body buffing

time to take the clothes off!!! woohoo, spring is hopping into the air and we're shedding layers of clothing. we're starting to look at long neglected parts of our body and cringe.

i want to take a quick look at our feet and hands. our skin is parched and crunchy (and not in a good crunchy way) and in desperate need of some exfoliation, but we also need to buy this seasons sandals and tees so how does one do both on a budget.

if you live near a beach then you have no excuse to ever have dry ashy feet. long, relaxing walks on a beach are fabulous for the spirit and ash! dig your heels and the balls of your feet in deep when you're walking for that extra scrub. follow up with your favorite oil, or use whatever oil is in your kitchen. really!

i, unfortunately, no longer live near a beach, so i use other kitchen products. my personal favorite combo is coarse cut sugar (like demerra or raw sugar) and olive oil. just a 1/4 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon olive oil, pour into the palm of your hand and scrub! scrub your feet, your hands, your knees, your elbows, scrub all your rough, ash away! then just rinse with warm water.

i don't recommend doing this in the shower, because it's oil and that's a recipe for a slip and fall accident. but maybe in a hot tub. recently in an effort to be more pragmatic with my time i put my 1 yr. old son in his baby tub in the bathtub and i sat on the side and did my mani/pedi scrub thing!

i know some who like to use salt instead of sugar (coarse or fine cut) and you can also use your favorite body oil. maybe add an aromatherapy boost, get yourself some essential oils. these are usually sold in small bottles but don't let that deter you, you only use a couple drops at a time. drop in some lavender to help you relax or some jasmine if you're feeling a little romantic!

whatever you use you'll really appreciate this cheap, quick and easy little bit of pampering and your finely buffed body will rock in those new sandals and tees!