While pedicure visits were never a regular thing for me (I like to do them at home), I did love to sit in that massage chair and watch as flakes of dried skin went flying all over the place. My sister had some really dry feet. We mostly went for the experience -- to just step away from life for a moment. But we left with so much more. We put on our little plastic flip flops and stepped out of the salon with smoother feet, a relaxed back, and a whole new outlook on life. (Well, at least the relaxed back part.)
Now, I'm a lot more frugal these days which is the main reason I don't frequent nail salons anymore. I've also been trying to switch to mostly natural products and bringing my own nail polish to the salon might be just a little strange. I really don't want to be that guy. I'm totally okay with pulling out my tiny salt shaker when out to eat, but nail polish at the salon...well, that's just asking too much. So, in the comfort of my own home, I create my own spa-like experience (minus the chair) with a foot soak and an occasional scrub. And if my niece is over, nails are painted. Of course. (I usually only like my toe nails painted.)
When I use a foot scrub such as this, I like to get my foot bath ready (see my post on simple foot baths here), then scrub my feet first. Once I scrub those puppies (do people really call them that?) down, I place them in my steaming hot foot tub. I like it to almost burn my feet. It hurts so good. But somewhat less than steaming is probably a better idea. You can soak, then scrub, then soak again if you'd like. Your spa, your choice.
Okay, let's talk about these ingredients for a second. Lavender. Peppermint. Epsom salts. There are reasons I chose these ingredients.
Benefits
Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate): boosts magnesium levels, relaxing, relieves pain, and eliminates toxins
Peppermint: relieves sore and swollen feet
Lavender: calming and anti-fungal
But no worries, I left out the sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) and other ingredients found in typical store bought foot scrubs. Once I stopped using soaps and other products with SLS and other skin-irritating ingredients, it became so much easier to heal my eczema. It's so important to avoid so many of the ingredients in store-bought products, especially when dealing eczema or other skin conditions. Trust me. My skin improved so much quicker when I started using castile soap and shea butter instead of harsh soaps and lotions.
Benefits
Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate): boosts magnesium levels, relaxing, relieves pain, and eliminates toxins
Peppermint: relieves sore and swollen feet
Lavender: calming and anti-fungal
DIY Peppermint and Lavender Foot Scrub
What you need:
1 cup epsom salt (or coarse sea salt)
4-6 tbsp sweet almond oil (or other carrier oil such as coconut, olive, jojoba)
5 drops peppermint essential oil
5-8 drops lavender essential oil
1 tbsp dried lavender buds (optional)
2 tsp Vitamin E oil (optional)
How to make:
In a glass or stainless steel bowl, mix together salts and oil. (Or mix directly in your storage container as I do.) Add more or less oil to preference. I use 5 tbsp. Add essential oils, lavender buds, and Vitamin E oil and stir well to incorporate. Store in airtight container.
To use:
Using about a tablespoon for each foot, apply to feet with your fingertips or a washcloth. It may help to dampen your feet first. (I dip mine in my foot bath, then scrub.) Scrub feet well, especially around the heels. Rinse feet or place them in a warm foot bath. (Foot bath ideas here.) Pat your feet dry. Feet may be slightly oily after using this scrub. Apply socks after using if desired.
Where I get my ingredients:
I get my carrier oils and most essential oils from Mountain Rose Herbs (HERE) or essential oils from Vitacost (HERE). Vitacost now carries the Aura Cacia brand and I've been pretty happy with them (and they are very affordable). I get my epsom salt from Costco (huge tub!), but you can find it in many stores or on Amazon.
See here for essential oil safety for kids.
Other ideas for DIY Christmas gifts
- Lavender Vanilla Body Scrub
- Baking Soda Air Freshener Jars
- Sleep/Dream Pillows
- Peppermint Bark (dairy free)
- Almond Pomegranate Bark
- Freezer Fudge (needs to be kept in fridge or freezer)
Other DIY beauty
I just want to take a moment to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I truly appreciate any of you reading my blog. I'm at a point where I'm not sure if I want to continue blogging, but for now I'm just going to focus on putting out better posts. So, things might be slow around here for awhile, but I will do the best I can to share some new things with you. I have a huge list going with some recipes that I'm really excited about. And for those of you that have been following since the beginning, I'm writing a post-Whole30s update to share soon. I don't talk a lot of my personal life, but it's been a rough year and I'm happy to have my health and this place to share and hopefully inspire someone to make a change, no matter how small. See you next year!
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Shared at: Fat Tuesday, Thank Goodness It's Monday.
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