Feeling Reflective & an Easy DIY Recipe

This week I'm writing my blog outdoors! No, I'm not crazy nor do I dig subjecting myself to freezing temperatures. I am in Los Angeles for a few days before going to Thailand for the next month.

Even though Angelenos consider this rainy weather cold, I am absolutely loving sitting out here on my friend's patio, feeling the humidity, looking at the palm plants - I can even see a ripe lemon tree over the neighbors wall. I spent a decade living in Los Angeles so I get the subjectivity of what it means to feel cold. I remember throwing on a beanie whenever the temperature dipped below 65F /19C. Life sure is unpredictable. Back then I never would've guessed that I'd be back in Saskatchewan, making skincare with Saskatoon berries and other native plants. So sitting out here, listening to doves overhead and hearing the constant hum from the freeway over a mile away, it's got me feeling rather reflective.

I started making skin care back in 2014, after a series of surgeries left me homebound and feeling a little stir-crazy. After the first surgery, I did nothing but sit on a couch and watch TV for a month. After the second surgery, I decided to cultivate a hobby. Thus began my interest in making natural skin care from scratch. Pinterest was my first source for recipes. As I became more confident in my ability to create and my desire to push my knowledge grew, I started to create my own formulas. I learned how to distill hydrosols, which essential oils to use for different needs, which essential oils SHOULD NOT be used in the sun (that was a bad week!) and how to properly use preservatives (and which ones are free of parabens etc). It's been a wonderful journey for me so far and today I'd like to share with you one of the first DIY recipes I tried and hopefully some of the magic in creating your own products too.

Since it's the dead of winter for most of my readers, what could be better to make than a simple sugar scrub? A lot of the recipes I used back in the beginning suggested using coconut oil as a base ingredient. That's fine if you like your shower drain to get clogged up. Ever notice how coconut oil solidifies below 76F/24C? Well, what do you think happens once that coconut oil washes off your skin and down the drain? Exactly!

A better ingredient to use, which is non-comedogenic (aka good for all skin types and will not clog pores) is sunflower oil. I also like to use cane sugar and a bit of coffee grounds (caffeine also helps shrink cellulite deposits, improve circulation and de-puff skin).

This formula does not contain a preservative so it's best to use within one week. It's quick and easy to make so if you're happy with the results it's simple to whip up again.

Here's the recipe and instructions:

Wake Me Up Before You Glow Glow Coffee & Sugar Scrub

1/2 cup Fine Ground Sugar

1/4 cup Fine Ground Coffee

1/4 cup Sunflower Oil

Mix ingredients together in a jar and massage on wet skin in the shower. Spend an extra 30 seconds on areas that are more dry and/or cellulite prone. Use at least twice a week to see improvements in skin texture.

Voila!