PAMPER YOU SKIN ~ EASY DIY RECIPES

OLIVE OIL & SUGAR SCRUB

What do you get when you mix two great things together? Well, if they’re olive oil and sugar, you get one heck of a skin scrub. I like to use this rich, moisturizing scrub on my hands, feet and body at least a few times every winter. The gently exfoliating sugar grains buff the flakes away from even my roughest, driest patches, while the olive oil helps to moisturize and repair.

If you happen to be out of olive oil, substitutions are allowed. You can swap it out for body or facial oils, like jojoba or argan.

The quantities listed here should make enough to scrub both of your hands and feet, but if you’re hoping for a full body scrub, you’ll want to use more.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil

Mix the sugar and olive oil into a thick paste, which should just take a minute, and then buff where needed using small circular motions.

Rinse with warm water, and follow up, if you’d like, with your favorite moisturizer for even more hydration.

SOOTHING YOGURT MASK

My combination dry/oily skin hates the chill in the air outside, and it’s also not a huge fan of indoor heaters. To show my face some TLC, I like yogurt masks like this one here.

The lactic acid in the yogurt gently dissolves away rough, dead skin cells while the oatmeal soothes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of plain yogurt (I prefer Greek yogurt because it’s thick and stays put)
• 1/2 cup of regular (not instant) oatmeal

Mix your yogurt and oatmeal into a paste, and apply it to freshly washed, clean skin. Let that sit for 10-15 minutes before rinsing with water or wiping with a warm washcloth.

You can also adjust this recipe, depending on the condition of your skin, or to address specific concerns. Gals with very oily skin can add a couple of drops of lemon juice to help clarify and cleanse, while damsels with dry skin can add two tablespoons of honey for extra moisture.

ORANGE JUICE & BAKING SODA MASK

As much as I like this time of year, my skin doesn’t. For me, holiday stress and dry weather adds up to breakouts (ugh!). If your skin has also been acting up, try this easy-peasy face mask. It combines baking soda to exfoliate, with orange juice to tighten pores.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon of baking soda

Mix and stir the juice and baking soda for a few seconds, and apply a thin layer to clean skin. Let that sit and dry for about 20 minutes (try to sit still so the mixture doesn’t slide away), and then rinse with water, or remove with a warm washcloth.