DIY: Rosemary-Mint Sugar Scrub

Written by Kate Tietje

Rosemary-mint sugar scrub.  Doesn’t that sound luxurious?

Apparently, it sounds intimidating, too.  But it’s not!  Making your own rosemary-mint sugar scrub is actually super easy.  I was excited to make it because in the colder months, between the cool weather and the heat running all the time, my skin tends to feel a little dry.  I need something to clean, smooth, and moisturize it simultaneously.  A sugar scrub sounds perfect!  Luxurious and wonderful. 🙂

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this scrub, many you might have in your kitchen already.  It only takes about an hour to make, most of which is wait time, not active time.  It’s really so easy!

The herbs chosen are nourishing and healing.  Peppermint is nourishing, healing, cooling, and smooths rough skin, reducing redness, swelling, and irritation.  Rosemary stimulates blood circulation, restores elasticity, and is especially great for oily skin.  I also added nettle (which doesn’t lend any scent), which improves dry skin and hair, gently cleanses, and nourishes the skin.

Avocado oil is very nourishing and food-based.  The skin easily and deeply absorbs it and can combat dryness.  It also helps produce more collagen, helping the skin to look firmer and younger.  Shea butter is rich and absorbs easily and naturally, helping to prevent dry skin and healing blemishes, evening out skin tone, and more.  (However, if you are allergic to latex, you should not use shea butter.  Cocoa butter can be substituted.)

Rosemary-Mint Sugar Scrub

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 1 tbsp. peppermint (I subbed lemon balm, which is also in the mint family)
• 1 tbsp. rosemary
• 1 tbsp. nettle leaves
• 1/2 cup shea butter
• 1 1/2 cup turbinado sugar (big crystals)

Directions:

Step 1: Add your avocado oil to a small saucepan.  The first step is to create an herbal infusion.

Step 2: To this, add all your herbs.

Step 3: Stir it together and put it on the stove on low heat — very low.  Let this sit for about 30 minutes.  This creates your herbal infusion!

Step 4: Strain the oil through a sieve and discard all the herbs.

Step 5: Pour the oil back into the pan (wipe out any herbs left first).  Then, add your shea butter.

Step 6: Put this back over low heat and let it melt together for about five minutes.

Step 7: Measure out your sugar.

Step 8: Pour the sugar into a 1-pint glass mason jar (or other 16-oz. glass jar).  Pour the oils on top.  That is it!  You are finished. 🙂

If you like, add a couple of peppermint and/or rosemary essential oils to the oil blend for an extra scent.  I was mostly interested in the healing properties and not as much in the scent, so I didn’t bother (although I have both essential oils).

If you’ve ever made or used a sugar scrub, what was your experience?