Make Your Own Sugar Scrub

I know a lot of people who enjoy making their own Christmas gifts.  I do a little of that, if you count baking Christmas cookies!  Other than that, I'm not very crafty.  People would probably just toss whatever it is I've made into the trash.  Making your own gifts is a wonderful idea, especially for people you aren't super close to...the school secretary, crossing guard, mailman, or simply the older lady down the street who smiles when you pass by her house.

The best homemade gift I remember receiving is a spiced tea mix from my very crafty friend.  She made jars of the tea for all the Sunday School teachers at church.  I have also received hot cocoa mix and candles. 

Today while browsing my favorite thrifty blogger's page, I stumbled upon these directions to make your own Sugar Scrub.  I adore the aroma therapeutic sugar scrub I purchased from Bath & Body Works.  I use it sparingly to try to make it last.  It works wonders on skin dried out by cold winter weather.  When I saw these directions to make my own, I determined that this is something I would definitely try!

Here is what you'll need:
• 1 Jar
• 1 Cup White Sugar
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar
• ¼ – ½ cup Olive Oil
• 1 t Vanilla, Almond, or Lavender Extract (I think I'm going to use Tea Tree Oil.)

Directions:

1. Mix white and brown sugar in a bowl until blended.

2. Pack sugar into the jar.

3. Slowly pour olive oil in a tablespoon at a time until it has reached about halfway down the jar, letting each tablespoon seep in before putting in the next.

4. Once the olive oil has reached halfway down the jar, add extract.

5. Pour mixture into a large bowl and mix it up until all the sugar is moist. Add more olive oil if needed.

6. Repack jar.

A few helpful tips:
• You can adjust the amount of sugar (both white & brown) and other ingredients to the size of your jar and your preferences. The mentioned amounts are a guideline. Just make sure you have even parts of white & brown sugar!

• If keeping this in the bathtub or shower, have something with which to scoop the sugar out. If you use your hands, it’s a good idea to keep the scrub in the refrigerator to keep bacteria at bay, unless you go through the whole jar in a couple of days! I wouldn’t know anything about that!

• You can substitute other oils in place of olive oil. Almond oil is another great option, just not as readily available as olive oil. Avoid mineral oil as it prevents your skin from absorbing moisture.

•Don’t forget to make a label! You can make a label on your computer using the sticky label sheets or use some fancy font on regular paper. Glue the paper to an index card (to make it rigid), cut it to resemble a gift tag, punch a hole in the top with a hole punch and use a rubber band or ribbon to tie around the mouth of the jar!