Monday, February 28, 2011

Homemade Shealoe Rub and Scrub

Whipped Delight
This is the low-budget, I-Can-Barely-Cook-Let-Alone-Make-My-Own-Lotion version of the ever-popular shealoe rub and scrub. I was intimidated by some of the YouTube videos out there, and I didn't have all the supplies they mentioned, so I decided to try this out. I'll be honest, I don't typically measure most of the ingredients. It's way more fun to just use my eyes and my gut. I make fairly small quantities (my mixes last about two weeks), so I always have enough ingredients to make adjustments if necessary.


I use these ingredients incessantly and interchangeably. They go in everything:

Must-haves.
  1. Unrefined Shea Butter - I like the ivory kind from sheaessentials.com.
  2. Aloe Vera Gel - Fruit of the Earth (FOTE) brand. I have seen some YouTube videos where other naturals have used the kind of aloe vera gel that you can drink. This requires some extra ingredients and attention because that kind of gel is perishable and can also separate from the shea butter. I'm not that advanced yet, and FOTE is just fine with me. It doesn't have that many additives.
  3. Jojoba Oil - can also be interchanged with almond oil. Melts wonderfully into skin.
  4. Raw Honey (in second picture, below) - regular honey works just fine, but this stuff is a great sealer and moisturizer. 
  5. Essential Oils - for scent, added nourishment, and sometimes, a little color.
Now for the individual recipes:

Shealoe Rub:
  • shea butter
  • aloe vera gel
  • jojoba oil
  • raw honey
  • essential oils
  1. Soften the shea butter by stirring it with a spoon or spatula/frosting spreader. I find that unrefined shea is pretty easy to soften (I'm just trying to get all the lumps out), but if I face any difficulty, I just stand in front of my heater, in the sun, or under a lamp while stirring. My technique is to continuously mash the Shea, similar to  the way you would make mashed potatoes. I never microwave it, because that would cause uneven melting. 
  2. Add the aloe. I add one part aloe to two parts Shea, roughly. That varies, depending on the season. I add more aloe in the warmer months. Stir that in. From here, the stirring gets pretty easy. The concoction should start to get fluffier, in a way.
  3. Add jojoba oil. I start with 1/2 tablespoon and go from there. The more oil you add, the creamier it will be.
  4. Stir in a dollop of honey. 
  5. Add essential oils. I'm always mindful that I don't use too much, and I research online for the benefits and sensitivities of each oil. 
At this point, I'm finished. But I may throw in castor oil, vitamin e, or argan oil.

Most-used add-ins.

Shealoe scrub:
  • All of the shealoe ingredients, plus brown sugar.
  1. I scoop out about 1/4 cup of the shealoe mixture, before I add additional oils--I dont want it to be too oily--and put it in a separate container.
  2. Stir in aloe vera gel. I may add as much as a 1/4 cup. I want this to be more gel-like than the shealoe rub because it melts into the skin much more easily.
  3. I begin stirring in brown sugar, usually starting with about 3/4 cup. The brown sugar will melt easily, so I make sure I have enough to use liberally.
  4. Sometimes I add tea tree oil, but it's not necessary.
After using regularly (And yes, I have extremely bony fingers.)

Bonus(!) Face Scrub:
  • aloe vera gel
  • brown sugar
  • honey
This scrub is great for eyebrow and nose dandruff. It also helps me with oiliness around my hairline. I apply it all over once a week, and on my eyebrows and nose as needed (sometimes a few times a week, depending on the season).

Have fun! And then luxuriate.

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