Nothing soothes dry, tired skin more than a luxurious exfoliating body scrub. And as summer approaches, sloughing away that old skin accumulated over a long winter can be very cathartic and invigorating.
The Perfect Gift
Since you may be relegated indoors due to the coronavirus pandemic and you can’t send “Mom” to a spa this year for a relaxing Mother’s Day massage, consider making her a homemade body scrub for a mini at-home spa experience! Who doesn’t love a little pampering, right?
Body scrubs remove dead skin cells, penetrating beyond the surface to get to the healthy skin beneath. Not only that, but they help to unclog pores and rid your skin of dirt that might build up and cause blemishes.
Once those dead skin cells have been sloughed away, and newer, more lustrous skin is shining through, the skin will be better able to hold moisture. Applying moisturizer to the skin will then keep the skin looking luminous and feeling hydrated.
The aromatherapy benefits from the essential oils found in the recipes below can help ease anxiety and help mom feel less stressed. She is sure to love it.
Not Your Ordinary Exfoliating Body Scrub
Homemade body scrubs of any kind are great for the skin and psyche, but creating an orange peel scrub can up the ante when it comes to health benefits for the skin. It’s common knowledge that oranges are loaded with vitamin C, but it’s the peel where the most vitamin C resides.
Vitamin C can:
- Assist with collagen production, which gives the skin its firmness while also keeping it supple and hydrated c
- Can also support the effectiveness of sunscreen by working to protect the skin against harmful UV rays
- Promotes wound healing, which is especially helpful for acne-prone skin.
For more tips on dealing with acne, check out our skincare article.
Additionally, orange peels contain flavonoids, antioxidants that help support a healthy body and skin.
Plus, the peel contains other skin-benefiting nutrients:
- Vitamin A: Promotes firms and soften skin, helps the skin balance sebum production, encourages healing, and helps the skin reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
- Vitamin B: encourages skin cell regeneration and repair, encourages skin hydration, discourages the overproduction of sebum, and helps skin maintain a healthy glow
- Calcium: promotes skin hydration and encourages the regulation of sebum production
- Magnesium: stabilizes hormones that can contribute to acne
- Copper: promotes elastin and collagen production, helps the skin retain moisture, encourages the repair of skin damage
DIY vs. Store-bought Body Scrubs
Choosing to make a homemade body scrub over purchasing one has a number of benefits, the biggest one being that you know exactly what’s going into your DIY body scrub (and your mom is sure to appreciate your hard work).
You won’t be faced with a laundry list of tongue-twisting ingredients, many of which may not be naturally-derived, or include harmful preservatives and chemicals.
Another benefit of making your own exfoliating body scrub is that chances are good you already have a lot of the ingredients on hand. As a bonus, you’ll be saving money because you don’t have to go out and purchase anything. You only have to shop as far as your own pantry or fridge. Plus, sugar, salt, orange peel, and coconut oil can have the same effect as many of the pricier, store-bought body scrubs.
However, because they don’t contain preservatives, homemade body scrubs won’t last as long as store-bought. Use your DIY scrub within 3 weeks of making for optimal freshness!
Start Scrubbing
Below you’ll find two homemade body scrub recipes containing orange peels. One is a sugar scrub and the other is a salt scrub.
Sugar scrubs have a wonderful sweet smell and are great for sensitive skin. Sugar granules are rounder, and, therefore, less abrasive than salt granules, making sugar scrubs more versatile since they’re gentle enough to be used on the face, as well as the body. If possible, try and use unrefined cane sugar since it retains skin-benefiting nutrients like iron, calcium, and magnesium better than refined cane sugar.
Salt scrubs are a heavier duty exfoliant because salt granules are sharper than sugar granules. Salt scrubs are great for people with dry skin since they can work on the skin deeper and quicker. They’re great for the body but work especially well on the feet, legs, and elbows. If possible, opt for sea salt, which helps to draw out toxins within the body.
Orange Vanilla Sugar Scrub
Equipment
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- 1 tbsp dried orange peel finely grated
- 2 tbsp jojoba oil infused with vanilla
- sweet orange essential oil
Instructions
- First, combine the sugar and dried orange peel in a bowl. In a separate, small bowl, combine the jojoba oil infused with vanilla and a few drops of sweet orange essential oil.
- Add the oil mixture to the sugar and orange peels. Stir until smooth.
- To store, pour the entire mixture into a mason jar and store in a cool, dry place.
Orange salt scrub
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- mason jar
Ingredients
- 1 cup Himalayan sea salt fine grain
- 1 tbsp dried orange peel finely grated
- 2-4 tbsp jojoba, almond, avocado, or olive oil
- 1 tbsp castile soap (Dr. Bronner’s is the most popular brand on the market. It can be found at most health food stores.)
- Lemon, lime, or grapefruit essential oil (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the salt and dried orange peel.
- Add in the castile soap and oil until the mixture looks moistened but not syrupy. To make this a citrus scrub, add a few drops of lemon, lime, or grapefruit essential oil.
- Pour the mixture into mason jars and use within one month of making.
Notes
Go DIY This Mother’s Day
Whichever scrub you choose to gift mom this year (and perhaps make extra of to keep for yourself), healthier, hydrated, and glowing skin is just around the corner. Not only will your mom love this so she can pamper herself right at home, but there’s nothing like a homemade gift—she’s guaranteed to appreciate your effort. And let’s face it: she deserves it!
