I like my beauty treatments just as much as the next person, but I prefer them in the comfort of my own home using products that I make. That way, I know exactly what is in them, that they do not contain animal ingredients and that they were not tested on animals. I occasionally go to a salon or spa for a little pampering, but I'm way too cheap to make it a habit. Besides, $75 goes a hell of a long way at the grocery store with the way I shop, so dropping that on a single spa treatment would probably give me the vapors.
Of course, there is no way I would pay full price anyways, since I would only do this kind of indulgence if I had some kick-ass voucher from a daily deal site or something.
Anyways, enough about me clutching my faux pearls over spa prices -- shall we get to the vegan salt glow scrub recipe?
What you need:
1/2 cup sea salt
1/4 cup almond oil or olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable glycerin*
5 drops essential oil (optional)
1 canning jar or other container
What you do:
1. Mix the oil and vegetable glycerin in a glass mixing bowl.
2. Add the essential oil, if using.
3. Stir in the sea salt.
4. Store in a canning jar or similar wide-mouth container (so that it is easy to scoop out).
Exfoliating your skin sloughs off dead skin cells, unclogs pores, makes dull skin more lustrous, improves circulation and can increase your body's natural detoxification process. It also allows your skin to better absorb whatever type of lotion, oil or other moisturizer you use, leaving your skin smoother and more hydrated.
I also like to use this as an exfoliating scrub just for my hands and feet when I do at-home manicures or pedicures.
The vegetable glycerin is the most expensive part of this recipe (followed by the almond oil), so for an even cheaper vegan salt scrub, you can also just do one part sea salt to one part olive oil.
Keep in mind that this is an exfoliating product and that sea salt is abrasive, so go easy on your skin until you are used to the texture and have determined how much pressure is comfortable when you are scrubbing yourself down.
Now go get your glow on!
*Vegetable glycerin can be made using palm oil or vegetable oil, so vegans who avoid palm oil will want to make sure to check the label before making a purchase.