Homemade Body Scrub Recipe - Take that B&BW!

I used to be a very good patron of Bath and Body Works. My mother, sister, and I would spend a good hour perusing their shelves, choosing body scrubs and lotions. Unfortunately, our allergies eventually won out and we had to give up our favorite beauty store.

The part I missed most was the body scrubs: that absolutely clean, refreshed feeling after sloughing away all that dead skin. I love the silky, smooth skin and the glow that emanates after knowing you have perfected yourself. It's like traveling back in time to take the shoes of a great courtesan: the power, the sex appeal, the beauty that seems to shine from deep within.

I am, in no way, advocating that outside beauty is the only beauty. But doesn't it feel great to completely pamper yourself and then bask in the glory of it all? It does miracles for me, especially on bad days.

So, with Bath and Body Works no longer available to me, I had to find something. I tried the organic section of stores, trying various scrubs to little success. I found that the chemicals in most - even the unscented - scrubs were just too much for my poor nose. Defeated, I had almost given up. Then I remembered: Google.

I don't remember where I got the following recipe from, but it has worked wonders. It's far better than anything I have found on a shelf, and can be made fresh each time with simple kitchen ingredients - which means no gas to go to the store, and no hiding the $20 receipt for body scrub from my hubby.   So I encourage you to try it and even put your own variations on it, if you dare. The results may have you in love with your kitchen rather than the mall.

You will need a bowl, a spoon, sugar, and olive oil. That's it.  If you want to go organic, use organic cane sugar and organic olive oil - voila!

1. In a bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of olive oil and 1/2 cup of sugar with a spoon. (If you desire to make more, just use equal parts of sugar and olive oil.)
2. If you desire, you can also add 1/4 cup of honey to the mixture or an essential oil (I use a dash vanilla extract sometimes), but I find this unnecessary.
3. Bring the mixture into the shower with you and, instead of your regular body soap, use your hands to massage the mixture into your skin. Do not rub onto your face, as it can irritate your eyes and, for allergy sufferers, can be a bit overwhelming right under your nose.
4. Rinse off with warm water. (Note: The oil may stick to the shower/tub floor, so be careful where you step as you do this and rinse the tub out generously.)

You can also use smaller portions of the recipe to exfoliate your hands and feet, then follow up with an at-home nail trimming and a cute shade of polish! Instant (and cheap!) mani/pedi!

Your skin will feel silky and smooth. It may be a bit oily, but the olive oil will continue nourishing your skin for hours, making the feeling last. It exfoliates beautifully. I use this once a week to keep my skin feeling absolutely wonderful, and I find that I'm using less lotion because the olive oil is so nourishing!