Why spend anything, much less a small fortune, at the bath and beauty store when there are so many excellent sugar scrub recipes to try? A sugar scrub, so healthy and invigorating for your skin, is a cheap and easy way to liven up even a quick shower.
Basic Sugar Scrub Recipe
Sugar has been used since ancient times to cleanse and exfoliate the skin. Exfoliating the skin is good for the whole body and goes a long way towards improving your overall appearance. A sugar scrub is especially beneficial because it's gentle, so it doesn't burn or scratch. It's ideal for sensitive skin, but everyone should use it because unprocessed sugar contains natural glycolic acid to give you a more efficient and nourishing exfoliation process, thereby improving the skin's circulation.
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of sugar scrub recipes you can try - not counting the ones you can probably invent - but the most basic is to just combine a cup of sugar and half a cup of olive oil. Mix and start scrubbing!
Scrubs for Different Effects
You can exfoliate and moisturize, but adding various ingredients to a sugar scrub recipe will allow you to nourish your skin in a variety of ways. The base ingredients will always be the sugar and the oil, both of which can be changed up for variety.
Brown Sugar Scrub
Brown sugar tends to be softer and thus easier on the skin. Many people also prefer the smell, so if you're looking for a spa feeling, this is a nice option. You can then opt for a sweeter-smelling oil, such as almond or coconut. Both of these have other benefits, such as the oleic and linoleic acids in almond oil and the lauric acid in coconut oil. These assist in moisturizing and improving skin texture, especially for delicate skin. Finish this recipe with a few drops of organic vanilla for a luxurious spa experience.
Awakening Sugar Scrub
A sugar scrub of sugar, oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice is much more enlivening and thus great for an early morning shower. Lemon juice has a lot of benefits for the skin. It can lighten the skin and improve overall tone. It's full of natural vitamin C and can help fight pimples, so if you have some trouble with body acne, this is a good way to treat it.
Antioxidant Sugar Scrub
For a full body dose of antioxidants, try a sugar scrub recipe of sugar, oil, a tablespoon or two of leafy green tea and some vanilla for scent or honey for extra moisture. Green tea, especially in pure leaf form, is an excellent drink to nourish the insides, but it's also great for your skin. It strengthens, brightens and heals.
Yogurt and Honey Sugar Scrub
A sugar scrub that's best in the bathtub because of the mess combines sugar with yogurt and honey. Yogurt, like lemon, can help with acne and is soothing and brightening, thus improving tone. It can be tricky to work with, however, as you have to use it straight out of the fridge or it might separate. But using it straight out of the fridge does mean it's cold. You might want to restrict it to areas prone to dryness and discoloration, like elbows and knees. If you're feeling brave, rub some on your décolletage and arms and legs, just to wake up the skin and give it a quick brightening effect.
Experiment!
Unless you are allergic to an ingredient - and please do a test with anything you haven't used before - you really can't go wrong when making a sugar scrub. You don't even need to be very exact with measurements, you just need to have enough of each ingredient to ultimately form a paste that's malleable and sticks to your skin. Play about till you find something perfect for you and don't be afraid to try new things!
