Warming Coffee Hand Scrub

There’s something about winter time, getting cozy, making and creating beautiful things for the body, the home, the family, friends, gifting….I’ve seen coffee scrubs all around but have yet to find a recipe that speaks to me in very #hygge, cozy, perfect-for-winter ways, until this one.

I’ve always been one of those people who love the smell of coffee more than the taste. Don’t get me wrong ~ there’s nothing like really good, organic, (decaf for me) coffee….but depending on where you get it, it doesn’t fulfill me quite as much as simply smelling it (and perhaps I’ve been jaded by bad coffee!). I love that this scrub brings that amazing aroma to my senses. It’s sort of perfect.

It’s quick to make, and completely delicious to smell. I primarily use it for the hands, but you can easily use it for elbows, feet, legs, etc. Just make sure you rinse well as it may stain your hands a little, (but don’t wash with soap since it will wash away the oils that are meant to make your hands soft). It’s a bit abrasive, so I wouldn’t use it on the face.

The cinnamon and nutmeg are very wintery aromas, and warming too…makes you feel like you’re drinking a cozy cup of cinnamon & nutmeg coffee.

Here we go:

1/2 cup ground organic coffee (since this is going on the skin, you’ll want to use organic)

any liquid carrier oil of your choice (almond, grapeseed, fractionated coconut, olive, etc.)

3 drops nutmeg essential oil

1 tsp ground cinnamon (or 1 drop cinnamon essential oil) ~ watch it with this oil, as it can be very hot. Only add in one drop.

Combine ingredients in a small glass jar and mix well. The mixture will want to look like wet sand, but you can add as little or as much oil as you’d like (I typically 1:1 ratio, but I never measure).

Enjoy and use within 3 months (but it never lasts that long). Take about 1 tsp, massage into hands, then gently rinse off with warm water. Pat dry. Your hands should feel super soft and smell amazing!

Did I mention it also makes great gifts for the coffee-aficionado?

Winter Hands Lavender Vanilla Sugar Scrub

I'll confess - I have dry hands in the winter. Um, who doesn't? And if you're a normal human being, you probably do too. It might be the gardener in me, the pianist who just plays and plays and plays (they get a beating!), or it may be that I dislike using gloves when I wash dishes (I know, I know, don't judge). But for so many reasons, when the heat comes on in the fall and winter, my hands shrivel up and it's so so important to take good care of them ~ meaning, when we age, we mostly show it on our face and our hands. So it's important to take good care of them, just as much as they take good care of us and others. It's a good idea to use humidifiers in the winter months to hydrate the air around you, too. But overall, I dislike general moisturizers since my skin is sensitive, and I do very well by these two recipes.

I'm sure there are 1000 sugar scrub recipes out there, all of which are worth of a post, but these two are just my own personal favorites. You can certainly use these as templates and add in your own favorite oil combos, change up the oil (sweet almond and jojoba are great oils also), add in dried lavender leaves, poppy seeds for extra exfoliant properties ~ most of all, have fun, and play around with them. But these two recipes, I've found, are quick, easy, and just luxurious for the hands. Enjoy! And if you do end up making them, let me know how they turn out and hashtag #littlebitesofjoy!

Recipe:

3/4 cups raw sugar

Enough unrefined pure olive oil for desired consistency (think 1/2 - 3/4 cup or so)

10 drops Young Living Lavender Essential Oil

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Mix well and bottle it up in your favorite glass container. I love keeping this by the sink and in the bathroom for after washing the hands. Take about one teaspoon and massage your hands well (but not too hard), and give them some love. Rinse under warm water, and dry well. You'll find that our hands are silky smooth and well nourished! 

Alternate recipe: 

Instead of the vanilla extract, try adding in 10 drops Young Living Lemon essential oil. The result is a gorgeous lavender/lemon sugar scrub. 

If you are interested in where I get my oils, please check out my Essential Oils For Bliss site here.  See you on the other side!