The Best of Willow and Sage: Our 12 Favorite Scrubs

T he Best o f Our 12 Favorite Scrubs Get Glowing Skin with 5 ingredients or less Re f R e sh i ng Re c i p e s Wi th

Grapefruit, Rose Petal, Pomegranate, and More

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Body Scrub

by ALICE KREK

I have always believed handmade gifts make the best gifts, and I am also convinced we all need “gifts for self ” too — just a little something we can spoil ourselves with. A homemade body scrub is perfect for that, especially this one made with moisturizing coconut oil and aromatic orange and cinnamon. Why not have a little spa treatment in the comfort of your own home?

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2 cups granulated sugar ½ cup + 2 TB. coconut oil 6 drops orange essential oil Zest of 1 orange ½–2 tsp. ground cinnamon 2 small glass jars (9.8 fl. oz. each) White felt Ribbon Gift labels/White paper

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and coconut oil. Mix with a spatula until well combined and the mixture resembles a paste. Add essential oil, orange zest, and as much ground cinnamon as you wish (more cinnamon means the scrub will be a darker color). Split into two jars (or use just one big jar if you wish) and cover with lids.

Cut two felt circles, each twice as big as the size of the lid. Place them on top of each jar, and then tie a ribbon and a tag around the jar.

Keep in a cool, dark place until you are ready to give this as a gift.

If you’re making this for yourself, you can easily keep the scrub at room temperature in the bathroom. It’ll keep for about two months.

Alice Krek is the author of Mitzy at Home. To learn more, visit mitzyathome.com.

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Grapefruit

Sugar Scrub

by JENI KLING

I love using exfoliating scrubs for the spa-like experience and the smooth skin that follows. Storebought exfoliants often include an overwhelming (and unfamiliar) list of ingredients though.

Rather than spend money on a questionable product, I spent some time researching how to make my own. After learning that in addition to being an exfoliant, sugar is also a natural moisturizer, I realized just how simple it is to make a great natural scrub at home.

There are plenty of natural scents to choose from when making your own scrub. I love the fresh scent of grapefruit and knew that it would be the perfect addition to my mornings. Combined with coconut oil, this simple scrub feels like a luxury and leaves my skin silky soft.

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You Will Need

½ cup white sugar ½ cup coconut oil Zest of 1 grapefruit 1–2 TB. fresh grapefruit juice  20–30 drops grapefruit essential oil  ½ tsp. beet juice (optional)    

To Make Combine sugar and oil in the bowl of a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, and mix until smooth.

Of course you can do this all by hand; just make certain you’ve mixed all the solid oil until it is smooth.

Add grapefruit zest, grapefruit juice, and grapefruit essential oil. Mix on medium-high until everything is thoroughly combined.

Stir in the beet juice. (Add just a tiny bit at a time until you achieve your perfect color.)

Coconut oil has a very low melting temperature. After the heat rises from the stirring and mixing process, your scrub will be thinner than you might want. Don’t worry! After letting it sit at room temperature or a quick trip to the fridge, the oil will return to a more solid state.

This scrub will keep for two to three months if sealed tightly and kept away from heat. The coconut oil will make the scrub more or less solid depending on where it’s stored. If you’re making this scrub as a gift or just want to keep one batch indefinitely, you can easily leave out the grapefruit juice and substitute water. The oil will still give the scrub a fresh grapefruit scent. Make the grapefruit scrub for a bright and invigorating morning treat, or use this as a basic scrub recipe to play around with seasonal scents!

Jeni Kling is the voice behind the blog Twine and Table. To learn more, visit twineandtable.com.

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by KATHLEEN LOVELAND My love of owers prompted the gift of a hibiscus plant from a loved one, but I received much more than just a beautiful bush. I collect the blooms at the end of each day before they fade and wither away. Whether it’s a single ower for a cup of herbal tea, several owers for a batch of white grape-hibiscus jelly, or dehydrated petals to use in a salt scrub, I reap the benets of the blooms both in beauty and in health.

I wait to collect the hibiscus ower petals until the end of the day to allow enough time for the bees to pollinate the plant. Then I gently close the ower and break it off of its green receptacle. I carefully tear each petal off of the ower just above the harder white tip of the petals. The white tips are very bitter and more difcult to dehydrate. I bring the petals in, rinse them with water, and lay them out on paper towels until I have enough to ll up my dehydrating machine. After they are dehydrated, I store them in a sterile airtight container or bag.

