Cookie dough body scrub
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup coconut oil
3 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup shredded coconut
Makes 500ml / 0.5kg
Microwave coconut oil for 15-30 seconds (just until it is melted)
Add brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla essence and shredded coconut
A body scrub is a skin care product whose main function is to remove dead skin cells through exfoliation as well as cleansing the skin. The exfoliating component needs to be abrasive enough to do the job, but also gentle to not damage healthy skin. Whilst exfoliating, the rubbing action increases the body’s blood circulation and also helps drain your lymph nodes by increasing blood flow to the skin’s surface.. Some other names for body scrubs include body exfoliants, body gloss or body polish. Body scrubs can be bought in store but they tend to be pricey so why not make it at home yourself?
The benefits of using body scrubs are not only the removal of dead skin, they also leave your skin feeling fresh and your skin looking rejuvenated and revitalised. This happens because humans shed anywhere from 11,000-23,000 skin cells an hour. As this happens, older cells are forced upward through the various layers of the epidermis toward the surface, where they dry out and eventually shed. The official, word for this shedding process is “desquamation”. Once the cells naturally flake off, they eventually become the dust that settles on furniture however, the process isn’t perfect. Sometimes these old cells don’t flake off quickly enough; this build-up can leave you with a rough, dull, tired-looking complexion. Using a body scrub regularly and exfoliating dead cells tends to remove the dull and lacklustre appearance and leave your skin more vibrant and youthful. Body scrubs also help moisturise your skin. After the top layer of skin is removed the skin absorbs and holds onto the product better. Scrubs that contain natural moisturisers such as coconut oil are basically a 2 in 1!
Scrubs are becoming increasingly popular nowadays with the rise in popularity of fake tans. More and more people are using self tanners rather than risk skin cancer from sun exposure. Anyone who has ever used a fake tan will know that to get an even natural looking tan, you need to exfoliate your skin first. If you don’t do this, the tan will end up blotchy as the tan will darken in areas where more dead skin cells accumulate.
While many scrubs and products nowadays are good for the environment, some store bought scrubs contain harmful chemicals and even small plastic beads, a form of microplastic as the exfoliant. These ingredients go down the drain and end up in the environment so it’s essential you be cautious when using these products. An easy way to avoid these harmful ingredients is to make your own scrubs from natural ingredients. Scrubs are so easy to make- with many household ingredients such as sugar, something you can use. The scrub I made was a cookie dough scrub, and the ingredients used were all household ingredients I had in the pantry. The ingredients I used in mine include- brown sugar, white sugar, coconut oil, vanilla essence, and shredded coconut. I chose to add the white sugar myself because I wanted it to exfoliate more and to be a bit harsher. To get the benefits from a good body scrub you shouldn’t apply too much pressure when applying. Enough to remove dead cells, but not enough to hurt your skin or take too much skin off.
I chose my ingredients carefully to craft a scrub that is luxurious, smells great, moisturises and has a medium exfoliant. These are my ingredients and why I chose to use them.
Brown sugar not only smells nice, is affordable and is good for sensitive skin, it is gentler and safer to use because it’s finer. Brown sugar also contains glycolic acid, which fights bacteria and is important in keeping your skin vivacious and healthy. It gives you younger and fresher looking skin by breaking down glue-bonded skin cells which supports cell turnover and helps to improve sun damage and offers support to aging skin. Brown sugar is a natural humectant so it absorbs moisture from your environment and deposits it into your skin this helps to keep the moisture locked in and guards your skin from destructive toxins to keep it healthy, nourished and glowing
White sugar is also a natural humectant and I used it for its larger particles for exfoliation. It’s a good ingredient to use in winter to remove top layer so moisturiser sinks in
A perhaps unexpected addition is vanilla essence which most people probably associate with cooking, however vanilla extract contains specific antioxidants that are vital in anti-aging they soothe wrinkles, and heal damaged skin. Studies have also found pure vanilla extract has substantial anti-inflammatory properties.
Coconut oil is a superfood. It has so many benefits and is probably my favourite moisturiser, makeup remover, hair mask, and addition to cooking to make baking healthier. Coconut oil contain Ketones which have powerful benefits for the brain, and are being studied as treatment for epilepsy and Alzheimer’s! It contains fats that can boost fat burning and provide your body and brain with quick energy. They also raise the good HDL cholesterol in your blood, which is linked to reduced heart disease risk.. The fatty acids in coconut oil can significantly reduce appetite, which may lead to reduced body weight over the long term, they can also kill harmful pathogens, including bacteria, viruses and fungi. This could potentially help to prevent infections. Coconut oil can also be applied topically, with studies showing it to be effective as a skin moisturizer and protecting against hair damage.
Shredded coconut buffs away dead skin gently.
My brand is called Sexy Scrubs. The brand name reinforces the luxurious feel of the product and makes it seem indulgent. My logo is a rabbit because my company is against animal testing and the font is girly to make it seem more sexy. Overall, body scrubs will leave you with smoother, radiant skin. They are easy to use, smell nice and are an important part to many people’s beauty routines. For my cookie dough scrub, I tweaked the recipe by adding additional white sugar for a coarser scrub, a bit more vanilla extract to smell stronger, and some extra shredded coconut to make the texture a bit drier because it felt a bit wet. Once happy with the consistency, I packaged it, made a label and wrapped some twine around the lid. I wanted to make it look rustic and homely and I used the twine to compliment the brown sugar. It was great fun to design and in the future I might even experiment with some food dyes.
Glossary-
Abrasive- any material or substance used for grinding, polishing, etc.
Accumulate.- to gather or collect, often in gradual degrees; heap up.
Antioxidants- a substance that inhibits oxidation, especially one used to counteract the deterioration of stored food products.
Circulation- the continuous movement of blood through the heart and blood vessels.
Component- a constituent part; element; ingredient.
Desquamation- also called skin peeling, is the shedding of the outermost membrane or layer of a tissue, such as the skin.
Epidermis- the outer layer of cells covering an organism, in particular.
Exfoliate- to wash (a part of the body) with a granular cosmetic preparation in order to remove dead cells from the skin’s surface.
Humectant- retaining or preserving moisture.
Microplastic- extremely small pieces of plastic debris in the environment resulting from the disposal and breakdown of consumer products and industrial waste.
Moisturise- make (something, especially the skin) less dry.
Pathogens- a bacterium, virus, or other microorganism that can cause disease.
Rejuvenation- to make young again; restore to youthful vigor, appearance, etc.
Revitalise- to give new life to; to give new vitality or vigor to.
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