Floral Scrub | Nourish the Self

WE ALL NEED A LITTLE LOVE.

It’s true – we are creatures of love, of community, of togetherness. For some of us, these emotions are fulfilled by relationships with humans, with animals, with plants, or with some blend of all of these things. Maybe I’m naive in thinking it, but I feel deep in my heart that we all love something. And that love? Well that love can be a very potent and powerful thing indeed. Sometimes we only realize we love something once it’s lost. Sometimes we know right from the start. And sometimes we fall somewhere in-between. I’m here to tell you a little something I’ve learned about love.

As someone who has a loooootttt of things going on in the constellation of Pisces in her birth chart, I know a thing or two about the feels. I have always been deeply motivated by love, and consequently I’ve also been deeply heartbroken when things didn’t go as I had planned in my dreamy Pisces-state. So when I learned about a little something called “Self Care,” I never looked back.

It’s been said that “in a society that profits from neglecting your well being, Self Care is a rebellious act.” I could not agree more!

When I’m feeling like I need a hug, or am overwhelmed by the oppression of modern society, when I start to lose hope (and yes, it happens!) I reach for Self Care. One of my go-to Self Care techniques is simply rubbing oil on my skin. It is amazing how quickly this simple act can turn your day around! My girl Amber of Mythic Medicine knows all about the benefits of herbal body oiling (she taught me a thing or two.)

For September’s Community Supported Herbalism Box, I decided to up the ante a little bit, and mix that herbal oil with herbs + salt for a Nourishing Herbal Salt Scrub. It came out so lovely that I thought I’d share it with all of ya’ll.

RECIPE: NOURISHING HERBAL SALT SCRUB FOR SERIOUS SELF CARE

1 PART ROSES

½ PART LAVENDER

½ PART CALENDULA

½ PART BEE BALM (MONARDA DIDYMA)

ORGANIC, COLD-PRESSED OLIVE OIL OR OIL OF CHOICE

SUGAR, SALT, AND/OR SAND TO USE AS EXFOLIANT

SMALL BATCH ESSENTIAL OIL (OPTIONAL, WE USED ORGANIC, MENDOCINO-GROWN LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL)

YOU CAN MAKE HERBAL SCRUBS IN A COUPLE OF WAYS, DEPENDING ON IF YOU HAVE FINISHED HERB-INFUSED OIL (FOR EXAMPLE: LAVENDER INFUSED IN OLIVE OIL), OR NOT. I RECOMMEND USING INFUSED HERBAL OIL – YOU GET THE MEDICINAL BENEFIT OF THE HERBS IN A DEEPER SENSE. YOU CAN MAKE HERB-INFUSED OIL USING EITHER THE SLOW-INFUSION OR STOVETOP METHODS EXPLAINED IN “A SIMPLE GUIDE TO FOLK HERBALISM.”

ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR INFUSED OIL (OR PLAIN OIL IF YOU ARE CHOOSING THAT ROUTE), SIMPLY BLEND HERBS, YOUR EXFOLIANT OF CHOICE, AND YOUR OIL OF CHOICE. CONSISTENCY IS A THING OF PREFERENCE; I PERSONALLY ENJOY A LIGHTER OIL TO EXFOLIANT RATIO, SO MY SCRUBS AREN’T VERY OILY. IF YOU’D PREFER SOMETHING MORE MOISTURIZING, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD MORE OIL. SCRUB OVER BODY, MASSAGING DEEPLY. RINSE OFF AND SMOTHER YOURSELF WITH A LUSCIOUS HERBAL BALM FOR A DECADENT SELF CARE TREAT!

What’s your favorite Herbal Self Care Remedy? Comment Below and Share the Love!