* Sugar or Salt Scrub

A thrifty lubricating hand or foot scrub is super easy to make by adding oil to salt or sugar; and you won't believe how great they work. Table salt or fine sea salt works just as well as sugar or brown sugar. My favorite is the fine sea salt. Mix in oil adding just enough to fully saturate; and then store in a container with a lid. A mason jar works great by the kitchen sink; a recycled plastic jar works well for bathroom use as it won’t break if you drop it from slippery hands.  

You can add some fragrance or essential oils if you like for a nice scent.  I usually grate some lemon or orange rind into the mix, but I have added a teaspoon of lemon extract or juice too to give it a fresh scent. An added benefit to adding lemon juice is that it will help remove kitchen odors from your hands such as fish or garlic. Many folks like lavender scented essential oils for this scrub and it will keep a long time after making. It can be stored in the fridge if you like; but don’t get water in it. Use a scoop or dry your hands before dipping it out.

Brown sugar works nice with vanilla fragrance, or no fragrance. If you find that salt or sugar is just too rough and abrasive, try grinding a cup of oatmeal in the blender then use it instead of salt or sugar. Even baking soda will work. You will love this scrub on your face, but if you have oily skin you may want to mix the oatmeal with a lightly beaten egg white instead of oil, or just plain water. This oatmeal mix will need to be used immediately and not stored.

When you use the oil scrub, starting with your skin dry is best, gently rub,  giving it time to work, and then wash off with plain warm water, no soap.  Dry very thoroughly, and you won’t believe how nice your skin will feel! If you use this on your feet, DON’T do it while standing in the shower! Your feet will be very slippery.

Either of these scrubs can be used as a body scrub, but be careful with the salt or sugar scrubs.  They are sometimes too coarse to use on the body; it might be best to save them for your feet or hands.

I usually use olive oil in my scrubs because it’s handy, and relatively inexpensive in the amounts used for a scrub.  Almond oil is an excellent oil to use on the body.  I don’t use it in my scrubs because it is more expensive, but it is wonderful. Of course don’t use it if you have a nut allergy!  I use almond oil mixed with lotion for extra moisturizing; I pour a few drops in my hand, add some lotion and mix the two together in my palm before smoothing it on myself.

Start with about 1 cup of sugar or salt, stir in about a ½ cup of oil or until the salt/sugar is fully saturated.  Add scent if you want (essential oils, grated citrus peel or other scents) a spoonful of lemon juice and mix well. Add a spoonful of vitamin E oil if you like. Now go ahead and pamper yourself.

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