Rub-a-Dub-Dub, I Made My Own Scrub

Tonight my friend Chantel and I attended at class at Purple Shutter Herbs in Winooski to learn how to make my own body scrub. Laura, the owner, taught the class. There are a few essential ingredients for the base of a body scrub: Sea Salt, which which draws out impurities and rejuvinates the skin or sugar scrubs which are known for restoring elasticity and firmness in the skin. Most scrubs use either-or, but you can also combine both salt and sugar to combine the benefits. The second main ingredient is oil. There are many different kinds of oil which would work for your body scrub depending on the needs of your skin. In the class we went over six different types of oil. Thicker oils are better for dry skin that tends to absorb moisture easily and thinner oils are best for those with oily skin which absorb quickly  and don't leave much residue. In order:

Dry Skin -

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Almond Oil
JoJoba Oil
Apricot Kernal Oil
Grape Seed Oil
Sunflower Oil

-Oily Skin

There are also a number of other additives you can add to your scrub depending on the benefits you'd like. Essential oils are great for adding scent. Only use natural esential oils, not fragrance oils. Laura suggested citrus scents which are revitalizing to the senses.  Also you could add things like brown sugar, cocoa powder, green tea, coffee, and/or vitamin E.

Here is the recipe for my own personal concoction:

 Mocha Body Scrub

1/4 cup fine sea salt

1/4 cup organic brown sugar

1/8 cup organic french roast coffee

1/4 tsp green tea

1 tsp cocoa powder

10 tsp Almond oil

15 - 20 drops Vanilla Essential Oil

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight wide mouth jar. Mine fit into a 4oz glass jar.

Here are some other recipes she suggested:

Salt Glow 

2 cups fine sea salt

4 cups oil (grapesees, apricot, or almond)

20-30 drops essential oils

Basic Sugar Scrub

1 cup refined white or brown sugar

1/4 cup oil of choice

1/2 tsp vitamin E

15-20 drops essential oil

Brown Sugar and Vanilla Sugar Scrub (Chantel made this one - it smells like cookie dough!)

1 cup organic Brown Sugar

1/2 cup organic granulated sugar

1/2 cup + 3 tbsp sunflower oil

1/2 tsp vanilla essential oil

I tried my scrub and it makes my dry winter skin baby smooth. They are a very nice addition to your shower routine and leave a nice scent on your skin. Try some out yourselves and let me know how they come out!

Purple Shutter Herbs

7 West Canal Street

Winooski, VT. 05404

802.865.HERB