DIY // lavender sea salt body scrub

as i have mentioned before, i have been trying to "naturalize" my skin care routine and incorporate more natural and raw products, especially those i make myself. sooo... summer is finally here and that means we are showing a lot more skin. and if you're like me, the winter months mean ignoring all skin that is not exposed to the public until it has to be seen. a lot of the body scrubs out there are expensive and i don't find they do a whole lot for me. so, i made my own! again this is a very simple and inexpensive diy that makes a wonderful gift and is suitable for all skin types and can be used on the body and face!

what you'll need:

• fine natural sea salt [coarse would be too rough]
• organic coconut oil [refined or unrefined]
• fresh or dried lavender [i used fresh]
• small jar or container with tight seal
• mixing bowl
• tablespoon

one //
measure about 3/4 of your container full of the salt. mine was probably a little less than about 3/4cup.


two //
dump salt into the mixing bowl. then add about 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil. begin mixing and you will be able to judge the consistency. you want it slightly firm but not too crumbly. add more oil/salt depending! [note: i was making this outside and it was fairly warm, but my oil was still solid. only make this when the oil is at room temp/still in a slightly solid form, otherwise the consistency will be off!]

three //
next, add your fresh or dried lavender. i cut my lavender straight from a bush we have growing in my front yard. i picked all the buds off, some bloomed and most not. as i mixed them in, i muddled the lavender against the bowl with the back of the spoon to release the oils and break open the buds.



four // 
i had no real measurement for the amount of lavender i added, i kept smelling it as i added more to judge how much more i wanted to add. i didn't have any lavender essential oil, but if you do, add it now! mix until you like the consistency and amount of lavender bits. [on the right hand side of the second photo you can see how many stems of lavender i used.]



five //
when you're happy with it, package it up into your jar! i had a bit left over from adjusting the amounts of salt/oil so i used it on my hands and let my mom try some-- her review was that her hands were still very soft and moisturized the next day!

that's it! this makes a great gift for anyone [even men!] and is an amazing exfoliator for the body and face. lavender is great for sensitive skin and has calming benefits topically for your skin and stress relieving properties for your mood and overall wellness. caution: avoid using this scrub if you have any cuts or open wounds-- the salt may sting, ouch!



let me know if you try this!

x's + o's
kaitlin elaine