)
Add the dried lavender (optional.)
Mix, mix, mix, until everything is blended.
Place the scrub into a glass jar (preferred.)

Rose Body Scrub

Ingredients
- Granulated sugar
- Rose essential oil
- Coconut oil (room temperature)
- Rose petals (optional)

Directions
Mix 1 part coconut oil with 3 parts sugar.
Adjust for preferred scrub consistency.
Add a few drops of essential oil (between 2~5.)
Cut the rose petals with kitchen scissors and add (optional.)
Mix, mix, mix, until everything is blended.
Place the scrub into a glass jar (preferred.)

I found the coconut oil very moisturizing but it also leaves a thick film on the skin I had to rinse off with body wash afterwards. So I tested out grapeseed oil as an alternative to the coconut oil. Grapeseed is often used in facial moisturizing packs. CAUDALIE is a popular beauty brand that uses grape seed oils for their products. It’s virtually orderless like coconut oil. I used the same measurements (1 part oil to 3 parts sugar) for this ginger scrub.

Ginger Body Scrub

Ingredients
- Granulated sugar
- Ginger essential oil
- Grapeseed oil

Directions
Mix 1 part grapeseed oil with 3 parts sugar. (I used 1 Tbsp oil.)
Adjust for preferred scrub consistency.
Add a few drops of essential oil (between 2~5.)
Mix, mix, mix, until everything is blended.
Place the scrub into a glass jar (preferred.)

I actually think epsom salt would be a good substitute for the sugar and provide an added benefit when used in a bath. I usually have epsom salt on hand but I had run out. I recently bought some more and will try this with the epsom salt instead. I read brown sugar can also be used (but brown sugar costs more I think.) I have a lot of essential oils already because of my aromatherapy humidifier. Some of these oils like the rose ones are very pricey! But others, like eucalyptus and peppermint, are much more affordable and can be found at Whole Foods type of groceries or online.

You could also just use coconut oil + sugar and still have a great skin softening body scrub!

The rose petals were from some roses I had that week and the lavender is actually from a bunch of dried lavender I bought a l’occitane a few months ago.

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Sunday June 07, 2015   

It’s humid, and rainy, and there’s less traffic in the mornings with no school buses. Must be summer :)

I bought these white Birkenstocks from Madewell weeks ago, maybe even months, because…
1) They were incredibly soft and flexible
2) I no longer know what’s cool

I was going to wear them while commuting but I’ve been babying them because they’re so clean and perfect. But this week I’ve been wearing them out into the mud so they’re sufficiently broken in now.

I had gotten a bit tired of tote bags this past winter and decided I preferred the feel of a bucket bag for now. I got this one in black leather with metallic gold interior which is a perfect pair to my old standby the black and gold Julia Marco canvas tote.

I also started wearing more sheer nail colors. I went months without wearing polish due to being injured; so when I put on some old polish it looked so heavy. I couldn’t stand opaque colors now! So I started picking up more sheer shades. This one from Essie is called Nude Beach and it’s a sheer pink with a shimmer of green.

Also found these soaps shaped like rock quartz at Anthropologie. I picked up a few! They smell so good but I admit I’ve yet to unwrap one and use it.

I’ve been mostly busy updating things around the house after a big IKEA trip last weekend. Today we got the new light fixture up in the bedroom. I ordered a batch of Edison bulbs to go in it. A few years ago I noticed the edison bulbs coming out but didn’t have a use for any until now. I also added two new “money trees” after enjoying the one I got for the office in March. When I was pushing it through IKEA almost every person I passed asked me where I had gotten the plant! They’re almost always sold out when I go but I went first thing in the morning this time.

I don’t usually like potted plants in the house but my other tree has done well enough that I’m willing to risk it in 2 more rooms.

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