If you are a regular reader of my blog, you probably already know that my normal post is just a product review. While I love reviewing products, I also love DIY projects and anything that involves 'cooking' if you can call it that. So......not only do I have a product review for you, but I also have an EXTREMELY simple DIY recipe project to share!
The recipe that I will be giving you is for some Sugar Scrub! Sounds yummy...but this isn't edible, but your body will love it! With just 3 simple ingredients, you'll have a luxury beauty product in just a few minutes time. When I create this product, I like to make several very small batches so that I can add different scents and package them separately. If you'd like, feel free to double, triple or even quadruple this recipe to make a larger jar full. Trust me, you'll love it!
Step 1:
In a small bowl, measure out 1/3 cup of fractionated coconut oil. I used oil from Pure Body Naturals which can be purchased on Amazon! This product is 100% pure and natural making it perfect for any beauty care needs. It is also a great moisturizer which is its purpose in the scrub, but will not clog pores. The oil is completely clear and odorless, making it excellent to use to create unscented products, or ones where you want to add your own fragrance. Lastly, it makes a perfect carrier oil for using essential oils, which will also be part of this recipe.
Step 2:
Add 5 or so drops of your favorite essential oil to the coconut oil and mix. In the pictured scrub, I used an organic peppermint. I absolutely love the 'cool', almost energizing feeling that you get from peppermint essential oil. If you're looking for some basics on essential oils, you can check out my review HERE
Step 3:
Add 1/2 cup sugar to your oil mixture and stir. If you want to keep the scrub more natural, feel free to use an organic sugar. Otherwise, white sugar that you use for baking works just fine. If you do use organic, it is possible that the scrub may have a yellow-ish tint depending on the kind that you use. No biggie. The sugar works as an exfoliate and removes dead skin cells from your body. It also gives the scrub a light sweet scent.
Step 4:
Package your scrub in an airtight container and store. I used a cute little glass canning jar with a plastic screw on lid. I also added some ribbon and a bow for a little decoration. Lastly, I topped it off with a 'Sugar Scrub' label so that the product gets used for it's specified purpose. Here is what my finished product looked like:
Keep in mind that this recipe can be adjusted to fit your likes/needs. If you would prefer a stronger or more mild scent, add more or less essential oils. Also, if you would prefer the scrub to be thinner or thicker, add more or less sugar/oil. It could be a fun experiment. Maybe you want to make several batches with different amounts to see which you'd prefer. It's so quick and simple to make that you could make several at once.
You can use the scrub on everything from your hands to your arms and legs and even your lips. Yes, your lips (and while it may taste good, please don't eat it!)! Simply rub a small amount on any area you would like, wait for a few minutes and then rinse. I absolutely love the way this fractionated coconut oil works in the scrub! It gives plenty of moisture without going overboard. I don't typically like to use it straight from the bottle as it sometimes creates a 'sheen' on your skin. That being said, it does work wonders.
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Recipe:
1/3 Cup Fractionated Coconut Oil
5 Drops Essential Oil (Any Scent)
1/2 Cup Sugar
Directions:
1. Mix fractionated coconut oil and essential oil together in small bowl
2. Add sugar and mix
3. Store in airtight container
4. Enjoy!
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I received the Pure Body Naturals Fractionated Coconut Oil complimentary in exchange for my review. All opinions are 100% my own!
If you're anything like me, you love trying new things! I've heard such good things about essential oils and just had to give them a try! When I received these in the mail, it was like a 5 year old at Christmas time. Literally. The more and more research that I do, the more addicted I become! Essential oils can be used for an endless amount of things.
Before I tell you about my cool creations, let me tell you about the brand. After doing much research (but I'm still no expert), I decided upon Plant Therapy organic oils. While I don't think Organic are absolutely necessary, I just feel more comfortable knowing that there weren't harsh chemicals used in the growing process. After looking from brand to brand, I chose Plant Therapy for the fact that the oils were affordable and the company appears completely legit. Plus, they have an incredible amount of items to choose from. Everything from essential oils, to diffusers, to carrier oils, to accessories are available for purchase.
