Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub - Bath Blend of the Month

Welcome to Pumpkin Spice Season.  I know this is not for everyone, but I have friends who are all about Pumpkin Spice!  They cannot wait for the season to begin and love their lattes, muffins, and anything else containing Pumpkin Spice-- so I created this blend just for them and anyone else who cannot get enough of Pumpkin Spice.

This is a simple 5 ingredient item that can be made with only 4 if you do not want or cannot get coffee-flavored oil.

Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub

• 2 Tbls canned pumpkin
  
• 2 Tbls Brown sugar
• 2 Tbls coconut oil
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• coffee flavored oil

Mix all items together and place in a 1/4 pint canning jar. Keep refrigerated until used up (this is why you make it in small batches.) It should not be kept longer than 10 days.

To Use: Apply on hands, arms, and even face while in the bath or shower and gently rub into the skin.  Rinse off.  It will increase exfoliation and give you the scent of pumpkin spice to enjoy during the day.

Cinnamon Basil Mini Herb of the Week Post

We did a detailed post on Cinnamon Basil back in 2013, however since that time I have discovered a number of new ideas for using it, so I thought I would share that as a Mini Herb of the Week.

Cinnamon Basil has lovely purple edges and purple stems making it a joy to have in the garden from a visual stand point, then you have the cinnamon scent and this is just a bonus.  The subtle cinnamon flavor with a hint of basil goes with both sweet and savory dishes.

Cinnamon Basil Apple Spread

8 ounce package cream cheese
2/3 cup apple, peeled and finely diced
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 tsp. cinnamon basil, dried and crumbled

Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender. Process until mixed, scraping down sides. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Got this recipe from the mystery book Indigo Dying, by Susan Wittig Albert. You can use it as a syrup on French toast or pancakes or even waffles, but it is also great in tea, especially Chai.

Cinnamon Basil Honey

1 cup honey

2" cinnamon stick, broken into several pieces
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 tablespoon brandy
3 sprigs cinnamon basil

In a saucepan, gently heat together honey, spices and brandy. Put the basil sprigs into a sterilized jar and pour the hot honey mixture over it. Cover and allow the flavor to mellow for about a week. 

Cinnamon Ginger Body Scrub

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp dried cinnamon basil, crumbled

1 cup olive oil (almond oil works well too) 

Directions

In a bowl, combine the sugar, ginger, cinnamon basil and oil. Mix vigorously with a fork until fully combined. Let the mixture sit until the sugar has settled to the bottom of the bowl (about an hour). There should be a thin layer of oil covering the mixture. If you need to add more oil, do it now.

Scoop the mixture into an airtight container. Make sure that the containers you choose seal completely, so the mixture doesn’t dry up.

Directions to Use the scrub: While in the shower or at the sink, apply the scrub to damp skin and scrub gently. Rinse with warm water.

Soap and Sugar Scrub - bath blend of the month

It is finally gardening season so I thought this recipe for a sugar scrub to get the gardening grime off your fingers might be a good choice.

It is the abrasiveness of the sugar that helps to dislodge the dirt and will help to get your hands clean. Sugar scrubs are often expensive items, but this is one you can make for next to nothing.

You can use any liquid dish soap you like, the original recipe for this DIY gardener’s hand scrub used a pink liquid dish soap because they liked the color, but you can use whatever you have at home. It would be best if you used organic and all natural liquid hand or dish soap if possible. Dr Bonner's is clear and colorless, but Dawn will help cut grease while the sugar scrubs away grime.

Place a wrap of twine or ribbon around the jar and tie a bow to make this into a gift for the gardener in your life. Place a jar of this in an empty terra cotta pot with some gardening tools and seeds to give as a gift basket.  Perfect for a Mother who gardens or any other women in your life who loves to garden.

Sugar and Soap Scrub

Canning jar 4, 8 or 12 oz (the smaller the better)
White sugar
Liquid dish soap

Directions:

1) Clean and dry your jars toughly.

2) Fill your jar ¾ quarters of the way with sugar (more sugar will be needed for larger jars).

3) Fill the jar with liquid dish soap until it reaches just below the bottom of the threads on the jar mouth.

4) Stir the sugar and soap together.

5) Add more sugar until the mixture becomes a grainy paste.

To Use:  Scoop out about 1 Tablespoon of mixture and rub into hands as a scour to remove dirt and grime.  Repeat as needed to get hands clean.

