what dry skin?

One of my favorite stores of all time (Target) had these little jars (see above pic) in the dollar section (although they were $3) and I knew exactly what I was going to do. 

I just love a good body scrub, especially in the winter, and Pinterest has so many amazing DIY options that I thought I would try making one myself. I found so many scrub recipes on Pinterest that I think this is a hybrid of a few- but I'm not really sure which ones because I didn't pin them (please let me know if there's one I should give credit to. I always try to give credit where credit is due). 

Luckily, I had all these ingredient's on hand to just whip one together. I used Epsom Salt because it pulls toxins from the body and helps with inflammation. Lemon is a citric acid, part of the Alpha

Hydroxy (AHA) family, so there would be some extra exfoliation and skin brightening happening. Rosemary is a fantastic antioxidant and coconut oil is all the rage right now. I'll admit, I don't use coconut oil that often for cooking (I gravitate more towards olive oil for that) but it's wonderful on the skin because it's deeply hydrating.

The best part about this whole DIY-thing is that it's totally customizable. Maybe you don't have Epsom salts but you have course-grained sea salt- fine! Use that instead. Or maybe you can't abide the smell of rosemary- no problem. Either leave it out, altogether, or replace it with an herb of your choosing. There are no wrong options here. 

My skin was so soft and satiny after I did this scrub. I loved how I saved a step by not needing to apply body lotion because the coconut oil did that for me. I also loved that I made this myself for waaaaay cheaper than what I'd buy from a store, and you know what else? There are no weird preservatives or ingredients I can't pronounce. Just four, simple ingredients that will benefit my skin any time of the year.

Lemon Rosemary Detox Scrub and Soak
*The amount of ingredients depends on the size of your jar/container. Maybe you want to make a large batch to give away as gifts? Here's a ratio I came up with that might make it easier than needing to measure everything: 1 part rosemary, 1 part lemon zest, 1-2 parts coconut oil, 3 parts Epsom salt.

1 Tbs. chopped rosemary
1 Tbs. lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
1/2 Cup Epsom salt
1-2 Tbs. coconut oil (if solidified, may need to melt to get it to a liquid state)
sealed jar (like one for canning)

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl- you want the mixture to resemble wet sand- not too stiff.

How to use:
Stand in the shower and apply the scrub to your entire body. Once thoroughly exfoliated, rinse the scrub off in a shower or take a relaxing soak in the bath. If you go the bath option (my preferred method) then just lay down in the water and maybe sprinkle a little more salt scrub into the bath water (this is the detox part that will be so good for your body). Soak for 5-10 minutes. Upon exit, lightly pat your skin dry with a towel (no rubbing) to ensure the coconut oil stays on your skin and keeps it hydrated. Use the scrub 1-2x a week for optimal results.