Our skin is our largest organ, yet it seems that most products only focus on keeping skin pretty, bright, clear and ageless. Not so often do we hear advertisements touting the importance of healthy skin and what we can do to keep it healthy. Taking care of your skin is just as important as taking care of what’s inside of your body.

Think about it. Our skin protects us, much like a book cover protects its pages. Skin keeps us warm, keeps us cool, prevents dehydration and soaks in the sun making Vitamin D that’s crucial for our overall health.

Most people, including myself, are rough on their skin. Whether it be general exposure from hunting, gardening or hiking, or from things like sunbathing, being in the swimming pool, or simply not moisturizing after bathing. I struggle most with naturally dry skin, eczema and the fact that I neglect my skin when I’m doing yard work or gardening.

This is where exfoliation comes in. Sloughing off dead skin and giving your body a fresh, clean start for new to grow is one of the most important things we can do. What we use to do it is just as important. I’ve tried it all but my gardener’s hands really love a good, homemade sugar scrub. A quick massage of the hands with this Grapefruit Flaxseed sugar scrub and they feel and smell like Heaven.

It is not uncommon for me to come in from the garden with dirt on more than my hands, so I wanted to make sure that my Grapefruit Flaxseed sugar scrub could be used all over (this would be great for tired feet!). Over time, I’ve found that a lot of sugar scrubs are too abrasive for my sensitive facial skin, likely doing more harm than good.

This is why I’ve manipulated my sugar scrub recipe to incorporate coconut sugar. It has a finer texture that’s strong enough to exfoliate my rough gardener's hands but is also gentle enough to cleanse and lightly exfoliate my delicate facial skin. The addition of flaxseeds also helps keep a gentle texture.

Flaxseeds are little pockets of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, along with antioxidants that can help minimize inflammation. Milled flaxseeds are a great addition to baked goods and smoothies, so why not to sugar scrubs too? They add a richness to the Grapefruit Flaxseed sugar scrub, enhancing its texture and giving it a spa-like decadence.

Olive oil is great for moisturizing our skin. It’s actually really good for inflammation and I’ve heard that it can soothe acne because of that reason. I’ve used olive oil in my hair and on my skin for many years with great success. Because my skin is so dry, I didn’t want to only rely on olive oil so I’ve also added sweet almond oil to the mix.

Sweet almond oil helps with many dry skin issues. I use it on my eczema patches and remember hearing that it can actually cleanse your pores, making it great for skin with blemishes. It also doubles as a great carrier oil for essential oils.

The Grapefruit Flaxseed sugar scrub would be great with just these four ingredients, but I wanted a fresh, bright scent that makes it smell awesome but good for you, as well. Naturally, it needed to be something that’s beneficial for our skin, so I went to grapefruit essential oil from Young Living for that. Grapefruit helps improve oily skin, is packed with antioxidants that help with inflammation. Not only that, but the scent of grapefruit smells like a warm sunrise that can really wake you up on a bright, Spring morning (can you tell I have spring fever?).

If you don’t have grapefruit essential oil, you can try using some fresh grapefruit juice and zest from the rind. I’d substitute a teaspoon of the juice and a teaspoon of zest to start and see how you make out. If grapefruit isn’t your thing, you could use lemon essential oil or lemon juice and zest instead.

Here’s what you’ll need for the Grapefruit Flaxseed Sugar Scrub:

4 tablespoons milled flaxseed

4 tablespoons coconut sugar

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil, organic is best

3 tablespoons sweet almond oil

8-10 drops of Grapefruit Essential Oil (I use Young Living - email me at theheirloomlady@gmail.com if you're interested and I can hook you up!)

An Air-Tight Container for storing or sharing

I’m bad about wearing gloves, I can’t deny it. A large part of the pleasure I reap from gardening is the feeling of having my bare hands work with Mother Nature. I often find myself neglecting my garden tools and using my hands, especially when it comes to making the perfect row for seeds and gently enveloping them within the soil. It’s a soul-nurturing, natural process that makes my hands feel like a nightmare.

Add ingredients to a large glass mixing bowl. Mix together using a spatula or your hands. Use immediately on your hands, feet, rough spots or as a light facial scrub. Be sure to store it in an air-tight container. I keep mine next to the tub or next to the kitchen sink for easy access.

I love that this recipe is made from simple, natural ingredients and so easy that anyone can make it, husbands included! Especially mine since he's always outside working on his motorbike, playing in the dirt or working on his honey-do lists (his favorite of the three).

This would also be a great addition to a gift basket! Think of those with hard-working hands. With easy ingredients, most of which we have on hand (pun intended!), you could quickly whip some up to cleanse and soothe the hands of any mechanic, farmer, hunter, gardener, landscaper, you name it! Give it a try and come back to let us know what you think. Enjoy!

Grapefruit Flaxseed Sugar Scrub

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