Pampered with Chocolate
By Megan Anderson
As if chocolate wasn't a luxury enough on its own, I thought that this month I would talk about a few fun things to do with chocolate to really pamper yourself, or to give as a gift to someone else. I am talking about chocolate body scrubs, and even homemade chocolate lip gloss! I have included two luxurious chocolate body scrub recipes, as well as a recipe for your own chocolate lip gloss!
With Mother's Day coming up too, this is your chance to grab some time for yourself in a candle lit, relaxing, long bath and exfoliate your skin to perfection-or make these scrubs for a friend, sister, mother, or someone else in your life as a thoughtful and unique gift.
They are so fast and easy to make, and they look very fun in different festive containers. You can even tie on a little wooden spoon to the container to dress it up. Once you have the basic idea for a body scrub, you can experiment with the scents and oils to create a scrub that is all your own. If you do decide to make these scrubs as a gift for someone, don't forget to save some for yourself! I have included a few tips, tricks, and tidbits of advice below about homemade body scrubs. I especially like to use them on my legs and feet, it's heavenly. What could be better than a nice skin treatment? Well, just add chocolate!
*Salt: The grittiness of the salt in a scrub is what makes it feel so good, so make sure you are using sea salt and not table salt! Sea salt can sometimes be found in a regular grocery store, or at a warehouse store like Costco, but is almost always found in a health food store.
*Scented Oils: When making scrubs, be sure you are using scented oils, NOT extracts, since the extracts will actually irritate your skin. It kind of defeats the purpose of a body scrub to end up with irritated skin! Scented oils are usually available at health food stores in the cosmetics or aromatherapy sections. In the recipes below the oil amounts are only suggestions-use more or less to increase or decrease the scent. Keep in mind, however, that the oils are usually fairly strong so use with caution and start small, building up the amount as you become more familiar with the potency of the oils.
*Storing: Make sure that you are storing your scrubs in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out and becoming a little too exfoliating. I also recommend storing them on a kitchen shelf instead of a bathroom shelf since there is less chance of high humidity and steam in your kitchen. Humidity and steam will speed up the spoiling process. These homemade scrubs can also be stored in the refrigerator for longevity, since these aren't made with artificial ingredients or preservatives like store bought scrubs. Expect to see a little separation of the oils from the dry ingredients in between uses and simply stir it up before using it each time. Again, since these are natural scrubs and not full of artificial ingredients, that separation is to be expected, but also completely normal.
*Use: These scrubs are generally better to use on your body than on your face because they are probably too harsh for your more tender facial skin. If you do choose to use it on your face, do so lightly and don't let it stay on for too long. Like I said earlier, I love it on my legs and feet (especially with the sandal weather just around the corner...) The oils will do wonders for your skin, so you will save money on lotion too!
*Lip Gloss: The lip gloss recipe below is a lot of fun to make and wear, and it can also be given as a gift. You can double, triple, or even quadruple the recipe to make big batches to give out as a party favor, or just as a birthday, Mother's Day, or just-because gift. Different types of chocolate make different shades-use all milk chocolate, all dark chocolate, or mix a little of both together to get the shade you want.
Chocolate Orange Body Scrub
1/2 cup sea salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup canola oil
8 drops orange oil
In a microwave safe container, combine all ingredients. Microwave uncovered for 20 seconds. Stir and repeat, melting at 20 second intervals and stirring each time until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is fully melted together. Scoop into a small lip gloss or other container and freeze for 15 minutes, until completely cooled and solid. Apply to lips! Make about 1 tablespoon gloss.
Praline-Chocolate Body Scrub
1/2 cup sea salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa sifted
1 tablespoon dry vanilla (optional)
1/2 cup almond oil
Combine salt, brown sugar, baking soda, softed cocoa and dry vanilla (if using). Mix well. Pour the almond oil over the top and mix in thoroughly. Store in an airtight container. Stir before each use.
*The dry vanilla is not necessary, but adds a nice boost of scent to the scrub. It's available in specialty cooking stores.
Chocolate Lip Gloss
One of the fun things about this recipe (other than the fabulous taste!) is finding different shades. Use milk or dark chocolate chips, or a combination to create different colors!
2 teaspoons petroleum jelly
1/8 teaspoon honey
5 milk chocolate chips (or dark chocolate chips for a darker color)
1/8 teaspoon shortening
In a microwave safe container, combine all ingredients. Microwave uncovered for 20 seconds. Stir and repeat, melting at 20 second intervals and stirring each time until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is fully melted together. Scoop into a small lip gloss or other container and freeze for 15 minutes, until completely cooled and solid. Apply to lips! Make about 1 tablespoon gloss.
