Christmas is getting closer and I really don’t have much of a plan. In fact, knowing that we are moving in January, I didn’t put up any lights or greenery outside of the house. We always have a real tree inside, so we don’t decorate until a week or two before Christmas to avoid having a needle-bare tree by Christmas. This year I am reluctant to do even that, knowing that the Christmas decorations are the only boxes that I already have packed. But somehow I doubt that I will win that battle.
I made a head start today on an idea for teacher’s gifts. I’ve started knitting a few dish cloths with an apple pattern (I know, exciting, right?) and I thought that I would include a sugar scrub of some sort. This is one that doesn’t require refrigeration, making it easy to give as a gift. It’s also pretty easy to customize according to ingredients that you have on hand.
You can make this in any quantity you like, to fit any container you have on hand. The basic rule of thumb is 2/3 sugar to 1/3 oil – and then you can add any scents/additions that you think would go well together. I used Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice tea because I think it smells like Christmas.
Spiced Chai Sugar Body Scrub
- 2/3 cup sugar (white or brown or half and half)
- 1/3 oil of your choice (olive oil, grapeseed, almond, etc)
- 3-4 bags of Bengal Spice (or your preference) chai tea
Cut open the bags of tea (use more bags if making a larger batch or you want a stronger smelling scrub) and mix it together with the sugar and oil in a jar. Use it anywhere on your body that needs a little scrub, moisturizer or general healthy glow. This should keep indefinitely without the need for refrigeration – just give it a stir to mix in the oils and sugar occasionally.
Linked to Frugally Sustainable, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday
lightlycrunchy 
Even I could do this, sounds delicious and I have all the ingredients. Do you think I could use coconut oil?
I haven’t tried it with coconut oil before – but you should be able to. The heat of the shower would soften it up when you go to use it. Right now, I’d have to heat my coconut oil to even use it.
Ooooooo, fabulous!
A great gift! I would be truly touched to receive a home made gift.
I hope you get a few of them, then. 🙂
Only if I make them myself. Which I might just do.
OOOOOOO…This sounds awesome Bengal Spice is one of my FAVES 🙂
*anna
It always smells like something I should love, but I can never get used to the taste of chai. It might be that I can’t get past putting milk and sugar in tea.. I like mine clear. But I love the smell of it.
Heidi, I never use milk or sugar in the Bengal Spice. Just brew & drink. It really is nice, maybe give it a try.
I’ve tried it that way too – just don’t like it. Maybe I’ll give it another go..
Hey, thanks Heidi; this’ll make some great gifts! (And hopefully a little left over for me too; )
Wishing you and yours a merry, merry Christmas!!: )
Thank you – and same to you!
So how do I get on your gift list? 😉 That looks amazing.
The gift list for homemade stuff, or the ugly duck gift list? 🙂
I was really excited when I first saw this, and even MORE excited when I saw that you make it using Bengal Spice tea, which I have! I can’t wait to make this. I bet it will make a lovely gift!
I just used some this morning – works great and smells really nice. Hopefully, the teachers will like it too.
I know I am weird–but I love knitted dishclothes–I used to have some and used them until they fell apart.
I love a real tree–but like you, I know it cannot be put up too soon–so I have my Charlie Brown tree up again (just put it up last night) and it looks beautiful because it has so many sentimental ornaments — my boys are in their twenties but I still have a lot of the ornaments they made when they were little
I just finished a plain old dishcloth that I was going to stick in my stash – but I have enough, so if you email me your address, I’ll stick it in the mail to you. I’ve always preferred this kind to the cloth type too.
Definitely great teacher gifts!! Love it!
I hope so! Thanks.
You are so clever. Perfect hostess gift too.
I made this this morning, and I LOVE it. So easy to do and wonderful to have. Thank you so much, Heidi! I think I like this more than the one-eyed duck cheese tray. I think.
I’m starting to feel like I should write you a check for all the things I take from Lightly Crunchy and actually do…..it’s better than a magazine subscription!
That’s nice to hear, really. I always figure that I write it down here so that I know where to find it when I want to make it again myself, but it’s cool to find out that other people are making things I’ve written about too. I used it in the shower this morning – and for the first hour or two at work, I would get a little whiff of chai – nice!
Can’t wait to make this! Dry, itchy skin season is definitely here (and really wishing I’D used it in the shower this morning; )
I love homemade gifts–to give and to get. This one looks fabulous. I must try it.
Oooh I like the sound of this. I’m going to give it a go at the weekend and make it all just for myself!! 😉
I have to admit that I made some for myself too – I really like this one.
I know just the person to make this for! Lovely post AND blog!
Lots of love for Bengal Spice, mmm ❤
You go, girl! Can’t wait to try this and thrillled that i have the ingredients on hand. I think olive oil will work wonderfully, though I’m tempted to use coconut as well. Maybe one of each …. hmmmm…
I think I might try it with coconut oil next time too. Though the olive oil works nicely.
Oh YUM, this combo just keeps getting better! The coconut would definitely give a more stable consistancy, that’s for sure. Or maybe with half olive oil for a texture somewhere in between? Glad for all of these great suggestions before actually doing – gotta get me some of that Bombay Spice Chai! Oh, and speaking of prep, where did you get your little wooden spoons?
They are pottery spoons and my sister in law brought them back from either Poland or Czech Republic, I think.
Oh excellent! I can handle that (nyuck, nyuck: ) Thanks!
Your scrub looks amazing! Did you use just regular sugar or a coarse sugar?
I just used regular sugar – I think coarse sugar might be harsh & rip the skin.
Thank you so much! I love your scrubs.
[…] someone who would love a homemade body scrub? Heidi shared her Spiced Chai Sugar Body Scrub earlier this month, it may be just the thing for that last minute […]
[…] made a spiced chai sugar body scrub this month. Other than that, I continue to use some homemade cleaners, but have also found that […]