Fashion + Beauty

Saturday, December 5, 2009

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How to make your own salt or sugar scrubs

I love love love The Body Shop, but one of the frustrating things about the manufacturer (although less so now that it was bought by L'Oréal in 2006) is that they will release something that you adore, only to discontinue it after you've absolutely become convinced that you cannot live without it. Such is the way with their Cranberry Body Butter (although that's back now for a few winter months) and several of their aromatherapy salt scrubs. I loved the Revitalizing salt scrub so very much that when they marked it down for final clearance, I bought everything that had the pink Revitalizing label, including some tiny bottles of aromatherapy oil. After I had blown through the pots of scrub, my winter scaley thighs drove me to dump a bunch of sea salt and baby oil into one of the empty tubs, squirt in some of the aromatherapy oil and went to town. And you know what? It was actually better than The Body Shop's version, because I dosed it with twice as much fragrance, and my recipe only cost 1/50th of the clearance price at the mall. Score!

Speaking of cranberries, here are five ways to incorporate this miracle fruit into your skincare regimen.


I've been making my own body scrubs for years, using brown sugar/sea salt/coffee grounds combined with various oils (apricot kernel oil is amazing), and now that the economy is in the toilet, I think I'm going to resume the habit, because it's seriously the easiest thing in the world to do and you can't beat the softness of post-scrub skin. You don't even need a recipe. Just throw together some exfoliant into a jar, pour enough oil (baby oil is actually not recommended, because it doesn't soak in, and mineral oil will give you bacne, but everything else is pretty much fair game, even olive or canola oil) until it becomes the right consistency of salty sludge, then add in some fragrance (or not) and maybe a bit of this or that and voila, beauty product for pennies on the pound. It's the perfect thing to do if you've always wished you could get, say, Aveda's Blue Oil as a sugar scrub. It would be a pretty snazzy and super cheap holiday gift, especially if you packaged up your scrub in a cute jar, like the Ball Elite Jars. You can't get more Drugstore Cowgirl than doing it yourself, now can you?

Don't think you're crafty enough for this beauty project? Check out these excellent exfoliators,prepackaged and ready to scrub.


--Wendy


image via craft-therapy.blogspot.com

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From the Community…

Comments 1-10 of 11
  • desiree's Avatar
    Posted by desiree Wed Dec 3, 2008 9:37am PST

    I love this idea i think that i will do this for all the ladies in my family. Even though we are not really exchanging gifts with my huge family. i will do this since it will be so cheap, my bestfriend,my sister,mom, and cousins will love it! thank you for your great idea!!

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  • Rowdygirl's Avatar
    Posted by Rowdygirl Wed Dec 3, 2008 9:46am PST

    I've been making my own salt scrubs lately too and it's really easy. Once I get the salt ratio perfected, I may never buy a scrub from a store again ! My only comment about the different variations is this: I tried using coffee grounds ONCE and it was a pain in the blankety-blank! :) It was messy, and it took forever to rinse them out of the tub/shower and even though I love coffee and it's wonderful scent, it just wasn't the same in a steamy shower.

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  • deleta's Avatar
    Posted by deleta Wed Dec 3, 2008 9:57am PST

    I have done this as gifts for years. People love it. It's cheap, quick and fun.

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  • Kitten's Avatar
    Posted by Kitten Wed Dec 3, 2008 11:30am PST

    I love this idea. I'll try it over the weekend with salt, not coffee.

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  • desiree's Avatar
    Posted by desiree Wed Dec 3, 2008 2:50pm PST

    I know i commented on this earlier, but as i sit here at work, i can't help but get excited about making these scrubs, and since my 4 yr old goes to a great pre-k i will give it to his teachers and the admin, they all work together so i was like do i really have to give them all gifts. i know this will be a cheaper way to do it and they are all woman and will love it!!!

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  • LoubnaM's Avatar
    Posted by LoubnaM Thu Dec 4, 2008 2:39pm PST

    i need a holiday to take care of myself!!!!!!!!!

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  • krisheena's Avatar
    Posted by krisheena Fri Dec 5, 2008 8:28am PST

    i love this ... i tryed it on my hands and feet cause i cannt really use all kinds of lotions cause i break out in hives. this is perfect cause its all in your household.. and easy to do then enjoy yourself.

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  • Ciarra's Avatar
    Posted by Ciarra Fri Dec 5, 2008 10:35am PST

    Love is everlasting but Friendships are only temperary

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  • NeeAndra's Avatar
    Posted by NeeAndra Fri Dec 5, 2008 12:36pm PST

    whoa... i understand how this can work for me.

    i think i'll try it!!!!!

    Report Abuse
  • SaminaA's Avatar
    Posted by SaminaA Sat Dec 6, 2008 10:15pm PST

    haha how this is confusing wont it give u acne?

    Report Abuse
Comments 1-10 of 11

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