Homemade Body Scrubs and Wraps

The Frugal Holistic

A Day at Your Favorite Spa: Your Own!
(Part 4 of 4 - Homemade Body Scrubs and Wraps)

Well, this is the final article in the series and I hope that you all have enjoyed them. I promised an article on Body Wraps and Body Sugaring . Body wraps are a good way to release stress and toxins from the body. Body Sugaring is a natural method of hair removal that is not as harmful to your skin as wax removal. Body wraps can cost upwards of $300.00 for a good professional wrap. But, I am here to tell you that you can save lots of money doing it yourself. The things you will need, in addition to the ingredients for each wrap, are lightweight sheets, flannel sheets or a lightweight thermo blanket that can be bought at any camping/sporting goods store to cover yourself with, towels and a flat surface to lay on.

You can also do this lying in the bathtub. It is not as comfortable as using a exercise mat or lawn chair/lounger though. You might want to think about investing in some rolls of gauze to have a friend wrap you in. If you are going to do a compression wrap, be sure that you wrap snuggly but not too tight and this kind of body wrap should only be done once a month.

First, cover your surface with the towels. Light some candles and put on some soothing music. Make sure you have plenty of water to drink before and after to flush out toxins in your body. Try to avoid caffeine, sugar, fried fatty foods, soda drinks and alcohol for the next 48 hours. Take a warm shower before applying the wrap to open the pores. Get your ingredients together and mix away. I have included some recipes for very basic body wraps. Any facial mixture can be used also. Just make more of it. Many people confuse a sugar scrub with body sugaring so I am going to give you a couple of simple recipes for Sugar Scrubs that can be used before your Body Wrap.

Sugar Scrubs

Brown Sugar Scrubs

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 heaping tablespoons almond oil
• few drops of honey
• 3 to 5 drops of your favorite essential oil

Or

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon jojoba oil
• 1 tablespoon almond oil
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 5-7 drops orange essential oil
• dash of cinnamon

Here's what you do:

Mix ingredients thoroughly in a glass bowl. In the shower, gently scrub all over body.

Fruit Sugar Scrub

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3 Tbsp. coconut milk or oil
• 3 Tbsp. almond or jojoba oil
• 1/2 cup fresh papaya and guava

Mix sugar and coconut milk or oil with almond or jojoba oil. Puree fruit in a blender or food processor, stir into oil and sugar mixture. Exfoliate with dry brush or exfoliation gloves, rinse off in shower. Pat dry (skin should be damp) and apply mixture from feet to head in circular motions always towards the heart. Rinse with warm water, pat dry, and enjoy silky smooth, sweet-smelling skin!

Body Wraps

Clay Body Wrap (for oily skin)

• 1 cup bentonite or green clay
• 1/4 cup sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cups water

Boil water and add sea salt until it is dissolved. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Adjust the water if necessary to form a wet paste. Rub the mixture over your entire body and cover yourself with a sheet.

Avocado Moisture Body Wrap (for dry skin)

• 1 very ripe avocado
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 1/4 cup of aloe vera gel
• Lots of towels
• Plastic wrap

Here's what you do:Blend avocado pulp, cream and aloe vera gel to a thick paste. Place lots of old towels down where you will nap later. Apply paste to body. Wash hands and loosely wrap over masked areas. Lay down and relax for one hour. Rinse.

Oatmeal Wrap (for soft and smooth skin)

• 1 cup of oatmeal not the instant kind
• 1 cup of warm milk

Mix oatmeal and milk into a paste and apply to body. Rest one hour and rinse off.

Removing Extra Hair

Body Sugaring is a natural way to remove the hair that you don't want from your body. Basically, you are making a cooked paste out of white sugar and other ingredients that you will spread on your legs and, using strips of cloth, removing the hair. You will need a stove and pot to cook the sugar mixture in and an old sheet to cut up into strips or a couple of yards of cheap broadcloth from Walmart. The strips can be used again by washing in a lingerie bag in your washer.

Body Sugar Recipe

• 1-7/8 cups of white sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Use a fairly large, heavy pan because the sugar will foam up as it boils. Mix the ingredients in the pan and put on medium heat. Boil gently until a candy thermometer reads 120 degrees C. The mixture will turn an amber color as it cooks. Take it off the heat, let it cool a bit and pour into a container. A wide shallow one works best - if you have a tall container, the paste tends to get all over the stick. When cooled, it should be quite thick.

To use the paste, either microwave it (careful-it heats up fast) or boil some water and let the jar sit in the hot water for about 5 minutes. Be sure to test the temperature *very* carefully before you put a lot on your skin. Test a bit on the palm of your hand where the skin is a little thicker and tougher. Use a craft stick, like a tongue depressor, to spread the paste. The paste works best when it is very warm, it spreads thinner that way.

Take a bit of paste on the stick and spread it on, as thin as you can, in the direction of the hair growth. Put a strip on the paste and press it on firmly. Pull the strip off against the direction of the hair growth. Be sure to hold your skin taut, and pull the strip directly back, not up. You can use the same strip a couple of times. To clean up, all you need is soap and water.You can cream your legs after with a good natural lotion.By Debra from Colorado Springs Co

Editors Note: This is a four part article. Check out the other sections here:

• Homemade Facials (Your Own Spa: Part 1 of 4)
• Homemade Manicures and Pedicures (Your Own Spa: Part 2 of 4)
• Homemade Haircare (Your Own Spa: Part 3 of 4)