Smooth Leg Sugar Scrub with ingredients already around your home!

One day when my legs were particularly dry & flaky looking, I thought to myself - what are these sugar scrubs I keep hearing about? Isn't it possible to make your own exfoliant from home? In no time I was surfing Pinterest, which lead me to the One Good Thing by Jillee blog, where I found & adapted her recipe to my own liking. I couldn't believe how simple this was, how well it worked, & that I already had all the ingredients in my home already! Treat yourself to a scrub tonight!

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup oil
  I used olive oil, but you can use any oil - coconut oil is my second favorite, baby oil, vegetable - any oil will work.
• 3 tablespoons citrus juice (lemon or lime)

​Put all the ingredients together in a bowl & mix. You're looking for a consistency where the oil is mostly saturated in the sugar & it forms a sort of thick but spreadable paste in the bowl. I used an old coconut oil jar I had in my cabinet to store it. Glass is bound to keep it fresher longer. I usually make a batch & it stays in my bathroom cupboard for up to months at a time.

The idea behind the sugar scrub is that the abrasiveness of the sugar rubs off all the dirt & dead skin you have naturally built up on your skin. This process leaves your legs silky smooth! You are also feeding your skin natural essential oils & minerals. The lemon juice serves as a mild skin peel, revealing brighter, healthier skin, & the olive oil saturates deep into the skin, providing long-lasting moisture. 

I like to start by rinsing my legs with warm water, then rub the scrub into my legs with my hands, using about a tablespoon or so at a time - just enough to thoroughly spread & massage over my entire leg. It goes further than you might think, no need to cake it on. Feel free to enjoy this & rub down & around your ankles or onto your feet. Take it all the way up the thigh if you shave that high - I personally shave to just over my knee. 

After rubbing the mixture in for a few minutes it’s time to shave your legs. Let the scrub serve as your 'shaving cream', don't apply extra soap or anything like that. I like to have a cup or jar nearby that I fill with water. This way I can turn the faucet off as I'm shaving to save some extra drops. I recommend rinsing the razor with a little swish in the cup/jar after each shave stroke to make sure you get it all - you'll see why with the build up of sugar in the blades.

Now I want you to drain the cup you've been rinsing the blade in, gently rinse off your leg(s) in warm water, apply a mild, natural soap & shave again! This second time through makes sure to get all the hair, the first round was more focused on dead skin/dirt. The second round also helps to wash the oil away with the soap.

**Note**: This could make the bottom of your tub extremely slippery. Be mindful of this, especially so you or even the next person to use the shower, doesn’t slip & hurt themselves! Proceed very cautiously!!

This is a process, but it feels reallllllly good! Not just on the legs, but also to slow down & allow yourself to take this time for yourself. Sometimes I light candles or incense, put my headphones in & listen to some personal development or calming music, sometimes I even zen out in the peace & calm of the whole procedure. When you get out of the bath/shower, put some soothing natural lotion on or my preference, coconut oil, & enjoy your silky smooth legs! I guarantee you will be so amazed at how soft your skin feels, you won’t be able to keep your hands off yourself! Repeat the process 2-3x per week, try not to over-do it, as it can be rough on your skin.
​Listen to your body, respect the process.