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1 cup coarse kosher salt 2 oz. aloe vera gel 2 oz. vitamin E oil 1 oz. coconut oil ½ TB. hibiscus petals: dehydrated & crushed V Glass jar w/ lid V V V V V

Combine salt, aloe vera gel, vitamin E oil, coconut oil, and hibiscus petals in a glass jar. Mix the ingredients well.

Stir the scrub, wet your hands, and rub the scrub onto your hands, feet, or body. Gently rinse off with warm water, pat dry with a towel, and massage the remaining oils into your skin.

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If you don’t grow and dehydrate your own hibiscus flowers, you can substitute hibiscus tea, or you can find them on my Etsy shop at kalphotoartdesign.etsy.com.

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Why coarse kosher salt? Kosher salt contains no additives. The coarse grind does not easily melt, therefore it maintains its ability to scrub. Another option would be semi-coarse sea salt, since it contains trace minerals that could be beneficial to your health.

Kathleen Loveland is a teacher and artist. She lives on a farm in Ararat, Virginia. You can find her work on Pinterest (kloveart) and in her Etsy shop at kalphotoartdesign.etsy.com. She welcomes email at kalphotoartdesign@gmail.com.

Hibiscus petals and other products featured in this project are available at stampington.com/the-shoppe-at-somerset.

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WILLOW AND SAGE | Summer 2015 I

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recipes

by KIA NISHIMINE In my opinion, the best beauty products are the ones you can make from stuff you already have in your kitchen, like these chai sugar scrub bars made with coconut oil (my go-to DIY beauty staple). The sugar in these bars gently exfoliates, the coconut oil moisturizes, and the caffeine in the chai tea helps ght cellulite (plus it smells amazing).

V I cup muscovado sugar/white sugar V ¼ cup brown sugar V 6 chai teabags V 1 tsp. vanilla V 2 tsp. honey V ½ cup melted coconut oil V Ice molds

Start by mixing the muscovado sugar (for a gentler scrub, swap in white sugar), brown sugar, and the contents of six chai teabags.

Next, add vanilla, honey, and melted coconut oil. It should be liquidy, but not hot since you don’t want the sugar to melt — I microwaved mine for about 45 seconds, then waited a couple of minutes for it to cool.

Scoop the mixture into silicone ice molds and set in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.

Unmold your sugar scrub bars, and you’re all set!

I keep a few in a mason jar in the shower and store the rest in the freezer. You could also wrap a batch up in a pretty tin for a sweet homemade gift.

Kia Nishimine lives in San Francisco, California, and loves to craft, bake, and generally swoon over lovely things. To learn more, visit her craft, food, and lifestyle blog, With Lovely at withlovely.com.

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I have been known to spend way too much time on Pinterest. I always see all these fun and creative homemade beauty recipes. All the scrub recipes I came across seemed so simple, and I thought, I can do that! Plus, I loved the fact I could make my own scrubs for pennies. (The cost of some of the commercial scrubs on the market is just outrageous.)

by JESSICA WOODLIEF

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I enjoy researching and sharing beauty products with my readers; the feedback is always so positive.

I started out with a coffee scrub, and then I tried a honey and lemon scrub. I try to drink two cups of green tea every day, so it occurred to me that a green tea scrub might be beneďƒžcial for skin. I shared the recipe with my readers on the blog and on Pinterest, and it has been one of my most popular posts and pins to date.

recipes V 1/8 cup brewed green tea V 1 cup granulated sugar V 1/8 cup grapeseed oil V 1 green teabag V Glass container with lid V Large bowl V Spoon | WILLOW AND SAGE I

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Combine all ingredients and mix well. Open the teabag and pour the tea into the mixture; stir the mixture until the green tea is mixed in.

Fill the container with the mixture. Always inspect the scrub before using it and do not use any scrub that looks or smells odd.

• Because the scrub is made with water, it will not keep as long as a scrub made without water. If you would like a longer shelf life, do not use the brewed green tea and simply add more green tea leaves.

Jessica Woodlief writes Living Chic on the Cheap, a blog that features fashion, beauty, and home decor deals. To learn more, visit livingchiconthecheap.com.

