Fiber Fool

I’ve been working with some really fine fibers lately. I’ve also been doing a fair bit of dishwashing and gardening. Those three do not go together very well. I find my fingertips to be just rough enough to slightly snag. Not only does that degrade the fiber, but it takes away from the enjoyment of working with it. There are a ton of great moisturizers out there, but it can be hard to find one that is usable when you are to be knitting or spinning shortly after application. Even then, the best lotion may not reduce snagging because it doesn’t help remove the rough skin.

I was first turned onto using sugar scrub a few years ago when I was complaining about spinning silk and some of the extruded silk-like fibers. The idea is to mix sugar (I like the grain size of brown sugar) with oil(s) and in some cases citrus juice and rub on your hands, paying particular attention to any rough spots. It isn’t just for hands either. You can use it on your feet, elbows, knees and anywhere else you may need some extra exfoliation help. The sugar exfoliates while the oil rehydrates. If you use lemon juice that also aids in the exfoliation process, just be extra certain you don’t have any small cuts or cracks and do not use before being exposed to the sun.

My new facecloths got me thinking that I hadn’t made any homemade bath products in a while. When I make sugar scrub on the fly in the palm of my hand I tend to end up wasting oil by accidentally over-pouring. So, I decided to treat myself and make some bath products to go with my facecloths. They proved useful for photostyling and are serving me well.

Homemade Sugar Scrub

1 1/4 - 1 1/2 C Brown Sugar (or mix of sugars for a range of grain size)
1/3 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 C Jojoba Oil
1/3 C Grape Seed Oil
Essential or Fragrance Oils to Suit

Mix all ingredients together in a wide mouth, resealable container. If using essential oils it is a good idea to let it sit for a day or three to fully blend the scents and distribute themselves evenly through out the mixture.

On the sugar front I find the brown sugar is just the right size for my exfoliation needs. If you plan to use it mostly on calloused feet you may prefer a larger grain of regular white sugar or even raw sugar. You can also use a mix of sugars like I did with the oils. For the consistency I prefer the key is to have a bit more sugar than oil so you get a nice paste (I started with equal amounts of oil and sugar which is what is photographed, but found I preferred it to be a bit thicker consistency so added an extra 1/2 C later).

I use a blend of oils because they each have a slightly different moisturizing profile. Jojoba oil is much more shelf-stable than many oils so it is always a good choice for something you want to keep around for a while. It also closely matches the profile of our natural oils in the skin. Grapeseed oil is a frequent ingredient in cosmetics, especially those for damaged or stressed skin, as it reportedly controls skin moisturization. The olive oil is also moisturizing (and what I use if I make sugar scrub on the fly in the palm of my hand) but it also less expensive than the jojoba and grapeseed oils so it helps keep the scrub economical.

In my sugar scrub I used a blend of several citrus fragrance oils. Normally I would use essential oils, but I was wanting a mood lifting citrus scent. Citrus essential oils (and their juice as well) can be photosensitizing to your skin. Since you are going to the trouble of using a sugar scrub I imagine you want to take care of your skin so if you will be using the sugar scrub before being in the sun I recommend not using citrus essential oils or their juice in your scrub. In my case I expect to use the scrub in the shower in the morning and I live a mile high in a location with 300+ days of sunshine so I erred on the side of safety. Be sure to check your essential oils to see if they warn about sun exposure if applied to the skin before using them in the scrub.

If you make a scrub I’d love to hear what scents you chose to add!

While I think making a scrub is one of the simplest homemade bath products one can start with, there are plenty of people on Etsy and ArtFire who sell it if you don’t care to make your own.