Springtime is upon us and that means that our sandals and flip-flops are going to get a work-out, so we all want our feet to be in tip-top shape! The overly long and overly cold winter has left my feet, and my heels especially, looking slightly worse for wear, and I’m sure many of you are in the same boat. While it’s lovely to pop off to the salon and get a pedicure, it’s much more economical to make your own scrub that you can keep in the shower and apply to your feet every few weeks to keep your feet feeling soft and wonderful. I’ve gathered five great foot-scrub recipes for those DIY lovers and bargain hunters out there! Some people (myself especially) are very picky about how they want to smell, which is why we have come up with plenty of options to suit everyones taste. BUT, before using any of these scrubs, remember to test a spot on your skin before applying to your whole foot, just to make sure you don’t get an unwanted reaction to your DIY masterpiece!
Basic Unscented Sugar Scrub
Combine ½ a cup of oil (baby, coconut, or olive oil) and 1 cup of sugar – stir up with a spoon and you’re good to go! This scrub lasts a few days before the sugar starts dissolving in the oil, so it’s best to use it up quickly. (pictured above)
Peppermint Scrub
This one has just 4 ingredients and lasts up to 6 months! Simply mix 1 cup of sugar (or epsom salt if you’re into that), ½ cup of coconut/grapeseed/olive oil, 10-15 drops of peppermint oil and 1-2 drops of green food colouring (this is optional, but if you’re giving the scrub as a gift, it gives it a lovely pepperminty color, or if you just want it to look green for yourself that’s fine too!). Once you’ve combined the ingredients, store the scrub in a jar and mark it with a 6 month life. Hot tip: it’s best to store this one in a cupboard.
Strawberry Scrub
This recipe makes about 1 ½ cups of scrub, again with just 4 simple ingredients! Mix together 1 cup of white sugar, ½ cup olive oil, 2-3 drops of strawberry aromatherapy oil and 8-10 drops of red food coloring (again, like with the Peppermint scrub, this is optional as it’s just to make it look prettier). Store this scrub in an airtight jar in your cupboard and it should last for a few months.
Lemon Sugar Scrub
Mix together 2 cups of white granulated sugar with ¼ – ⅓ cup of Almond oil, adding the oil slowly until the scrub has a nice smooth (but not overly oily) consistency. Add a few drops of lemon essential oil and scoop into a jar, and you’re done! So simple!
Lavender Coconut Oil Salt Scrub
Mix 2 cups of coconut oil, 1 cup of epsom salt, and 20 drops of lavender essential oil, and store in a container with a tight lid until you want to use it!
A note on using coconut oil: Coconut oil is solid up to 76 degrees F/23 degrees C, and liquid when it’s warmer than that, so you’ll want to create your scrubs while the oil is still in its soft solid form, and then keep your scrubs stored in a cool, dry place i.e. don’t leave them living in the shower, because the coconut oil will be in it’s liquid form from the heat and it will dissolve the sugar quicker, plus your scrub will be a bit more goopy.
If none of these float your boat, you can mix any essential oil you like (scented or unscented) with some sugar or epsom salt to create your own uniquely scented scrub. Remember, all of these scrubs can be made for you and can be given away as gifts, particularly with Mother’s Day just around the corner! Have fun with your DIY projects, and don’t forget to tweet or Instagram us with your results!
– Mette Jorgensen
