I love walking into a body shop! It’s amazing how a simple smell can transport you to a different time and place when meanwhile you’re still standing in the store like an idiot with your eyes closed and trying to imagine yourself in “zen” mode whilst relaxing in the tub. Fragrant lavender smells with hints of citrus, honey butter infused with rosemary – almost good enough to eat.
Later an assistant walks by and asks if you’re in need of some assistance where you just simply reply “I’m just looking thank you” The assistant will walk away still staring (icy cold) where, by this point, you feel all awkward and just leave. Bye-bye cleansing fleeing!!
Homemade body products are just as great as those fancy stuff, not only do you know the exact ingredients (which means no hazardous funny stuff) but you can also get creative and spontaneous and it’s a lot easier on your wallet.
Scrubs
Rosemary Lemon Salt Scrub
A sporty and refreshing combination usually great for men as well
- 1 cup organic sea salt
- ½ cup pure organic almond oil
- Zest of a Lemon
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (stripped from stems)
Pour your salt in a clean container (for plain salt add some lemon zest and thyme). Simply pour the Almond oil over your mixture and screw a lid on tight. Mix the combination before you use it. The scrub will last about 6 months when stored in an airtight container.
Sugar scrub
- 2 parts sugar
- 1 part olive oil
- 15 – 20 drops of essential oil (any oil blend)
Like the salt scrub combine all of your ingredients together and place it in a holder of your choice, slough away dead skin whilst moisturising your body.
Sugar, Spice and Pumpkin pie scrub
- 1 Cup of Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 Cup of Oil of Choice (Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Almond oil, you can even use Pumpkin oil)
Place your sugar and spices in a bowl mix thoroughly and then slowly and in moderation ad your oil
Butters and Creams.
Wild camomile body cream
- 40 grams Rosewater
- 20 grams Aloe Vera gel
- 5 grams glycerine
- 11 grams beeswax
- ¼ teaspoon liquid lecithin (ask your local pharmacist)
- 60 grams infused oil
- ½ teaspoon vitamin E oil
- 15 drops of wild Camomile essential oil
In a measuring cup/jug add the rosewater, Aloe Vera gel and glycerine. Melt the beeswax and lecithin together in a double boiler (or place a glass bowl over a pot filled with water and bring it to the boil). Add the infused oil and keep the mixture over the heat unlit completely melted. Gently heat the rosewater, Aloe Vera gel and glycerine to 38c°
Once both the water and the oil/wax phases are both around 38c° beat everything together at a low speed. Drizzle in the water phase bit by bit to the wax and beat for about 5 minutes until the mixture reaches a creamy consistency. Add your essence oils and Vitamin E oil and put in a sterilized jar.
Coconut and plum whipped body butter.
- 56 grams organic virgin coconut cream oil
- 56 grams cocoa butter
- 28 gram Plum Kernel oil
- 16 grams Carnauba Wax (or bees wax)
In a double boiler over a medium heat combine the cocoa butter, virgin coconut oil and wax until fully melted. Add plum kernel oil and remove from heat. Place the double boiler into a pot of ice water and continue stirring (as if making ice cream) continue until the mixture thickens (it should look like frosting)
Lotion Bars
- 1 cup Beeswax
- 3/4 cup Virgin Coconut Oil
- 3/4 cup Shea Butter
- Soap Mould or Deodorant Containers (easy to find on Amazon.com)
Start by measuring out your ingredients into a saucepan over a medium heat. Constantly stir mixture and keep stirring until it’s fully melted and no pieces remain. Usually it’s the Shea butter that takes the longest to melt. Pour the mixture into the moulds and wait for them to set.
Masks
White lemony honey mask
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3 teaspoons plain organic yogurt
- 4 table spoons honey
- 1 egg white
Simply mix all the ingredients together and apply to a clean fac. Let the mask sit for at least 15 minutes and rise with warm water. This mixture is perfect for scars caused by acne.
Avocado and lemon mixture
- 1 Avocado
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 egg white
Combine all the ingredients until they make a paste. Apply it to your skin and wait for it to dry. Rinse with cold water. A perfect combination for dry skin.
Pumpkin face mask
- ¼ cup pureed pumpkin
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon milk
Mix everything together until it looks like a thick cookie batter and apply it to your skin. Rinse with hot or cold water after about 7 minutes. Pumpkin is stuffed with vitamins and minerals and naturally exfoliates the skin and soothes irritation and redness. It also minimizes breakouts and gives your skin a glow.
Strawberry facemask
- 5-6 ripe strawberries
- 2 Tablespoons ground almonds
- 3 Tablespoons yogurt
Grind up the almonds nice and fine in a coffee grinder. In a separate bowl mash your strawberries up really well and then mix everything together until it’s a nice consistency. Spread it evenly all face and rinse it off with lukewarm water after about 20 minutes (you can watch a quick episode of “New Girl”)
Beauty doesn’t have to be painful for your wallet, with a little innovation and research you could easily use these recipes as a base line to create your own special scrubs, bubbles and moisturisers. It’s important to use organic products. Because these recipes are easily altered you can substitute some if the products should you be allergic to some of the ingredients, for instance instead of almond oil use extra virgin olive oil. The key is to keep the consistency. Happy scrubbing!