Natural Foot Scrub & Lotion

Our feet are all too often hidden from view and neglected, especially during the colder winter months. Out of sight and out of mind - that is, until they start aching, flaking, cracking or getting sore! Perhaps we don't always appreciate the work our feet do until they're not working properly.
The simple fact is that we only have one pair of feet to last us a lifetime, and should pay them the respect they deserve for getting us around every day. And when summer arrives, it's a much better prospect to unveil a pair of perfectly pristine pedicured tootsies than two cracked-heeled and scaly feet!
The easiest solution to keeping your feet in tip-top condition is to make your own natural foot scrub and lotion, and apply regularly. The foot scrub will help to gently exfoliate the dead skin cells, whilst foot lotion will help to keep your foot's skin supple and soft.
Before applying this natural foot scrub and lotion recipe, you can give the especially hard skin areas on your feet a helping hand. After soaking in the bath, a pumice stone can be gently rubbed over the offending areas to help wear down thickened skin that commonly occurs on the heels. 

Foot Scrub Recipe 

Making your own foot scrub is so easy! The first simplest recipe you can use for a foot scrub is using sea salt and olive oil. Firstly soak your feet in warm water. Then simply add a teaspoon of sea salt to a few milliliters of olive oil, and massage over your feet before washing off. The olive oil is a fantastic skin moisturizer that helps to condition your toenails, whilst the sea salt gently exfoliates your skin.

However, there are more exotic recipes for foot scrubs that will leave your feet smelling gorgeous. For a more rejuvenating herbal recipe, you'll need:

• Peppermint Essential Oil
• Lavender Essential Oil
• Sweet Almond Oil
• Sea Salt

Firstly, you will need to measure out around one and a half cups of sea salt and add around 4 tablespoons of sweet almond oil. Make sure to combine the mixture evenly. Then simply add two or three drops of both the lavender and peppermint essential oils to the mixture.
Once you've soaked your feet in warm water for around 5 minutes, you can then gently massage the foot scrub all over your feet, before rinsing off. Again, the salt acts as a natural exfoliate, whilst the sweet almond oil gently softens, nourishes and moisturizes. The lavender essential oil adds a soothing tone, and the peppermint revives and revitalizes.

Foot Lotion Recipes

Foot lotion or cream tends to be thicker than general all-body moisturizers. It's therefore a good idea to make up a batch of your own natural foot lotion at home - so that you can focus on pampering your feet in the way that they deserve!
As above, you can use some basic natural ingredients in place of commercial lotions and moisturizers. Making your own foot lotion can be amazingly easy. For instance, almond oil, olive oil and jojoba oil are all great starter ingredients that will leave your feet irresistibly smooth.

Other foot 'foods' that nourish and moisturize the skin include mashed banana combined with honey and lemon juice. You can apply this mixture to your feet, put on a pair of old socks and leave overnight. In the morning remove the socks, wash your feet and hey presto - stunningly smooth skin!
Avocado is also another great natural ingredient in place of foot lotion. Simply mash and apply in the same way for exceptional results.

natural body scrubs

 

A body scrub offers many benefits. Not only does it feel refreshing and invigorating, but it also cleans and exfoliates dry skin, removes toxins and improves circulation. Commercial body scrubs are very expensive, but it's easy to make your own healthy and natural body scrub.

Make Brown Sugar and Lemon Body Scrub

Try a brown sugar and lemon body scrub, and feel the benefits for yourself.

• Put the 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup sea salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir to mix.
• Add 1 tbsp. jojoba oil, 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tsp. freshly grated lemon peel and 1 tbsp. pure honey. Stir until the jojoba oil is completely blended.
• Poke a small hole in the vitamin E capsule and squeeze it into the brown sugar and lemon body scrub. Stir to blend.
• Take a warm shower, then turn the water off.
• Stand in the tub and apply the brown sugar and lemon body scrub to your body, massaging with your fingertips and working in a circular motion. Pay particular attention to dry areas like heels, knees and elbows. Turn the shower back on, and rinse the brown sugar and lemon body scrub completely from your body.
• Dry your skin with a soft towel and apply your favorite moisturizer.

Natural Moisturizing Body Scrub

• Mash the avocado in a small mixing bowl.
• Pour the ground almonds and oatmeal into a bowl, and stir the mixture together gently with the avocado.
• Once the mixture is thoroughly combined, add in the jojoba oil (I suggest using this for dry or normal skin but if you have oily skin I would suggest not using it) and stir together once more.
• Start a warm bath, and gently massage the mixture into the desired areas. I suggest using a towel if you have dry skin, this will help to remove the dead skin. Try to focus especially on dry areas of skin, such as the elbows, knees and feet.
• Wait 15-20 minutes, and then gently rinse off with the bath water. 

Moisturizing Body Scrub for Dry Skin

This moisturizing body scrub is perfect for dry skin. This moisturizing body scrub helps to scrub away dead skin cells and gently exfoliate the skin, while helping to gently moisturize the skin. I suggest using this moisturizing body scrub 2-3 times per week, or as needed.

• Pour the ground almond into a small mixing bowl, and then pour the almond oil over it. Gently stir the mixture together until the ground almond has been soaked into the almond oil.
• Pour the ground oatmeal into the mixture, and stir together until it becomes a thick paste.
• Pour the yogurt into a mixing bowl, and then sprinkle the dry mixture over it. Gently fold the ingredients together until thoroughly combined.
• To use, massage the mixture in a circular motion into the desired areas. Let it soak for 10 minutes before rinsing off. I suggest using a towel to remove it, to help remove the dead skin cells more easily.

Any leftover mixture can be covered with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for about 10 days.

Avocado Face Mask

Dry skin needs moisture and every little is a bonus, an avocado face mask is one of the very best to use on dry skin. The recipes below are using avocado for its softening properties, honey for its moisturizing properties and yogurt for its exfoliation properties -as dry skin needs gentle exfoliation, yogurt is ideal.                                   

Face Mask Using Avocado 

Avocado and Neroli Face Mask

Avocado will leave your face feeling calm and soft because it's rich in lecithin, vitamin A and D. Yogurt is a great exfoliate and neroli is well known in the beauty industry for its ability to stimulate the growth of healthy skin cells.

• Half a ripe avocado
• 2 tsp plain yogurt
• 5ml neroli oil diluted with sunflower oil.

Mix all the ingredients to a smooth paste and apply to face and neck. Leave on for at least 15-20 minutes, and then rinse off with warm water.

Avocado Face Mask
 

• Half a ripe avocado
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp plain yogurt
• 1 tsp olive or avocado oil

Mash the avocado to a pulp, then mix in remaining ingredients. Apply to face and neck, leaving for at least 15-20 minutes before rinsing off with warm water.