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I was so excited to see pomegranates at the market. I have to admit the taste of pomegranates is a bit tart for me, but there are a host of things you can do with the seeds besides eating them straight from the fruit.

During pomegranate season, which is October through January here in California, the luscious red fruit can be found at most grocery stores. Recipes that use them in salads, juice, tea, desserts, sauces, and more are just a click away if you do an Internet search.

Pomegranates have been cultivated since ancient times, and science has found surprising benets from this amazing fruit.

Photog raphy & Stor y by CAROLYN GARRIS

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If you don’t like the taste of pomegranate seeds you can still reap the benets of the fruit’s anti-aging properties by making a facial scrub. The oil from the seeds helps strengthen the outer layer of your skin, which in turn reduces or delays wrinkles. I found several ideas for pomegranate scrubs, but in the end I made up my own recipe.

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V 2–3 TB. honey V ½ cup crushed pomegranate seeds with juice V ½ cup white sugar V Mixing bowl V Paper towels (optional) V Wooden spoon | WILLOW AND SAGE I

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Cut open the fruit. To do this, make a slit with a sharp knife and then pry the halves open. You can do this in the sink or in a bowl of water to prevent the deep, dark red juice from splattering and potentially staining your clothes or counter. Once the fruit is open, start picking out the seeds.

Again, you can do this while the fruit is submerged in a bowl of water. The seeds will sink and the white eshy part oats, making it easy to separate.

Pour honey into a bowl and add the seeds. Crush the seeds with a wooden spoon. I lightly covered the top of my bowl with a paper towel because juice was spraying as I crushed the seeds.

Add the sugar and stir. You can use more sugar if you want a thicker scrub. You can either leave the crushed seeds in the scrub or remove them after you’ve juiced them. I left mine in to add more texture to the scrub.

Creating this scrub changed how I felt about pomegranates; I am now in love with them. The natural color is sensational, and the benets cannot be denied. And the pomegranate facial scrub looks good enough to eat. I bet you could eat it like jam! Honey, sugar and pomegranates — all natural and yummy. Could this be the fountain of youth? I’ll keep you posted on my antioxidant, anti-wrinkle solution.

Carolyn Garris is a freelance marketing manager and a blogger. She posts a variety of projects on her blog, “Homework,” which you can nd at carolynshomework.com.

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WILLOW AND SAGE | Winter 2016 I

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recipes

by PRISCILLA PARK Romantic and timeless, roses have always been one of my favorite owers, so I wanted to nd a way to incorporate them into a beauty product. Rose water and rose absolute are commonly used in skincare products, but how about making something with real rose petals? I also wanted to incorporate frankincense essential oil as well as ground spice, as it is well known for its healing and skin-rejuvenating properties; plus, it’s warm, spicy aroma blends perfectly with roses. After doing some research on botanical face scrubs and washes, I got to work to nd the perfect combination of ingredients, and I came up with our popular Frankincense and Rose Petal Face Scrub. It has turned out to be one of our best-selling scrubs and my all-time favorite.

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V V V V V V V V

1 tsp. dried rose petals 1 tsp. dried chamomile flowers 1 tsp. old-fashioned oats 1 tsp. rice 2 frankincense tears 1–2 whole cloves 4 tsp. rice bran oil/oil of your choice 1–2 drops frankincense essential oil

Combine rose petals, chamomile owers, oats, rice, frankincense tears, and cloves in a spice grinder, and grind into a ne powder. Using a whisk, mix ground ingredients with rice bran oil and frankincense essential oil until evenly mixed.

Store in a container and keep in a cool place. To keep the product fresh as long as possible, avoid getting water in the container by using a spoon to scoop out desired amount of scrub.

To use, simply apply scrub to a clean, wet face, gently rubbing in a circular motion. Wash the scrub off with warm water. Your skin will feel amazing!

Priscilla Park is the owner and creator of Sophia Rose Natural Bath & Body. Visit sophiarosenaturalbathnbody.madefreshly.com to see more of her natural, wholesome products. Follow along on Facebook (sophiarosenaturalbnb) and Instagram (@sophiarosenaturalbathnbody).

Dried rose, frankincense essential oil, and other products featured in this project are available at stampington.com/the-shoppe-at-somerset.

