Olive Oil - Sugar/Salt Scrub

For years, I used baby oil to moisturise my skin after showers. However, after about a year or two, I started wondering "What exactly is baby oil?"

After a quick google search, I learned that baby oil (aka mineral oil) is the liquid by-product of distilled petroleum (whatever that means).

Now, I know what you all are thinking: "Petroleum? That sounds dangerous! Isn't that what gasoline and bombs are made out of?" Although that may be true, I honestly don't know if petroleum in the form of "baby oil" is really all that bad for you unless consumed. I mean, this is the kind of stuff mothers have been slathering all over their babies for decades, and it's an ingredient in many cosmetics and makeup products. If it did pose a health risk, you'd think it would be a widely known fact by now. For instance, when you do a quick google search on "baby powder," you'll find several websites and forums claiming that the small, loose particles in baby powder can be inhaled, and potentially cause breathing problems to newborn babies. Now that's enough information for me to choose cornsratch over baby powder!

So to end this rant, I'm just going to say that I know nothing about the potential health risks of baby/mineral oil, so I'm not going to boycott it just yet. However, over the past few months, I have been trying out olive oil on my skin and I'm feeling pretty comfortable with it. It doesn't make my skin as soft as baby oil did (probably because I bought a really cheap brand to start off with), but it's not bad at all. It's a multi-use item that most people have in their home kitchens anyway. I also LOVE the fact that it's an organic substance that's biodegradable! If the Earth can handle it, so can my skin!

A co-worker of mine once told me that after a shower, the best time to apply your moisturiser is in the next three minutes, while your skin is still wet and your pores are open. I did that with my baby oil then, and I'm doing it with my olive oil now. For better results, however, I found that using a home made body scrub a lot more effective. It not only moisturises my skin, but it also exfoliates it for deeper penetration and longer-lasting moisture.

Basic Olive Oil Scrub 1/4 cup of salt (use sea salt if you have it) 1/4 cup of olive oil

1. Stir the salt and the olive oil together. The mixture should still be grainy. You do not want to over mix and dissolve your salt!


2. Immediately after your shower, scoop out some of the mixture into your hands and apply it all over your body in gentle, circular motions. Spend more time working the mixture into drier areas such as your hands, feet, and elbows. The oil does get slippery so be careful not to fall!


3. Quickly rinse off the salt with cool water. Since oil resists water, the baby oil will remain in your skin.


4. Gently pat your skin dry with a towel.


5. Warn fellow house/roommates that the shower/bathtub might be a bit slippery for a short period of time.

Notes:
-If you have sensitive skin or find that the salt scrub is too course, replace salt with sugar.
-You will feel slightly oily/greasy at first, but don't worry - the olive oil gets absorbed by your skin quickly.
-Store your remaining scrub mixture in a dry place at room temperature. I like to keep it in a container by my sink so I can also use it on my hands after washing them.
-I personally don't break out, but I've been told that olive oil typically won't cause acne breakouts. However, if you experience breakout after using this method, please let me know so I can make a note of it to warn everyone else.
-Feel free to alter the recipe to your liking. Add more salt or olive oil if desired. Try experimenting by adding in other oils such as almond oil or essential oils. You can even try squeezing the gel liquid out of a Vitamin E tablet into the mixture. Be creative!

Well, that's all I have for this week. If you have any ideas, questions, concerns or comments, feel free to post a reply below. I will see you all next time. Take care!