It doesn’t get much better than a hot, sudsy soak in the tub. This may or may not include a glass of wine 😉 But now science is catching up with what you’ve always known: baths have the power to relax body and mind. Research from the Complementary Therapies in Medicine journal found that soaking in warm water daily for eight weeks is more effective at easing anxiety than prescription drugs!
Want to up your game? Try adding a fancypants body scrub to your stress-busting arsenal. Not only are salt scrubs easy to make and cost-effective, but the self-care ritual itself it very relaxing. Plus, you can often stir one together with whatever is handy in your pantry.
Here’s a simple but highly satisfying recipe to get you started. It is uplifting, energising, detoxifying and relaxing all at once.
Beauty Benefits
Sea Salt: Unrefined sea salt has long been appreciated for its high mineral content, improving the skin’s own barrier function and helping to reduce inflammation in the body. Due to its high magnesium content, bathing with sea salt helps moisturize and rejuvenate the skin. It also helps to detoxify the skin by flushing out toxins from the pores and boosting blood circulation.
Virgin Coconut Oil: Is there anything coconut oil can’t do? It is one of those miraculous plant foods and in this case, coconut oil is drenching your skin with medium-chain fatty acids. These rare fatty acids keep the skin hydrated, smooth, and supple.
Lemon Zest: Not only does lemon zest smell amazing and promote energy, it also benefits the skin. High concentrations of its essential oil (limonene), flavonoids, and citric acid help enhance the clarity, glow, and softness of your skin. The plant acids in this amazing fruit work hard to cleanse, brighten, and stimulate cellular turnover. Note: Conventional lemon zest can contain a lot of pesticide residue, so try for organic or wash thoroughly.
Vanilla: One of the biggest advantages of this tiny bean is its powerful aroma. A natural antidepressant and aphrodisiac, the smell of vanilla is guaranteed to boost your mood.
Make It
T o o l s
Kitchen scale
200g Capacity glass jar with a tight lid
Glass mixing bowl
Fork or whisk
I n g r e d i e n t s
125g Sea salt (I prefer Pink Himalayan) ground to medium-fine/fine
1 Vanilla pod, seeds scooped out
Zest of 1 Organic lemon
75g Organic coconut oil at room temperature
O p t i o n a l
Handful of rose petals or other edible flowers, dry & crushed
3-5 Drops of any Citrus-family essential oil
Directions
1. Combine the vanilla seeds, the remaining pod and the lemon zest with the salt in your jar. Mix thoroughly with a fork until well combined. Pop the lid on and let it infuse for two-seven days, giving it a shake now and then. Optional: If you have dried flower petals, crush them up very finely with a pestle and mortar and add them to the container.
2. In a glass mixing bowl, mash/whisk your coconut oil until it is light and creamy. Add in the sea salt mixture, discarding the empty vanilla pod, and mix by hand until well combined. You should have a thick, creamy paste. Optional: Add 3-5 drops of lemon essential oil for more citrus scent.
3. Spoon the mixture back into your clean glass container and tightly close the lid. Your body scrub is ready to enjoy in the shower or bath. Simply scoop out your desired amount and exfoliate damp skin from the feet up.
N o t e s
Body scrubs can be uncomfortable for those with very sensitive skin, so it is usually best to concentrate on especially dry areas like elbows, hands, knees, ankles, and feet. Follow up with a body butter or lotion to lock in moisture.
S t o r a g e
Store your jar of Lemon & Vanilla Sea Salt Scrub in a cool, dark place, out of direct sunlight. Avoid getting water in the container. Use within 3 months.
Have a beautiful day!
Melissa xx
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As always, we are here to provide information and resources. Awake Organics is not affiliated with any of the third parties mentioned in this post. The content in this post is not sponsored, and is not intended as medical advice. Please read our General Health & Wellbeing Disclaimer for details.
Rachel Swann says
March 15, 2017 at 10:35 amI love this idea, Melissa and yes, I pretty much have everything in my kitchen right now! I try to have a relaxing bath every Sunday morning – it’s part of my ‘me time’ ritual, so I’ll definitely be giving this recipe a go!
awakeorganics says
March 15, 2017 at 10:39 amHi Rachel, Definitely try it, you won’t be disappointed. If you can let your salt infuse over the next couple of days first, it will be ready to assemble for the weekend 🙂
jO says
March 16, 2017 at 3:59 pmHi Melissa
It sounds a lovely recipe – I can’t wait to try it and share it with friends. Can you use a different oil to coconut? I made a salt scrub using coconut oil recently and it ended up becoming a solid lump, but it wasn’t stored in an airtight container. Do you think that might have caused it to solidify? x
awakeorganics says
March 17, 2017 at 10:19 amHi Jo,
You could use olive oil instead of coconut oil. This will make a looser mixture, which is also nice. I’m not sure exactly how much you will need. Just add it a little at a time until it’s loose enough to scoop out, but not too drippy.
If your last scrub turned into a hard lump, that may have been because there wasn’t enough oil in the first place or the room temperature was cool. Coconut oil can be rock hard if it’s very cold, and it will melt at 24C.
If you make anything with a “hard fat”, like coconut oil, shea butter, mango butter, etc., it might need to be warmed up a little if it’s too hard. You can do this by holding it to your skin/in your hand until it softens or by placing your jar into a pot of hot (not boiling) water.
Hope that helps!
Melissa