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by STEPHANIE ROSE Himalayan pink salt is prized for its therapeutic properties. It is full of minerals that work as a powerful detoxiďƒžer for your skin. When combined with moisturizing coconut and sweet almond oils, this salt scrub is perfect for stimulating and healing skin. I like to use this scrub just before settling into a warm bath.

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recipes

V V V V V V V

1 oz. sweet almond oil 10 drops rose geranium essential oil 2 oz. coconut oil 5 drops pink grapefruit essential oil 5 drops ylang ylang essential oil 8 oz. pink Himalayan sea salt Dried rose petals (optional) | WILLOW AND SAGE I

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Mix all ingredients together in a jar. Warm up the coconut oil to soften if needed. Add dried rose petals to the top of the jar for a more luxurious bath or if giving this as a gift. Store it in small batches in the refrigerator to prolong the life.

This scrub is best when applied before a warm bath.

Massage into wet skin all over the body, and step into a warm bath for at least 20 minutes. Soak, rest, relax, and dry your skin. If you tend to feel a bit woozy right after a hot bath or sitting in a sauna, be sure to drink a lot of water. If

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this routine is done before bed, you should have a wonderful night’s rest.

Stephanie Rose is a master gardener, author, and the creator of the popular garden, craft, and food blog Garden Therapy. Her rst book, “Garden Made: A Year of Seasonal Projects to Beautify Your Garden and Your Life,” (Roost Books, 2015) is available everywhere books are sold. Visit her blog at gardentherapy.ca.

Geranium essential oil and other products featured in this project are available at stampington.com/the-shoppe-at-somerset.

Among the numerous ingredients that can be added to a sugar scrub, peppermint is one of the most invigorating and refreshing. After trying out this recipe — which is a pure and effortless combination of white sugar, coconut oil, and peppermint essential oil — we couldn’t help but be inspired by the not-so-subtle relation that the scent of peppermint has to the holiday season.

Aside from a smell that is sure to energize your senses, peppermint essential oil is great for soothing tight muscles or sore joints, relieving tension headaches, or settling an upset stomach. Rub a couple handfuls of this scrub all over your legs, arms, feet — anywhere that needs some TLC. We recommend pairing it with a warm bath, some candles, and your current read.

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recipes V 1 cup white sugar V ½ cup coconut oil V Peppermint essential oil V All-natural food coloring V Bowl V Spoon

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recipes

Combine the coconut oil and the white sugar in a bowl. Add in one or two drops of all-natural food coloring; for a deeper green color, add in more.

Add in 10 drops of the peppermint essential oil. Mix all ingredients. Store the scrub in a sealed jar; it should last for about two months.

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All-natural food coloring is free of corn syrup or synthetic ingredients. Take a look at your local Whole Foods or health food store to ďŹ nd some great alternatives!

Peppermint essential oil is available at stampington.com/the-shoppe-at-somerset.

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by JANA HOLSTEIN If you’re looking for a sugar scrub that’s easy to make and full of wonderful natural ingredients that will exfoliate and pamper your skin, this decadent Peach Chamomile Sugar Scrub is it. We all know how great it is to bite into a sweet, juicy, delicious peach, but did you know that peaches are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can truly rejuvenate your skin? Studies have shown that the vitamin A in peaches might help prevent cancer. Plus, vitamin C can help remove dark circles and blemishes, while macronutrients fight wrinkles and tighten your pores. Chamomile is known for its anti-allergenic properties, eases the itching of eczema, and reduces skin inflammation. The fine texture of sugar aids exfoliation to deeply cleanse your skin, making it soft, healthy, and radiant. There are so many reasons to love this sugar scrub!

All these wonderful ingredients come together to regenerate your skin tissue, leaving it soft, supple, and glowing … and it smells amazing.

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WILLOW AND SAGE | Spring 2016

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V V V V

1 ripe peach ½ cup dried chamomile 1/3 cup almond oil 1 cup sugar

Slice the peach into wedges. Put them in a food processor or blender and puree until slightly chunky. Empty peach puree in a large bowl, add in the remaining ingredients, and mix until combined. Use the scrub in the shower or bath on your hands, feet, or body. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Dried chamomile featured in this project is available at stampington.com/the-shoppe-at-somerset.

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