So, as you can see above, I went ahead and purchased the Organic Essential Oil Sampler Gift Set! Cute packaging, right!? I chose this package because I wanted a variety and this package contained the basics at a lower price than buying individual bottles.
I bet you're wondering what each essential oil does and what it smells like, right? Because the oils are extremely concentrated, the scents are very strong but most are to be diluted in carrier oils (such as almond, coconut, etc.) before use. So....the scents that I describe are the pure oil scents that may change when diluted. I will also put a few uses of each oil that I have either tried myself or researched.
Eucalyptus
Scent: Similar to Vicks Vapor Rub
Uses: Respiratory, Sore muscles
Peppermint
Scent: This ones pretty self explanatory! (:
Uses: Diffusion, Cosmetics, Hair
Rosemary
Scent: Like a green herb in your spice cabinet
Uses: Hair, Brain Booster
Cedarwood
Scent: Woodsy, maybe even like a mens cologne
Uses: Hair, Skin issues
Sweet Orange
Scent: Exactly like a fresh peeled orange
Uses: Diffusion, Cleaning Products
Citronella
Scent: Hard to describe but almost like a sour/tangy scent
Uses: Bug repellent
Onto the good stuff! Check out these awesome recipes that I have tried out with my sampler set! By the way...the toilet bombs listed below are literally...the BOMB! Easy to make and smell just incredible!
Toilet Bombs
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1/4 cup citric acid (fruit fresh)
- 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide
- 15 to 20 drops essential oil (I used Sweet Orange)
- Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Measureing Spoons
- Spray Bottle (Optional)
1. Add the baking soda to a mixing bowl and use a fork to break up any clumps. Baking soda naturally cleans and eliminates icky odors, making it the perfect base for the fizzies. Add the citric acid, or powdered produce preservative, which you can find near the canning supplies at your local grocery store, and give things a stir. The citric acid adds the oomph to these cleaners.
2. In a small glass, mix together the vinegar and hydrogen peroxide, which work together to help clean your commode. Now drop by drop, add the vinegar and hydrogen peroxide to the baking soda. If you add the liquid all at once, you'll have a huge mess due to the reaction between the baking soda and citric acid!
3. Now add the essential oil and gently mix. Any fragrance works wonderfully, but something fresh like wintergreen, lemongrass, or lavender leaves a wonderful lingering scent.
4. Use a one-half teaspoon to scoop and mold the mixture into small half rounds and then tap onto a parchment-covered sheet pan. You can spritz the rounds with equal parts vinegar and water to create a crust, which helps hold them together. Let dry for at least four hours or overnight.
5. Place the dried fizzies in a sealable glass jar and keep next to your commode, making sure to stick on a label so they aren't mistaken for breath mints! The next time things get smelly, after flushing, drop in a tablet and you'll love how things freshen up in no time.
Recipe courtesy of Popsugar
Diffuser Liquid
- 1/3 cup water (distilled is best)
- 2 teaspoons isopropyl rubbing alcohol
- 20 drops essential oil (I used peppermint)
If making your own diffuser (I just refilled a purchased wick diffuser):
- Bamboo skewers
- Short Bottle with a small opening
1. Combine the water and alcohol in a small bottle. Next add in the essential oil.
2. Trim down the bamboo skewers to a size about twice as long as your bottle. This gets rid of the sharp pointy ends of the bamboo skewers too.
3. Put several of the trimmed bamboo skewers into the bottle.
Recipe courtesy of The Make Your Own Zone
Fabric Softener/Scent Booster
- 2 cups epsom salt
- 15 to 20 drops essential oil (I used Sweet Orange)
1. Mix epsom salt and essential oil in a bowl (mix well!).
2. Transfer to an airtight glass container (I used an old candle jar).
That is just a taste of what you can do with essential oils! They can also be used to make all kinds of cosmetics, help with anxiety/stress, cure infections, relaxation and so much more. The possibilities are endless. Now....to go and create some more goodies!
Ta-ta for now! (:
