Sugar Scrubs

Every Christmas, I enjoy making and giving handmade gifts. Something new I've tried this year is two kinds of sugar scrubs. They are easy to make and have helped keep my hands soft this winter.

I came upon a recipe for a citrus hand scrub on Pinterest and whipped up a batch of it almost immediately. After scrubbing my hands with a couple of teaspoons of the mixture and rinsing them in warm water, they were smooth and moisturized. I have kept a jar next to the kitchen sink and love using it after doing dishes and cooking.

A few days ago, I saw the idea of using crushed candy canes in a scrub. I loved the idea and figured that it would be a great way to use some candy canes I had that were several years old.

Peppermint Sugar Scrub

2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup finely crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
1/2 cup olive oil
peppermint essential oil or peppermint extract
red food coloring (optional)

Mix together sugar, salt, candy canes, and olive oil in a bowl. Add peppermint oil or extract until you think it's peppermint-y enough (I used about 25 drops of essential oil). Add a few drops of red food coloring if desired (the olive oil gives the mixture a yellow color, so a small amount food coloring makes it look a little nicer without coloring your hands). Store the scrub in a jar with a tight-fitting lid or an airtight container.