Friday's Do: Scrub That Body!

Hey everybody!  Sorry it's been a while, I've been busy with life...but I'll take a break from that and talk seriously about your skin.  Women (and men) OFTEN forget about or even neglect their skin....that is from the neck down.  Mostly because it's not something they make time for in their daily routine.  For the most part our skin is usually covered up, so we don't think as much about it.  You've all heard it...our skin is our largest organ.  If we're so concerned about what we put INTO our bodies, then maybe we should take a little time to give the OUTSIDE some much-deserved TLC.  Our warmest months are drawing to an end, so now is the perfect time to start prepping your skin for the drier months ahead...and a body scrub is the best way to do that.

Get a load of this - 90% of the "dust" in your home is actually dead skin cells.  Gross.  Everything you do wears on your skin...which means you have layers of dead skin cells covering your body.  If you're able to wash some of that down your drain why wouldn't you?  Continue on for some of my personal scrub favorites and a do-it-yourself recipe toward the end...

I tend to favor foaming body scrubs because I feel like I'm getting a 2-in-1, something that cleanses and exfoliates.  My favorites include:

Arbonne SeaSource Foaming Sea Salt Scrub
6.8oz. - $37
 (contact me for sales representative information to receive a discount on this product)

Spa Touch Body Scrub available in French Lavender or Green Tea Mint
11 oz. - $8.99/$7.99 @ SallyBeauty.com

For those of us who would rather leave the foaming to their soap or body wash, here are some great salt scrubs that include moisturizing oils:

Bath & Body Works True Blue Spa "there's the rub"
24oz. - $24 @ BathandBodyWorks.com

AlbaBotanica 100% Vegetarian Sea Salt Scrub
14.5oz. - $12.49 @ albabotanica.com

For those of you who don't have time to shop, are strapped for cash, or have some extra time on their hands, you can make your own body scrub at home with a couple of simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

You'll need:

• Granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, table salt, or sea salt (you only need one of these);
• Olive, baby, coconut, or almond oil (the latter two can be found at health food stores); and
• One reusable medium-sized jar or container.

Mix 1 part oil to 2 parts sugar/salt in your container...and BAM - you have your very own body scrub.  When I make this at home I use regular granulated sugar and olive oil.  For those of you with sensitive skin I recommend using brown sugar due to it's less abrasive nature.  Coconut and almond oil smell amazing, so that's an added plus if you can get your hands on one of those to use in place of olive or baby oil.  If you're an organic junkie, then just use organic ingredients!  Keep in mind that the sugar/salt will settle at the bottom when you're not using the scrub, so just give it a good shake before you open it up.  Please take care when using these because they will create a slick, oily surface in your tub or shower.  I recommend using this formula for a quick hand or foot scrub also.  A measuring spoon or one of those scoops that comes in your ground coffee make for a handy tool when removing the scrub from the jar.

For your skin to effectively absorb moisture and protect you from harmful elements, you need to remove the dead skin about once a week.  That's all it takes...once a week.  Pick a day and stick with it.  We're in the shower to lather up and rinse off, so why not take an extra 5 minutes to exfoliate too?  If you normally moisturize after your showers, you can skip that step on the day you scrub if you use something oil-based. The oils are moisturizing enough, so just pat dry, and get on with your day!

Any questions?  Comments?  Let me know!