Homemade Brown Sugar Scrub

Origins makes some of the most wonderful body scrubs...I got started on the Salt Rub and then the Ginger Salt Scrub, and now I like the spreadable scrubs! This is also my favorite part of getting a manicure or pedicure...and it's so easy to make it at home.

This is a two-part project - the first is making the scrub and the second is embellishing the jars.

This is the recipe I made up:

Ingredients
Organic Brown Sugar
Turbinado (it's a brown sugar that is "crystallized from the initial pressing of sugar cane")
Organic Safflower Oil (or you can use avocado, soybean, olive, or your favorite oil)
Essential Oil (I used grapefruit for this batch, but use whatever scent you like. I got mine at Whole Foods (in New Orleans) where they have a good selection, or you can buy them online too)
Jars - any size. I got mine at Hobby Lobby (see pic, further below)



Depending on how much you feel like making, here are the proportions I use:
1 cup of brown sugar to 1 cup turbinado. As much safflower oil to make it come together but not be overly oily, and as many dashes of essential oil to make it as strong or as subtle a scent as you enjoy. Take a little of the first batch to the bathroom and rub on hands/arms/elbows. If it's a nice texture - buffs and leaves your skin glowing and soft - it's perfect. You can tell if it needs a little more or a little less of something.

I make one small batch at a time - this is one cup brown sugar and one cup turbinado:


The nice thing about these two sugars together is that the turbinado is a larger grain, which is good for buffing:


Once I've added the safflower oil and essential oil and have it to the consistency I like, I get out my jars. I like these jars because of the way they seal (and the Origins salt rub containers are like this, only bigger, and they are great). I got these at Hobby Lobby for $1.33/ea and they hold about 1/2 cup of sugar scrub each. This is the perfect size for gift-giving:


Here's my first one:


...and a bunch of them - I just think the brown sugar makes it so pretty:


Now they're just missing some embellishment:


To Embellish:
Scrapbook paper in any design(s) you like
Mod Podge
Foam Brush
Round Hole Punch (my 2-/18" punch was perfect for these jars)
Tag Punch
Embroidery Thread, and Needle
Scissors
Pen or Fine Marker (to write on tag)



...I punched out the scrapbook paper - put some Mod Podge on the lid, added the circle:


...then added more Mod Podge on top (I used the glossy MP). I get a little crazy with MP, but I love it! I dries perfectly clear, so you can go overboard a little if you like!:


Here are the jars, dry - now I just needed to make tags for them. I got out my tag punch and more scrapbook paper:


...cut the tag shapes out. Now is a good time to write what's inside and who you're giving it to on the tag:


I took my needle and puched a little hole in the top of the tag, then threaded a little embroidery thread on and through:


...tied it to the opener, and it was all done!