Winter in Michigan was rough this year, in more ways than one.
I’ve been totally spoiled living in Texas for 10 years. I honestly did not realize just how much I’d come to rely on the humidity to keep my body hydrated.
It was such a strange realization-I mean, I drink at least 120 ounces of water a day (yes, that’s a lot), and my lips, elbows, knees, and heels were still cracking and dry.
So I started using a different moisturizer, but no matter what lip balm I used, my lips could not seem to stop peeling.
Gross but true.
And then I had a revelation. Maybe it was a climate thing.
Lansing is much drier than Houston, especially in the winter. And the air is different. Obviously, we don’t get ocean breezes up here, but the air is also a lot less heavy…
…which made me wonder if it was just a matter of time. Maybe I just needed to let my body adjust.
Y’all. That was the wrong choice. My body most certainly did not adjust. So I started doing some research on the best ways to slough off dead skin.
And I found that a lot of people recommended scrubs. Coffee scrubs, sugar scrubs…you name it, people swear by it.
So I decided to start with a sugar scrub. It seemed fairly simple, and I could use it on my lips, which definitely need some help.
I’ve been experimenting with different scents, and the one I seem to keep coming back to is plain old vanilla.
With the combination of honey, vanilla, and sugar, it reminds me of cupcake batter, which is awesome.
DIY Sugar Lip Scrub
- 1 cup organic fair trade sugar
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon raw honey (I get mine at the local farmer’s market, but if you don’t have raw local honey, this is a great alternative)
- 1.5 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Before you get started, measure out all of your ingredients (trust me on this one).
Add the sugar into a small bowl and pour in your avocado oil. Gently stir them together until incorporated using a fork.
Next, add the honey and vanilla. Because we’re using raw honey, it’s a bit thick, which means you’ll need to use some elbow grease.
You can warm up the honey in a double boiler first if you’d rather have an easier time mixing.
Scoop your mixture into airtight storage containers (I used a mason jar-I know, fancy, right?!), but you can use whatever you have on hand.
To use your DIY Sugar Lip Scrub, scoop a generous portion (about the size of an almond) out of the jar and gently scrub your lips.
You can either lick the scrub off (my preference) or rinse with water.
For a change of pace, consider adding a few drops of lemon essential oil for a lemon pound cake smell (it’s amazing!!).
This scrub stores nicely out of direct sunlight.
If you’ll be using the scrub in the shower or tub, consider using plastic containers to store it so that you don’t run the risk of breakage.