Yes, there are lots of make-it-at-home body scrubs out there that are super easy to make (oil+sugar), and there are at-home cellulite treatments (mainly involving coffee grounds).
But I am a lazy kind of gal (ok, lets say I am a
multitasking gal)--so I don't want to do 2 separate scrubs in the shower!
And what about those of us that prefer tea to coffee? I'm not going to cut up my used tea satchels and try to rub the remnants into my thighs! Plus coffee grounds are messy and they'll clog your drain.
And so, I give you, MY ULTIMATE CELLULITE TREATMENT!
I discovered the power of essential oils in killing my cellulite 2 years ago, when I had a cheap, stinky body lotion that I wanted to salvage. I put a few drops of citrus oil in there to make it smell better and after using it every few days, noticed 2 weeks later that my cellulite was vanishing! Woohoo!
Citrus essential oils have a toning effect on cellulite, mainly because they help you detox, so they get all the fatty crap and fluid retention out. Which is MUCH better than the topical creams you get at the store that help the appearance of cellulite, but don't actually target the cause. Woohoo!
And at this point I should mention...
GET OFF YOUR ASS.
Just rubbing oils into your cellulite won't help it go away. Go for a walk, drink your water, don't eat too much junk food.
Ok, now to the scrub:
You need...
- Coconut Oil
(or any other oil really. Something that can be liquified and easily blended with the rest of the scrubs ingredients. In a pinch I've even used microwaved Crisco)
- Sugar
Any kind except powdered! Sugar in the raw, white, brown, you get it.
- Sea salt. I like the big chunks of it!
If you have really sensitive skin or any open cuts, leave out the salt because it will burn. Trust me.
- Oatmeal! The old-fashioned whole oats.
- Essential oil ---any citrus kind will do (I prefer lemon).
The oils are carriers to the citrus essential oil and give glide to your scrub, as well as adding moisture to the skin (GOOD NEWS: you don't need to put on lotion after you use this stuff!!). I've already mentioned the cellulite-zapping benefits of the essential oil. Sugar is an alpha-hydroxy rich exfoliant. Salt is another exfoliant, teeming with minerals and good for detoxifying too. Oatmeal is anti-inflammatory, cleansing, and helps treat all kinds of skin conditions.
You won't find any specific measurements for making the scrub because it all depends on how you want it to be (thicker and drier, oilier and gentler, etc.) and you will be adding things throughout to get the desired consistency. It also depends on what size container you are putting it in. I used an empty Body Shop body butter pot for mine.
I started by heating up my coconut oil, and blending in about 5 drops of lemon essential oil.
I chopped up my oats (abut 1/2 cup) in my Magic Bullet to get tiny little grains, but if you want to use the whole oat that is fine as well--same benefits!
Here are my oats whole, and after being blended.
Then I added sugar and salt, stirring all the while to get everything mixed in properly. You don't want any dry spots that don't have oil in them.
Stir, stir, stir, add more of whatever you need!
To finish I like to add a bit of extra oil on top, and let it float there. Then when I'm in the shower and scooping it out, if I need more oil it is ready to go. It also helps keep the whole thing moist in the tub.
With the essential oil acting as a preservative, I've noticed these scrubs are good for about 2 weeks (keep them in the fridge if you're extra nervous). but I can usually use them up before then!
That is another perk of the lemon oil -- it is antimicrobial, so you won't get any nasty crap growing in there if you're good about screwing the lid back on tight when you're finished.
Woooooohoooo!
