I’ve got a bit of an obsession with tangerines lately, so I used tangerine essential oil, as well as tangerine zest, to scent this scrub. Tangerine essential oil is said to be calming to the mind as well as uplifting to the spirit, which all sounds good to me, but you could certainly use a different essential oil (such as lavender) if you like. In fact, in the photo above, the brown sugar scrub was made with lavender essential oil.

Though I do enjoy the way my skin feels when I exfoliate with sugar (or salt) scrubs, it’s important to note that these can be pretty abrasive. I wouldn’t use this or a similar product on a daily basis because you will quickly strip away your skin’s natural oils if you do. I like to use this type of scrub once or twice a week at most. (According to Dina Falconi, author of Earthly Bodies & Heavenly Hair: Natural and Healthy Personal Care for Every Body, it’s better to use scrubs made from ground grains and seeds if you like to scrub frequently. These gently cleanse and polish, without stripping away the skin’s protective oils.) Another caution: be sure to use care on sensitive areas of your body, such as your face.

I store my scrubs in pretty glass jars. Weck jars are perfect (be sure to enter my weck jar giveaway!).

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