DIY Olive Oil Sugar Scrub

Sometimes, the easiest of things can create big changes!

I worked in the tourism industry for quite a few years when living near the Grand Canyon. When you are working with the public (I was a florist for 8 years, then worked front desk for another year) -you see a lot of faces from many different places, and they see your face and your hands when you hand them what they need. Clean hands, smiling face and warm friendly service.
A common side effect of working with the public, is washing your hands often. Antibacterial soap does it's job but it can ravage your skin! Mine would get dry and cracked if I didn't take drastic measures. This happens to be another case for me, of "if I knew then, what I know now.."which seems to be a running theme in my life! LOL

The easiest answer I have found is in my kitchen and readily available. I recycled a jar and cleaned it- filling it with sugar and olive oil. It now resides beside my soap pump at the sink. I refill as needed, no recipe really needed. Sugar soaked in olive oil. About a 1/4 c olive oil to 3/4 c sugar.

After cleaning up, when the sponges and cleansers go down for the day, and I am ready to relax with the family and enjoy the night- I wash my hands, and then I sugar scrub.
The sugar cleans and exfoliates. Rubbing vigorously warms my hands and the pores open up, improves circulation, and eases muscles. The olive oil goes to work moisturizing healing and protecting. Olive oil is rich in antioxidants, especially Vitamin E. The olive oil has an added benefit of being extremely good for cuticles and nails- be sure to rub into cuticles.  Scrub for a minute, until the sugar starts to dissolve, and rinse with warm water.

I no longer have to purchase expensive, and chemical laden hand lotions again. I had everything I needed right there in the kitchen. :) Done. easy. All natural.Very Frugal when considering the cost of hand lotions today.

A simple easy answer to dry, overworked, cracked hands. I do not have a model's figure or modeling hands- but you can see below- no alligator cracks, no dry patches, no unsightly exzema- just soft hands.

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Bar Soap in the Bathroom

Bar Soap in the Bathroom

Going green isn't always easy.
In changing our household to a greener and less toxic environment, I'm using small baby steps. It has been a wonderful challenge for me.

I know the reasons I want to make a change- I've been doing the initial research and I have read the amount of chemicals used in commercial body products. So for me alone, the change is simple. To change the whole family can be a different issue.

Some steps have been met with resistance from my family members who adore certain favorite products. In particular, convincing my hubby to try new items is not always easy. He has used certain items, like say Lever bar soap, for so long he was convinced that's the only one he'd like. Coming home from work, that's what he wanted waiting in the shower. Period. Done.

Until one day, I just missed the fact he was out. Actually, I didn't do it on purpose. I'd already made a switch to Castile soaps for myself, but I missed restocking his. He had to try mine.

Now, changing bar soaps is NOT one of the problems. Yay! Kirk's Original Castile Soap won him over. It rinsed off easily, he felt squeaky clean, and it worked on it's own accord to convince him. I did nothing, except forget an item on the list. Yay!!

One fantastic change to improve everyone’s health and move to greener household is as simple as switching from Name brand bar soaps to Castile soaps. There are a huge variety of fabulous smelling natural soap bars out there that do the same work on your skin as the Name Brands, without exposing your skin to synthetic toxic chemicals and unnecessary animal fats. A few examples are: Kirks Castile Soaps, or Dr. Bronner's, or Dr. Wood's Castile Soaps. Plus there are many others not containing the extra chemicals, dyes, and fake fragrances.

Castile soaps obey the golden rule for your skin: If you do not recognize an ingredient, your body cannot recognize it either. They are made of 100% vegetable oils, and are vegan approved. You can even find Baby soaps in fragrance free varieties, perfect for the little ones in your life! Mild, gentle, and no toxins!

Castile soaps… Try this simple switch. Your skin will thank you; your body will thank you; and your family will be happier and healthier!





Our favorites are Kirk's Original Castile, and Dr. Bronner's Citrus Bar!

All Natural Daily Moisturizer

All Natural Daily Moisturizer

I have become aware of the scary amount of chemicals and fake ingredients that are included in daily moisturizers sold today. It’s amazing, the amount of dangerous ingredients in products sold to be the best.

Nature is best. Your skin is natural, you are natural, so use natural products. What can be so hard about that? 

Many do not consider their skin to be an organ of the body. The fact is, it’s the largest. What you put on it soaks in, goes to your blood stream, goes into cells and structure, and affects you. What you put on it -goes IN it. Simple.

The golden rule for your body’s organs is: If you do not recognize an ingredient, your body cannot recognize it either. This applies to lotions, soaps, shampoos, body washes, deodorants, etc. etc. etc. Anything you put on to bare skin.

But I am addressing replacing my daily facial moisturizer with a natural ingredient. It’s been over a year now, with my new routine, and I cannot be happier! The older I get, the drier my skin reacts to weather changes and exposure. But I have found the easiest answer for me: Grape seed oil and coconut oil.  Grape seed oil is light, thin, soaks in fast and doesn’t leave a heavy greasy feel. It does not clog pores, and it’s 100% natural.  Leaves my skin happy,

In harder weather, harsh conditions require a little more, so I combine 1 tsp. of 100% organic virgin coconut oil and 1 tsp. Grape seed oil into a recycled/reused night cream container and use this instead of Grape seed oil alone. Still doesn’t clog pores, soaks in in just a minute, and leaves my face not feeling dry and taut.

Bye-bye chemicals. Hello Happy skin!