Are you sick of searching for the latest and greatest beauty care products that claim to reduce fine lines, wrinkles and blah, blah, blah?

How about instead, you clean up your beauty routine and make the switch to natural body care products?

Interested in hearing more? Great!

Healthy skin is created in two ways. The first component to healthy skin is all about what we put into our body. Healthy, whole, and real foods give us the building blocks we need to create cells that result in glowing skin. The second component is skin care products! It’s really as simple as that!

Here’s the bummer, skin care products can actually do more harm than good if we aren’t careful. It’s important to be aware of the ingredients in your products and be sure they will nourish, instead of harm, our skin.

The majority of conventional beauty care products contain endocrine disrupting chemicals, neurotoxins, respiratory toxins, and skin irritants. Yikes! It’s not fun to hear, but it’s the truth!

RED FLAG INGREDIENTS

It is important to avoid products that contain the following red flag ingredients:

• synthetic fragrance
• mineral oil or petrolatum
• Phthalates
• synthetic preservatives, like Parabens
• BHA and BHT
• synthetic colors (denoted by FD&C)

Making your own beauty care products may sound daunting, but it’s easier than you think! Plus, you may already have many of the ingredients in your kitchen pantry!

This homemade Strawberry Sugar Scrub will help your skin stay hydrated, smooth and glowing because each and every ingredient is full of skin-loving benefits!

STRAWBERRY SUGAR SCRUB

(Yields 2¼ c)

INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 c coconut oil, softened
• 2 T jojoba oil
• 1 c freeze-dried strawberries
• 1 c organic sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place softened coconut oil in a mixing bowl and whip the coconut oil using a hand mixer for about 3 minutes.
2. Add in the jojoba oil and whip for another 2 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together ¼-½ cup powdered freeze-dried strawberries and the sugar.
4. Gently stir the sugar mixture into the coconut oil mixture little by little until it is all mixed.

NOTES/TIPS

• Store your sugar scrub in a glass jar or clear, BPA-free plastic container.
• Pulse freeze-dried strawberries in a coffee grinder or high-powered blender until you have a ¼ cup of powder.
• If your sugar granules are too large, you can also pulse them.
• You can also use another variety of freeze-dried fruit, or even dried citrus peels.

THE GLOWING INGREDIENTS

SUGAR

Did you know that sugar has naturally hydrating properties? In fact, it will draw moisture from the environment into the skin! Sugar is a natural source of glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), which is typically used to treat sun-damaged and aging skin.

The glycolic acid penetrates the skin and breaks down the “glue” that bonds skin cells, encouraging cell turnover and generating fresher, younger looking skin.

COCONUT OIL

The cool part about coconut oil is that it contains medium-chain triglycerides, these saturated fats keep the skin smooth to the touch and help with moisture retention. Coconut oil is also high in vitamin E, which is essential for healthy skin.

JOJOBA OIL

Jojoba oil is a wax that closely resembles human sebum, an oily substance naturally produced by the oil glands below the skin’s surface.

STRAWBERRIES

Strawberries are my favorite fruit to add to a sugar scrub because they are rich in vitamins A and C. These vitamins increase skin hydration, naturally boost your skin’s oil production, and boost collagen production (which lowers the appearance of wrinkles), and improve skin elasticity.

SCRUB AWAY

Try using this delicious sugar scrub instead of soap in the shower! The coconut oil will take care of any bacteria, and the sugar will scrub you clean and free of any dead skin. Rinse off excess sugar and gently pat dry! Rub any excess oils into your skin.

Using this sugar scrub is a quick and easy way to treat yourself daily! Comment below and tell us your favorite non-toxic, natural skin care products!

Hungry for more? Check out this Green Smoothie Recipe to give your skin a nutrient boost!