Stress Relief

Today was not a good day for Miss Outlier. I almost cried in the office, which I have never done. Normally I am not that emotional.

But, I have given tonight to myself. I am not thinking about classes or books or research or responsibilities.

I am making body scrub.

I like making things, I like working with my hands. I like having smooth soft skin. I do NOT like paying $20 for body scrub. So what is an engineer to do?

I have a couple pretty glass jars from Specialty Bottle. (Seriously, the only place you should ever buy bottles and tins and jars and containers on the Internet. I mean, $0.60 a jar!) I have a box of sea salt for $1.79, and a box of cane sugar for $2.49. A bottle of safflower oil set me back $4.99 (big spender, look out!). In my medicine cabinet I have a small bottle of Vitamin E, for protecting cuts and scrapes (I mean, I work in a machine shop. It happens). I also have all manner of cooking oils (coconut, almond, etc.) and spices.

I also have the all-mighty Google at my fingertips, which turns up helpful sites such as Bath and Body recipes. After some research, I'm making two batches:

Salt Scrub
- 1 C. sea salt
- 1 C. safflower oil
- 1 tsp. honey
- 2 tsp. Vitamin E oil

Sugar Scrub
- 1 C. cane sugar
- 1/3 C. safflower oil
- 1/3  C. coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tsp. Vitamin E oil

From my internet searches I surmise that you can also add cocoa, or cinnamon, or nutmeg, or almond extract, or pretty much anything else that catches your fancy. After I finish these two batches, I have PLENTY left to whip up some more! I sense a design of experiments...

So how much did I end up paying? Well, with shipping for the pretty jars.. about $15. But it makes a vast quantity. If it turns out well, I can see this even being a thoughtful, cheap Christmas gift for acquaintances I don't know very well. Pretty crafty, don't you think?