Coffee Body Scrub

Today I'm going to share another natural beauty product recipe with you! As you know, I like to experiment with making products myself using ingredients found in my kitchen. It's economical, environmentally friendly and really helps to cut out a lot of the dangerous chemical ingredients found in store-bought products. A product I've been making myself for a long time is body scrub. Scrubs are so easy and cheap to make, and the varieties are endless! My current pick is an all-natural coffee scrub. I especially like being able to re-purpose those used coffee grinds from my pot of morning java. If you don't compost (which, of course, I do), this is a great way to avoid putting them in the trash. Why coffee grinds? Well, the big trend in beauty products right now is using caffeine to combat cellulite. We all know that you can't get rid of the bumpy stuff completely, but you can temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite. The theory is that caffeine, applied topically, increases micro-circulation to the area, which increases fat metabolism and reduces fluid retention (swelling). This makes the skin look firmer and smoother. So, I thought I'd make a scrub that does double duty - exfoliates and moisturizes the skin while (potentially) smoothing out those trouble spots. I don't know for sure if it reduces the look of cellulite, but at the very least coffee grinds make a good exfoliant. Here's the recipe I've been using. As usual, I'm not giving exact measurements. Measuring is for suckers! The idea is to adjust the ratio of the ingredients until you get the consistency you like. I like my scrub to be a little crumbly, with enough oil to spread well, but not be soupy.

Used Coffee Grinds

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or any oil you have on hand)

Coarse Sea Salt

Mix the ingredients into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Adjust the ratio until you like the consistency. Test it on your hands over the kitchen sink. When you're done, put the jar in your shower and scrub away a few times a week to get soft, smooth and moisturized skin. I find it's best to pat dry in order to keep the oil on your skin. Enjoy!

DIY: Body Butter

If you're anything like me, you probably worry about all the nasty chemicals hiding in beauty products. You want products that work, but you don't want to slather your skin in artificial fragrances, dyes, hormone disrupting preservatives, and known carcinogens. Why would anyone want to pay big corporations to poison them? Sure, there are natural products available. Lots of them actually. Some are healthier than others, and they have varying degrees of effectiveness. The problem is, you often pay a premium for these toxin-free products. I don't know about you, but I'm frugal. I want green, healthy products that perform well and don't cost an arm and a leg. So, I decided to experiment with making my own natural beauty products. After doing some online research, I found a recipe for body butter bars that I decided to try out. I modified the recipe a little, and my results were FABULOUS! You can find the original recipe here. Here's how I made mine:

Equal parts:

Beeswax

Coconut Oil

Cocoa Butter

A few capsules of Vitamin E oil, pricked with a pin and squeezed in with the oil/wax mixture.

At the time, I was running low on coconut oil, so I did half and half coconut oil and olive oil.

I'm not including measurements because it depends on how big of a batch you want to make. I used a silicone flower shaped ice cube tray that makes 16 "cubes." To get my total amount of oil/wax needed, I weighed the tray on my digital kitchen scale, filled one cavity with water and weighed it again. That gave me the measurement of one "cube." I multiplied it by 16 to get my total weight of ingredients. Then I divided that number by 3 to get the weight of each ingredient. I weighed out the wax, oil and butter individually and put them all in a large pyrex measuring cup. I microwaved them until everything was melted together. You could also use a double boiler, crock pot or just a pot of boiling water with another container inside. Then I poured the mixture into my ice cube tray. I did this over a large bowl of cold water. That way, any oil/wax that spilled just hardened in the water, minimizing the mess and cleanup. I put the ice cube tray in the freezer to set the body butter.

I couldn't wait to test them out! They are fantastic! They are fairly solid, so you rub the body butter bar between your hands to warm and melt it a little. Its super rich and moisturizing, great for feet, elbows, knees, and everything in between. A little goes a long way. And it smells heavenly! Like chocolate with a touch of honey. It honestly makes your skin GLOW! This experiment was well worth it. I will definitely make these again. That's one product I can now cross off my shopping list.

Natural Blemish Buster

If Tea Tree Oil isn't already a staple in your medicine cabinet, now is the time to add this natural powerhouse to your bag of tricks. Tea Tree Oil is an essential oil produced by steam distilling the Australian plant Melaleuca Alternifolia. Applied topically, it has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and antiseptic properties. This means it can be used to treat a wide variety of common problems. Some of these conditions include:

- Acne

- Athlete's Foot

- Dandruff

- Lice

- Minor Abrasions

- Skin Irritations

- Bug Bites

- And many more...

Due to it's antibacterial properties, it can also be used in homemade cleaning products. You can add 2 tsp of the oil to 2 cups of water in a spray bottle to use as an all-purpose cleaner. I like to mix a few drops into some baking soda to use as a tub scrub. My favorite use for Tea Tree Oil is as a natural blemish buster. Apply a little oil to a cotton swab and dab onto blemishes a few times a day. It has been found to be as effective as Benzoyl Peroxide, but with fewer side effects.

For more information on Tea Tree Oil, see articles here, here and here.

Cautions: Do not ingest Tea Tree Oil.

Its strong, so be conservative, a little goes a long way.

Nuts for Coconut Oil

Lets take a moment to appreciate one of nature's best kept secrets... Coconut Oil! This stuff is amazing! Not only is it a fantastic addition to your diet, as it is the BEST oil to use for high temperature cooking (it doesn't oxidize and turn into free radicals like some other oils), but its also fantastic for your skin, hair and nails.  There are literally hundreds of uses for this hard-working natural product, which I can't even begin to list here. Check out this helpful infographic to get a general sense of its awesomeness, and for more detailed information, read this article.

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How do I use coconut oil? I use this organic extra virgin coconut oil for cooking, in smoothies, as a moisturizer for my face and body, as a deep conditioning hair treatment, and as a base in homemade body products (scrubs, lotions, lip balm, etc). It is truly a super hero! You may have trouble finding it in the grocery store, but it is readily available at many health food stores. This is a MUST TRY!

Mean 15

While we're on the subject of beauty products and toxic ingredients, I thought I'd share this handy tool. Visit the Ecoholic website to download and print the Mean 15 pocket guide. Keep it in your wallet, and whip it out next time you visit the drugstore for shampoo, deodorant, moisturizer and more. Do yourself and the planet a BIG favour and become a label-reader. It may take longer, but its well worth the effort.

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Summer Reading

I just picked up a copy of Adria Vasil's Ecoholic Body. Loving this book so far! Third in her hugely popular Ecoholic series, this volume deals with personal care. From shampoo to shoes, Ms. Vasil runs down the list of all the chemical nasties lurking behind the pretty packaging and glossy ads. She teaches us what to look for in ingredient lists, recommends products that have passed the test, and even shows us how to make it ourselves! Jam packed with important information on our health and the health of the planet, Ecoholic Body shows us how to simplify and green up our lifestyle, something we could ALL benefit from.

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