Photo Credit to grongar on Flickr
Aromatic Body Scrub Mixture
1/4 cup sea salt
1/4 cup medium-ground cornmeal
1/3 cup olive oil
10 drops essential oils
Mix sea salt and cornmeal together in a glass bowl. Gently heat olive oil and essential oils until just warm. Stir the warm oil into the dry ingredients and mix well. The mixture should be paste-like. Add additional oil or salt to achieve the right texture if necessary. It should not be too dry. This mixture is enough for one or two scrubs. Tip: I buy the cornmeal from the bulk-bin section in the market. It is usually marked “polenta.”
How to Use a Body Scrub
Use in the shower or while standing in a bathtub since this will be messy. I recommend washing your face before using the scrub or you may risk getting a corn piece in your eye that was stuck on your hand (it almost happened to me once!). Rub a small amount of the scrub at a time in circular motions moving from the extremities inward. This means that you start at your feet and move toward your torso, and then start at your hands and move toward your torso. Occasionally wet your hands under some water for smoother scrubbing action. When you get to the torso move toward the heart avoiding sensitive areas such as the breasts. Avoid your face as you will need a finer scrub for it. You do not need much pressure, the grain of salt and cornmeal do the work. Just keep moving your fingertips in small circles. After scrubbing, rinse completely in the shower and do not use soap. Make sure you have a fine strainer in your drain to keep the scrub from going down the drain. You will love how soft and smooth your skin feels!
Caution: Oils can make the tub slippery. Be careful and use a mat in the tub after using the scrub in case any oil residue remains.
Choosing Essential Oils
If is a good idea to choose essential oils that will not react with your skin since you will rub them into the skin. My favorite essential oil for the body scrub is Sandalwood. I happen to love the fragrance and it is great for my sensitive skin. Some people prefer a stimulating blend such as a combination of Rosemary (5 drops) and Ginger (2 drops) with just a couple of drops of Peppermint (3 drops). I have also used a Rosewood (6 drops), Vetiver (1 drop), and Rose Geranium (3 drops) blend.
Benefits of a Body Scrub
The circular motion of scrubbing the body stimulates circulation and moves they lymphatic system. It also helps to slough off dead cells. We lose 1 to 2 pounds of cells per day inside the body and out. Skin looks more youthful when the dead skin cells are gone. With use three times a week you may notice a reduction in cellulite after a couple of months. Scrubs also moisturize the skin, which is another benefit in the winter.
I love the idea of adding cornmeal to the salt. It might work really well for my super sensitive skin. Your oil blends sound so lovely too!
I was wondering if the cornmeal would stop up the shower? This sounds great but perhaps I would do sugar instead of cornmeal. Love the essential oils.
Hi Lisa:
My understanding is that the sugar works on a more superficial level by primarily polishing the skin. The texture of the cornmeal works better for stimulating the circulation of the lymphatic system due to the larger size of the grain (as compared to the sugar). This means the cornmeal may help get rid of cellulite. You could try doing the scrub outside the tub with a large sheet of plastic under you. I plan to try this next. I have been using it in the shower and I have a very fine mesh strainer which catches everything but requires constant emptying into a trash can. I think a sheet of plastic may be easy to roll up and dispose of. I may try and reuse the plastic a few times to be a bit “green” in the process.