DIY - Rose, Coconut and Macadamia nut Body Scrub

I thought that stuff in Dubai was expensive as compared to the US and obviously the UK but if you've ever lived in Australia, you find out quickly just how audacious prices can get.

I have a penchant for L'Oreal face creams. In Dubai, a tub of it costs about $10 in Australia it's $35, I stocked up on my little pleasures before moving to Australia but am running low. And that got me thinking, I can easily ship them over from the US for a similar price paid in Dubai. Then, I realized, I was teaching Lauren something I was personally against, synthetics and chemicals, while natural ingredients could probably do a better job. 

Macadamia nuts were brought to Australia from Africa, Cosmetic grade macadamia oil is the secret ingredient in most anti-aging products and sold to L'Oreal and other high end cosmetic brands and day spas - Don't believe me? Watch this video http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/article/8656034/macadamia-beauty-secrets 

I subsequently bought a bottle of Macadamia oil and started using it on my face, it works wonders on dry skin and I decided to use it in my a DIY Body scrub with suggestions from this blog http://thebeautydepartment.com/2012/05/diy-coconut-rose-body-scrub/ .

Now Coconut oil is free flowing in India and it's benifits are renouned but have struck up a new following in Australia, they use it in everything and swallow teaspoons of it straight from a tub claiming health benefits. Im not really into that fad and using it as a cooking oil owing to it's saturated fat but used it liberally in Dubai on my hair. 

When considering it's use in my skin regime I was a tad reluctant. Coconut Oil extracted via a heating process has a trailing, heavy fragrance and greasy residue. While the cold press extracted oil has a milder, nuttier taste and virtually non existent fragrance, in addition it allows the retention of monoglycerides and other natural anti-oxidants such as tocopherol (vitamin E), vitamin A and C which serves as natural preservatives. Heating will destroy these substances leaving only the lauric acid to work alone rather than in conjunction with these micro-nutrients. So I definitely wanted the cold pressed coconut oil in my scrub. 

I added more oil to my blend simply because I wanted to use it for Lauren as well. Its customary to massage a baby when it's born in the Indian culture, most people use Ayurveda or coconut oils - I haven't given Lauren an oil massage in ages so this blend was a good way to start.

DIY - Rose, Coconut and Macadamia Nut Body Scrub

1. 118ml (1/2 US cup)Cold Pressed Coconut Oil

2. One or Two roses - petals plucked 

3. 100g (Little less than 1/2 US cup) raw sugar

4. 118ml (1/2 US cup)Macadamia Nut Oil

5. Glass Jar

Layer all your ingredients (starting with 1 at the bottom of the jar) and follow through till 4.

Allow it all to seep through, Coconut Oil turns into liquid form at 24 degrees and since I live in hot, hot, hot Brisbane I stick my jar in the fridge till I need it. 

It smells divine in a couple of days and when I smother Lauren in it she looked at me with a smile and licked it all off her arms. Good enough to eat as well.

Will post a picture of the scrub soon.