Sugar scrubs benefits skin by stimulating blood/lymph flow. Add in caffeine and it helps with tightening of the skin. I have done a few sugar scrub type things on here before. This is a newer version that I wanted to try doing because I was looking for a solution to my sugar scrub issues.

I have used jars of sugar scrubs for a long time. I love making things for personal care with items available in my cabinets. I am fascinated that using items that have caffeine in them can help with tightening the skin.  Typically I have seen this in the form of coffee. I do not like coffee. The smell bothers me. I don’t know why. I have tried a coffee scrub out though.  I stood in the shower regretting it. You have to scrub and let it sit before washing off. I felt like there was a pot of coffee up my nose.

My issues

• Coffee is not a smell I like. What else has caffeine that I can try?
• Sugar scrubs in jars makes me need to take the jar into the shower. Sometimes water gets into the jar.
• I want something that is portioned out to make it easier so I don’t waste as much of the scrub. Plus I can tell people in my house or guests to just take this and use it all.

My Solution

TEA! Chai tea to be exact.  Mixed with other ingredients to make a scrub bar. I realize that you need to drink somewhere near 3 cups of chai before you can ever get to the power of one cup of coffee. This is why you see many tea bags in this recipe. It smells so much better too. If you want you could do half chai and half coffee. Or you can just take my recipe below and change it to coffee. Though if you change it to coffee you will need 1 cup coffee grounds as a replacement for the tea bags.

You will need:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 6 chai tea bags or about 1/4 cup chai tea loose
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tsp honey
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• ice molds (silicone molds are the best in my opinion. Make popping them out so much easier)

Melt your coconut oil over stove top or in microwave (30 seconds). You want it melted, but not too hot. You will need to let it cool for a few moments. If it is too hot it will melt all your sugar goodness.

Snip the tops off your tea bags and dump the tea from inside into your bowl. Put your other dry ingredients white sugar and brown sugar in the bowl with the tea and whisk. Note you can compost tea bags.

Next Add in vanilla, honey, and cooled but still liquid coconut oil

Mix everything together. I like using my hands for this.

Scoop into molds. Press mixture in firmly. I did about 3/4 full into each mold. You can do the full height of the mold. I used deep molds (2.6 x 2.5 x 1.5 in. deep) to solve my issue with having a serving size for an average person. This way you are not scooping out of a jar with your hands many times. Possibly wasting too much on the shower floor. Only the bar you are using gets wet. By wet I mean I always forget to put the darn lid back on or the jar happens to fall into the shower. When you put these on your body you are doing it without the shower on.

Set in freezer for 15 minutes. Pop out of the molds when they are all set!

Notes and Usage

Coconut oil melts as it gets warmer. If you don’t have issue with it doing that in your house you can keep in a jar in your bathroom. Mostly they just get really soft If anything they will melt into a sugar scrub jar instead of bars I suggest keeping in the freezer or fridge in a jar. Make sure you label it.

I take out of the freezer and put near the shower as I am prepping shower time. This way it is not rock solid. Makes it easier to break up on your skin.

Massage on in circular motions for several minutes using firm pressure without shower water on. I usually let sit for 5 minutes. This is also the time where I have a youtube video probably playing so I can watch something instead of staring at a wall. Once you let sit for however long you want you can wash your body as usual.

Typically done 2-3 times a week. If you are looking for the cellulite results you won’t notice that for a couple of weeks from what I have been told.

I suggest using organic ingredients. Particularly for the tea. Your body absorbs anything you put on it. Organic will help insure there isn’t thing damaging from pesticides going into your body. If you can do fair trade as well that is even better.

These make lovely gifts.

Here is a picture using this recipe but with passion tea. You can see the slight pink tint.

 

What recipes for personal products have you done?