Brown Sugar Body Scrub - Bath Blend of the Month

Body scrubs are a great way to protect your skin form moisture loss and give it a smooth and wonderful feel.  This sweet smelling body scrub will leave you with silky smooth skin!

Brown Sugar and Vanilla Body Scrub 

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

½ + 3 Tbls sunflower oil

¼ tsp vanilla extract

Blend sugars together in a bowl, add oil and vanilla.  Mix well.  Place in an old fashioned canning or jelly jar and wrap up as a gift!

To Use: scoop out two fingers worth and massage into skin.  Be careful as the oil can make the tub slippery.

Citrus Body Scrub - Bath Blend of the Month

Dried citrus peel makes a wonderful face and body scrub.  You can make your own easily by saving the peels from citrus as you eat it, then running it through the blender or food processor.  If you want you can also purchase already dried and ground orange and lemon peel.

Citrus Body Scrub

1 Tbls dried citrus peel
2 Tbls plain yogurt or sour cream
1 tsp honey

Mix together all the ingredients and stir until smooth. Makes 1 ounce or about 1/8 cup of scrub.

To Use: Massage into damp skin and rinse well with warm water.  Pat skin dry.

Storage: Store any left over scrub in the refrigerator and use within 3 days.

Sugar and Spice Sugar Scrub - Bath Blend of the Month

Sugar & Spice Scrub

This makes a great holiday gift item for those you want to give something handmade and special. The fragrance is perfect for the season!

2 cups Brown Sugar 

1/3 to 1/2 cup Grapeseed Oil
1 Tbls. Honey
1 tsp Cinnamon Powder
2 Vanilla Pods
5 Drops Cinnamon Essential Oil
5 Drops Ginger Essential Oil
5 Drops Clove Essential Oil

Split the vanilla pods and scrape out the seeds from within, put the sugar, cinnamon and vanilla seeds into a bowl and combine.  Add the oil, honey, and essential oils. Start with 1/3 cup oil, add more only if the mixture seems stiff and dry, otherwise you are ready. Mix well. Package in jars, label and enjoy!

Bath Blend of the Month - Geranium Petal Body Scrub

This is the fifth month of sharing Bath Recipes from the Vault. As I sort through my files of saved recipes, I am sharing those that are seasonally perfect for your bath.

With the flowers all blooming in perfusion I thought this would be a perfect time to craft a bath scrub made with flowers.  I lean toward scented geraniums in most of my gardening, but for this recipe you can use flowers from traditional Geraniums or Scented Geraniums (pelargoniums.)  If you choose a scented geranium use a scent to match. 

If you enjoy making your own blends for the bath, I suggest taking a look at Natural Beauty at Home or Natural Beauty from the Garden by Janice Cox.  There are also many good bath blends in Phyllis Schaudy's The Pleasure of Herbs.

Lemon-scented Gernaium

GERANIUM PETAL BODY SCRUB
Yield: 10 ounces, enough for four full-body treatments

This sweet-scented body scrub is perfect for freshening and moisturizing. Body scrubs are helpful because they stimulate circulation. A gentle rubdown can counteract stress, help rid the body of excess fluid, and really energize your whole system. This is a good all-over treatment to use during your morning shower. I like to use raw sugar for its coarse texture and subtle molasses scent. People with oily skin should reduce the amount of walnut oil called for in this recipe - or leave it out completely.

1 cup raw sugar

12 dried geranium flower heads

1/4 cup walnut oil

1/2 teaspoon vitamin E oil

1 to 2 drops geranium essential oil

Mix together all ingredients in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Spoon into a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid. To use: Massage a tablespoon or two all over your body to gently exfoliate and moisturize your skin. Store remaining scrub in a cool, dry location. Stir product between uses.

Search Bath Blend of the Month on our blog search (just to the right) to for more of these recipes.  For Bath Salts and Body Scrubs made by the Backyard Patch, check out all our items on the website.

Making Holiday Gifts Series - Winter Skin Care

Today's descriptions and suggestions are for simple gifts to care for your skin in winter.  A perfect selection of items you can give in a gift basket to a close friend or anyone who lives in the northern tundra!

Always keep in mind that when crafting items for the skin you need to use cleansing and exfoliating herbs.  You cleanse with herbs that contain foaming saponins, like oats and yucca as well as anti microbial herbs like thyme and sage.  To exfoliate you need abrasives.  You can use ground peach or date pits, but I prefer powdered parsley which is less harsh and has some naturally occurring acid for exfoliation.  Chamomile and lemon also contain good acids for this.

