Natural Skincare: Brown Sugar & Almond Body Scrub

Most of us are already aware that sugar is a big no-no. Bad for our teeth. Bad for breakouts. Bad for our intestines. We are also becoming increasingly aware that what we put on our bodies is almost as (if not equally as) important as what we put into them. You would never drink a whole load of manmade chemicals...(actually, perhaps some of us do...I daren't look at the back of a Diet Coke can!!)...so why do we plaster them on our skin on a regular basis? Our moisturiser, deodorant, make up, suncream etc are all filled with nasties. Your skin is an organ, in fact it's the biggest one we have, and whatever we put on it is absorbed into our bodies. More and more people are turning to natural alternatives...and our old nemesis sugar is often included when it comes to natural skincare. It may be bad for our insides, but for our outsides it's the perfect natural ingredient!

About 18-months ago I became increasingly aware that I needed to begin the transition of switching to more natural skincare. I've not made as many changes yet as I would have liked to (lack of research and being stuck in old habits have held me back somewhat - really I just need to be more proactive!), but one product that I have successfully "ditched and switched" is my body scrub. It's a good one to start with as it's ridiculously easy to make and the ingredients are all affordable and easy to buy online. So without further ado, I introduce you to *drum roll please* the glorious brown sugar and almond body scrub!

Some mini pots of brown sugar & almond body scrub I made for the Day of Happiness yoga retreat in July with the wonderful My Happy Body

Four very simple ingredients:

Brown sugar - 1 cup (as fine or as chunky as you like on your skin)

Almond oil - 1/2 cup 

Vitamin E oil - 1/2 tsp

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

I originally found this recipe on the Wellness Mama blog. 

The amounts of ingredients can of course vary depending on how much you'd like to make. In the above photo I made way more than this (I think I used 1.5kg of sugar for 12 pots!), and just judged the oils by sight and texture. This is not like a recipe in the kitchen, it doesn't have to be exact. 

The body scrub leaves you feeling AMAZING - exfoliated and oiled up all in one go; and knowing that it's all natural and nourishing for your skin makes it even more wonderful. The other bonus is that it's so much cheaper than the posh ones in the shops! (I used to indulge in the Sanctuary ones which cost over a tenner, but this one probably costs me a pound or two per pot!). 

If anyone has any further advice on natural skincare I would love to hear it! I've dedicated myself to gradually phasing out unnatural products that may contain hidden nasties. I already use a couple of Lush products and have recently tried Beauty by Earth suncream, but I'd love to hear your ideas too (particularly if you can make them at home!). 

Love & light beauties,

L x

Switch it off and tune in

Modern life is saturated with digital technology. The digital world is one that I admit to only having a basic understanding of (email, my iPhone, social media and blogger are about as far as it goes!); but I can of course see the positives of such developments; it allows us to connect with parts of the world that wouldn't have previously been possible, it is supporting doctors in their surgery, and it even enables us to explore other planets to our own. However, I also often consider the negatives to a world where reality and digital are so often blurred; children under-10 posing for selfies, the constant bombardment of advertising, and the unknown long term effects of digital overload are all things that I often ponder. So although this could be considered as deeply ironic as I am indeed writing this from my MacBook Pro (a wonderful piece of modern day technology by the way), I urge you to think about switching off your technology from time-to-time and to tune in to your natural surroundings.

Polzeath, Cornwall - 2013

I'm not about to go all hippy on you, but I really do believe that disconnecting yourself from your smart phone and getting out into your natural surroundings every now and again really is medicine for the soul. Even when we go for a run or walk nowadays most of us can't leave the house without being plugged into our iPhones with Beyoncé telling us that if he liked it he should have put a ring on it. Now as much fun and as motivating as that is, it doesn't allow us to properly zone out from the digital part of our lives and to make the most of our me-time by appreciating the smaller things in life. 

Windsor Great Park, 2014

I've recently taken to leaving all technology at home when going on my runs and I can honestly say that I'm much more aware of everything from the trees, to the sunsets, and even the birds that might fly over head. When I get home I feel more refreshed and positive than I used to, and I genuinely think this is because I've switched off the technology and tuned in to nature.

Bournemouth Beach, 2014

The other week my friend and I swam the Bournemouth Pier to Pier (1.4 miles) for the British Heart Foundation, and I can honestly say that begin in the water for that hour totally disconnected from all technology really did give us both so much energy. Despite the long swim we both came out of the water giggling and energised, of course there will have been some element of adrenaline involved but I really believe it's also because we'd spent the last hour enjoying nature. 

Virginia Water Lake, 2013

There is further irony to this post in that all of these pictures were taken with my iPhone when I could have been "disconnected" and "at one" with nature. However I've made the decision to not edit any of them so that you can see these beautiful, natural places in their full glory. And actually, part of the thought process behind this post is that I need to remind myself to leave the smart phone at home from time-to-time. Reconnect with nature, go out on a walk, leave the phone at home and it will go some way to helping you on your Beautifully Healthy journey. 

So switch it off and tune in - you won't regret it, I promise!

Love Lucy x