DIY gift idea: Coconut oil body scrub

DIY gift idea: Coconut oil body scrub

I have to say that I’m really proud of myself. Christmas is two days away, and all my gift-shopping is complete.

Despite being extremely busy- this time of year can get a little crazy at the office, plus I’ve been blogging every single day this month (yay!)- I was able to finish all of my Christmas shopping well ahead of time. This is definitely unusual for me because I tend to always put off gift-shopping until last minute. This year I was more organized and let me tell you, it feels great. All I have to worry about now is cooking and cleaning. I guess you CAN teach an old dog a new trick. :)

This year, in addition to the gifts that I already bought, I decided to add a little personal touch to each one as well. I don’t know about you, but I love anything that is DIY and comes from the heart. Over the years I’ve received so many beautiful and often unreasonably expensive gifts, but those that I always loved the most were either DIY or personalized ones. One of the most precious gifts I’ve ever received is a poem my brother wrote for me when he was ten years old. It starts like this: “You’re the best sister there can be, I’m sure everyone will agree. All the things you do for me, aren’t matched by your beauty..” Hmm okay, I think I’ll stop right here because today, my baby brother is almost six feet tall and seventeen years old, and gets a little embarrassed whenever I start reciting his poem, which happens pretty much every year on my birthday :). So… my baby brother is turning eighteen in six months…. but it seems like just yesterday I was changing that little bastard’s diapers… Okay getting emotional…

Moving on…

So DIY body scrub, huh? How about them apples?  In all seriousness,  this scrub is ahh-mazing.  I made a few small jars of these and I’m going to attach them to the gifts for all the ladies in my life. Here’s why this idea is awesome: all-natural ingredients, very easy to make, works like a charm AND it’s made with coconut oil, which means that there is no need to moisturize after using this scrub.

Coconut oil body scrub

1 cup coconut oil
2-3 bags of passion fruit tea
2 cups of cane sugar
natural red food coloring (optional)

1. Whip the coconut oil (in a solid form) using a mixer for about 8-10 minutes.
2. Add the tea, sugar and food coloring, if using (you can use a tiny bit of beet juice, which will act as a natural food coloring- this is totally optional, but it will give your scrub a pretty, pink tint) and mix gently with a spoon until well-combined and smooth.
3. Put the scrub in jars, sealing them tightly. These will need to be stored in a dry and cool place (don’t store them in the shower!) and will last for about two-three months, depending on how well you store them.

I got these little jars at Michael’s and decorated them with a little cotton twine. This will make about six or seven small (4 oz) jars or about two larger ones (12 oz). I also made a huge jar for myself, already used it in the shower and it’s amazing. A perfect cold-weather treat for your skin!