Coconut & Vanilla Sugar Scrub

So, when you are trying not to eat sugar, what do you do with the bags of it that are already in the cupboard?

Turn them into a body scrub of course!

I have been in the past, what would be described as a make-up / beauty junkie, but I am trying to simplify things (given that my skin is prone to sudden and dramatic outbursts of reactivity of which I have no idea what triggers them) so am in the process of transferring my skincare and make-up over to brands that contain less synthetics / parabens / mineral oil etc.  So, the idea of making your own body scrub really appealed to me, because, well some of the more ‘natural’ ones just don’t smell nice. I don’t want to smell like a health food shop. There is also another issue with some body scrubs . . .

If any of you have used a scrub with pumice / ground up olive kernels etc. in it in the bath, then you will know what I am about to say next. Yep, gritty bottom syndrome. Those pesky little scrubby bits will sink to the bottom and somehow or other, no matter how firmly you may think your bum cheeks are pressed against the bath, they will find their way under there and you spend the rest of the time sitting on grit, which is a sensation similar to getting sand in your knickers at the beach. No amount of swilling the water while it is draining will remove them, so grabbing the shower attachment, you will wash them away and think that is the end of it. But no. Some of them will hide in corners hitherto unknown to exist in a curved bath tub and when you get in the bath the following evening they will magically reappear, causing you to suffer gritty bottom syndrome two nights in a row.

With a sugar scrub, the sugar dissolves. No more gritty bottoms. Hurrah!

I came across a couple of ideas on making your own (the internet was littered with them on the run up to Christmas) and I squirreled away the ideas for a later date. Using natural ingredients, it takes minutes to put together and will last you weeks (depending on how often you use it, obviously).

You could, if push came to shove, even eat this body scrub. Although I wouldn’t really recommend it.

If you want to have a go at making some, here’s what you will need:

You just mix them all together, put them in the jar and voila!

Also, the coconut and almond oils mean that you moisturise your skin whilst gently scrubbing it, so when you are finished there is no need to moisturise afterwards. I’m all for things that mean I can skip a step, especially if I am in a hurry or I have the Sunday-night- back-to-work-tomorrow-can’t-be-bothered-doldrums.

A couple of notes:

• This is a body scrub. You can use a little bit on your lips, but please do not use it on your face.
• The oils may leave the bottom of the bath tub / shower a little slippery. Please take care when standing up / stepping out. I have warned you, therefore I have admonished all responsibility for bruised and battered limbs.