Blue skies, warm temperatures, sandy beaches, and dry, flaky skin, wait, what? Those first three items sound absolutely divine, right? It’s pretty easy to acknowledge that none of us wants dry, flaky skin going into the summer season.
Winter, with its cold temperatures that make us want to cuddle up with our loved ones, and its ability to produce beautiful postcard-like snow days (that is until the snow melts into a slushy, muddy mess), has the unpleasant side-effect of leaving our skin dry, flaky, and parched. What’s a girl to do?
I am a woman who is all about natural beauty on a budget. I also need to be able to work my beauty routine into my own busy schedule. The answer to “What’s a girl to do” is to do-it-yourself. Now, I know many of you are thinking to yourselves that there is no way that you can create a spa experience in your home. The idea was one that I grappled with for a bit until I finally decided that the only way to know if I could do it was to just go ahead and do it.
I am about to share with you my all-time favorite recipe for dry, flaky, winter-bitten skin. This is a way for busy moms to create their own spa at home. All moms can agree that finding time to do something special for themselves can be like finding a needle in a haystack. This is a way for you to pamper yourself on your schedule. Many of you will be surprised that you will not have to go out and spend tons of money on these ingredients, as you probably already have them in your kitchen. Yes, ladies, I said kitchen. Let’s get started, shall we?
What you need:
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 1 cup of olive oil
- 3 to 4 vitamin E capsules
- 1 lemon
Directions:
- In a plastic mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients.
- For the vitamin E capsules you will need to snip the ends with scissors and squeeze the contents into the mixture.
- Cut a lemon in half and squeeze both halves into the mix.
- Stir the ingredients until they are somewhat smooth.
This recipe will not smooth out completely due to the nature of the brown sugar, but you can add a little more olive oil or use a little less of the brown sugar so that you can get a consistency that you like.
The reason that I like these particular ingredients for this all over body scrub is that while these items work very well together, each one has its own separate function to address specific issues.
- Brown sugar is an excellent for exfoliating dry patches of skin in a non-harsh, non-abrasive manner.
- Olive oil is wonderful for long-lasting moisture retention, plus it gives the skin a beautiful, silky glow.
- Vitamin E is another excellent moisturizer as well as preservative for this recipe.
- Lemon juice is a fantastic natural astringent and toner.
As I mentioned earlier, I am all about natural skin care. That being said, I use only water for my baths and showers. No soaps. Again, I know that is a concept that for many will be hard to grasp, as it was for me. However, since I have been doing it, I have not looked back. I always smell fresh and my skin problems are minimal, if any. After you finish your bath or shower, simply apply the mixture to any areas of concern, knees, elbows, heels, etc. I am always busy, so I do not have a lot of time to stand or sit around waiting for a product to work its magic, and the beauty of this mixture is that you do not have to marinate in it forever to see its full effect. Once you rinse this from your skin, you will immediately see that your skin is refreshed, soft, silky, and smells beautiful. Added bonuses are that it is all-natural, inexpensive, and you can do it anytime from the comfort and convenience of your own home. If you have any of the mixture left over, simply store it in the refrigerator for your next use.
Michelle Pino, is a Spa Manager at Skana, a spa in upstate New York at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY. She enjoys DIY projects, healthy recipes, exercise, and all things related to skin care. If you have any comments or questions feel free to contact Michelle via email at michellepino@turningstone.com
