kaitlin's skin care + DIY scrub!

contrary to what some may believe, i do not have 'good' skin. i have mastered the art of covering what my skin has given me to deal with, but i have struggled with breakouts and acne since i was 13. my skin problems have always been hormonal, causing there to always be something different going awry on my face.

after trying every skin care product and line from clinique to proactiv to cetaphil, i have finally found a combination i am pretty happy with [for now]. i have oily, sensitive, and acne-prone skin. for years i was using very harsh products that helped with my acne but were quite possibly making my skin even more oily from how drying the products were, causing my face to produce even more oil.

i've decided to try more gentle and natural products within the last year, and my skin has been thanking me for it.

here's what i've been using lately:




make-up removing // 
organic virgin coconut oil + kirkland daily facial towelettes


cleansing //
clarisonic mia + boots botanics 'all bright gentle cleansing cream'


toning //
boots botanics 'all bright cleansing toner'


moisturizing //
burt's bees 'radiance night cream' + burt's bees 'radiance eye cream'


treatments //
aveda 'deep cleansing herbal clay mask', sprouts tea tree oil, up&up '10% benzoyl peroxide gel'


exfoliate //
homemade brown sugar & coconut scrub



DIY brown sugar & coconut scrub [for face, lips + body]

exfoliating is so important! whether your skin is dry or oily, we all need to remove dead skin cells to reveal our healthy, glowing skin. oily friends out there, don't be put off by oil! coconut oil is light weight, and our skin actually needs more oil. this scrub is SO easy to make, affordable, and i will never buy another scrub or exfoliator again.

you will need: 

1 // equal parts coconut oil and brown sugar. [ex: 2 tablespoons : 2 tablespoons, i roughly measure]




2 // containers of your choice. i picked these jars up at goodwill for 29 cents each, can't beat that!
 


let's get started ----->>

this is so easy. you literally just mix the two ingredients together... yes, that's it.

--->> first measure out how much will fit in your containers. i usually fill my jar 3/4 of the way full first...


--->> then i dump it into a bowl for cleaner and easier mixing...






--->> your scrub will look something like this when it's been mixed enough. no more sugar lumps or chunks of oil still showing...


--->> when it's thoroughly mixed, transfer it back into your jar. you can make this in large quantities if you want and divide it among many jars. they make a great gift!

[also, you can add essential oils like lavender, tea tree, or rose for added skin care and wellness benefits!]

that's it!

you can make a scrub like this with other oils, sure! but i prefer coconut oil for a few reasons: it smells amazing! coconut oil is also stable/solid at room temperature [in most climates] so it's easier to work with and you can make the consistency softer with using less sugar than you would need with a liquidy oil. coconut oil is great for your skin and lightweight enough to use on your face.

use this as a body scrub in the shower too, but store it outside of the shower or the heat will melt the oil. also keep the lid on tight so the sugar doesn't dissolve!





what are you favorite skin products? try this DIY and let me know what you think!


x's + o's
kaitlin elaine