Skin Softening Wash Bag

This cleansing bag has just was you need to soften and scrub.

8-inch square muslin fabric

¼ cup ground oatmeal

¼ cup ground sunflower seeds

Place ingredients in center of cloth and tie closed with yarn or ribbon.  Gather into a pouch.  As you relax in the tub, rub your entire body with the bag, then let it remain in the water releasing its softening properties.  Discard bag when finished.

You can enhance this recipe by adding Chamomile or Scented geranium leaves to the mixture in the bag. 

Chamomile – Tones all types of complexions. The anti-inflammatory effect of this essential oil applied topically improves skin regeneration, and a cold compress does wonders for puffy eyes. Chamomile is used in facial steams to reduce puffiness and cleanse the pores of the skin.

Geranium – Wonderful oil for mature and troubled skin and brings a radiant glow and promotes circulation.

Rosewater

Rose water in addition to being an ingredient in many skin treatments is by itself a great item to use and this simple recipe will allow you to make your own.

If you do not have time to distill your own rosewater, you can create rosewater, using a much simpler method.  Your water may not be a fragrant as the distilled method, but the results are very pleasant and you can use the mild rose scented liquid as a light fragrance, after-bath splash or skin toner.  It also makes a nice addition to homemade creams and lotions.

Quick Rosewater
1 cup firmly packed rose petals, washed

2 cups boiling water

Place rose petals in a ceramic or glass bowl.  Use only fresh petals (no leaves or stems).  Pour boiling water over petals, and allow to steep until cool.  Strain off the petals and pour the scented liquid into a clean bottle.

Rose – Astringent and luxurious, rose oils and rose waters are welcome additions to almost any skin care formulation has an astringent effect on oily skin, reducing puffiness, edema and has a slight tightening effect. The oil most effective for moisturizing and hydrating the skin while having a general stimulant and antiseptic action which is good for all skin types, but especially so for dry, mature and irritated skin. It is used to repair broken capillaries, inflammation, as well as skin redness and is useful in eczema

Bath Tub Tea

A bath tub tea can help with exfoliation and the removal of agents that dry skin.  You can include a lemon in the basket and a 2-3 peppermint tea bags with the following instructions to use in the tub as well:

                                      Use these items to produce a Lemon Mint Herbal Bath Tea. 
                                      Prepare the bags of peppermint tea and slice the lemon. 
                                      Add the liquid from the tea to the bath water and float the
                                      lemon slices. Crawl into the water and soak for at least 15
                                      minutes.  Pat do not rub your skin to dry!

If you are in a hurry, you can also get some great Bath Salts, Scrubs and Tub Teas from the Backyard Patch and put them into a basket too!  Check out our choose your own basket items on Etsy.

Protecting your Skin from Moisture Loss with Herbal Essential Oils

The low humidity in winter air depletes the moisture in your skin. This leaves the uppermost skin cells without enough moisture to keep them healthy. The result is itching, peeling and scaling of dead skin.  I find walking outside on a winter windy day can really zap the moisture from my legs and face.  There are several ways to combat this.

First I suggest increasing the humidity in the air of your home. Simmering spices on the stove adds moisture and freshens a room with delightful aromatherapy scents.

Use a glycerin or olive oil based soap, they have fewer chemicals and are less drying.

Next, remove dead skin cells by exfoliating with a textured soap or a salt scrub. Make your own sugar scrub with my favorite recipe. Your skin will feel great and be soft and supple!

Exfoliating Sugar Scrub Recipe:
Combine ¼ to ½ cup sugar and 2 Tbls. almond oil with 10 to 30 drops lavender essential oil for stress relief and 10 to 30 drops lemongrass oil for invigorating the mind and/or 10 to 30 drops of grapefruit oil an uplifting and refreshing scent which is also slightly astringent. Shake to mix.

Directions:
After bathing while skin is still wet and you are still in the tub or shower, use one tablespoon to gently massage skin. Avoid sensitive areas, like your face. Rinse well. Pat dry and lock in moisture with your favorite body lotion. Lavender lotion will effectively heal and moisturize dry winter skin.

If you would like to try a Sugar Scrub, the Backyard Patch makes one along with a number of other bath items for keeping away dry skin like an assortment of Milk Baths .  To see these and any other of our more than 250 different items, see us at http://www.backyardpatch.com/