Gift: Almond-Lavender Body Scrub

Lavender has been touted as the ultimate relaxant for decades (and then some), but for most of my life I haven’t been able to stomach the smell. Unfortunately for me, it just so happens to be my mother’s absolute favorite aroma. Because of her love, I’m trying to embrace this pretty purple flower—and you know what? It’s not all that bad.

Regardless of whether or not you’re mad for lavender, you’ll love this exfoliating body scrub. But if you genuinely can’t handle the smell, simply sub the lavender out for a different soft petal, or nothing at all—it’s mostly there for scent and visual appeal. This one’s for you mom! <3

The Shopping List:

4 Tbs Extra-fine Ground Pumice

3 Tbs Ground Almond*

2 Tbs Brown Sugar

1-2 Small Handfuls Lavender Petals

Avocado Oil (amount varies)

1-3 Drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil (optional)

1 Tea Light (optional)

*Make this yourself by grinding almonds in a coffee grinder

This scrub is incredibly simple to make, and even easier to adjust if you don’t have, or don’t like the ingredients. You really only need one of the exfoliating agents (brown sugar, extra-fine ground pumice, ground almond), but using a mix does make a difference since each has its own benefit.  

Sugar is known as a skin softener, but brown sugar—aside from being in a more natural state than processed white sugar—is slightly finer of a grain, which is important when choosing an exfoliant. Too harsh of one may damage your skin, as well as hurt you during the process.  

Almond is another skin softener, with the added benefits of omega fatty acids, which aid in skin cell production.

Pumice is one of the best exfoliators on the market for really sloughing away dead skin cells, but it is important to get as fine a grain as possible, for the aforementioned reasons. As a side, I don’t recommend ever using pumice as an ingredient in any facial product—the skin there is too sensitive to play around with).

Add all dry ingredients to mixing container excluding the tea light. Mix thoroughly. Add avocado oil while stirring until you reach a semi-paste consistency. The scrub shouldn’t be too liquid-y, but you don’t want a mix that’s too dry to scoop out and spread on the body easily.

I prefer avocado oil for scrubs because it’s quite a heavy oil, yet still has little aroma (unlike olive oil). I choose heavier oil for scrubs because I still wash after using them, but feel free to substitute lighter oils such as sunflower, apricot, almond, or even straight up vegetable oil.

Add in a few drop of eucalyptus essential oil, and more lavender petals if desired. Stir and spoon into jar.

For a fun touch, I like to top off the scrub with a layer of lavender petals and a tea light. The petals can either be stirred into the scrub later, or poured directly into a bath for a spa-like experience.  You can give this scrub away on its own, or in a set along with a lavender cream (DIY coming soon). Either way, it’s sure to please.

12 Days Until Christmas!