Everyone knows when fall comes around that it’s time for all things pumpkin! Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pie, or even pumpkin spice lotion. I’ve been wanting to make a pumpkin scrub for a while now because pumpkin is amazing for your skin, and I finally got around to it. And seriously, it is my new favorite pumpkin anything.

This scrub is all natural and full of ingredients that reduce inflammation for your skin. It feels and smells amazing. It is a nice gentle exfoliant that gets rid of that extra dead skin and reduces inflammation to boot. Pumpkin lovers rejoice!

I love using skin products that are healthy and natural. Making your own products ensures that you are getting something healthy that is good for your skin. And you can save money on them too!

So if you’re ready for a little fall themed spa day, keep reading to see the full tutorial.

I like to explain why I chose the ingredients in my products, so you can understand what this awesome scrub does for your skin!

If you click any of the ingredients you will find either the exact product I used in this recipe or one that I recommend.

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin: Full of vitamin A which soothes inflammation, and vitamin C which is an antioxidant that remedies damage from free radicals. Enzymes in pumpkin help break down dead skin cells for extra exfoliating power. Vitamins E and T help reduce inflammation.
• Sugar: A natural gentle topical exfoliant that gently removes dead skin to make way for newer healthier cells. A natural source of glycolic acid that also helps exfoliate.
• Turmeric: A power house for reducing inflammation. Full of cucurminoids which are powerful antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory properties.
• Essential oils (optional): For scent, and can have added benefits depending on which oils you use. If you want the pumpkin spice feel for this mask, use 1 drop cinnamon essential oil, 1 drop ginger, and 1 drop nutmeg.

And you’ll need a few supplies:

• A mixing bowl
• A spatula
• Small air tight jar

I promise that it is super easy to make. You can watch how it’s done in the video below.

Keep on scrolling for the full recipe!

This stuff is a real powerhouse. Each ingredient has powerful benefits for your skin, with the pumpkin and turmeric combining to make it a great anti-inflammatory. Soothing inflammation is one of the best things you can do for your skin.

Since this mask is so effective at exfoliating, you’ll want to follow up with a good sunscreen to protect those new cells from damage!

This scrub seriously feels amazing. The texture and feel are super luxurious.

It feels like a $50 spa treatment, and for less than $2 for you to reproduce. Chances are you have all these ingredients in your kitchen already!

Looking at these pictures kind of makes my mouth water. You’ve gotta love a skincare product that is healthy and natural enough to eat!

Seriously though, this scrub is so easy to make that you have no reason not to! Your skin will thank you.

Let me know how making your own pumpkin face scrub goes for you!

supplies used in this post

The post Homemade Anti-Inflammatory Pumpkin Face Scrub appeared first on Pins and Procrastination.

Exfoliating is an important part of any skincare routine- it removes dead skin cells to help refresh your skin and make it look brighter and healthier. You know what else is amazing for your skin? Green tea! It is full of antioxidants and vitamins that help give your skin a healthy glow. That’s why a green tea exfoliating scrub is so healthy for your skin.

Not only that, it feels fresh and invigorating. This green tea scrub smells amazing and can help you relax. I absolutely love using it, and my skin always looks fresh right after. It’s gentle enough to be used on both your face and body. The avocado oil is a great ingredient that makes the scrub moisturize while it exfoliates.

Even better than that, it costs less than $1 to make, and takes about 5 minutes. This fabulous green tea scrub is so easy, there’s no reason for you not to try it!

I like to explain why I choose the ingredients in my recipes, so here’s why I used each one:

• Green tea: Full of antioxidants and vitamins your skin needs, anti-inflammatory to reduce redness and irritation
• Sugar: Gentle exfoliation to remove dead skin cells
• Avocado oil: Full of vitamin E and antioxidants that are healthy for your skin, natural moisturizer
• Essential oils (optional): I used pine essential oil because it is highly anti-inflammatory, and can help relax muscles. I also found the scent complimented the scent of the tea nicely

And it’s super easy to make! It only takes about 5 minutes. You can see the process in these pictures, and keep scrolling for the full recipe:

This scrub is so great! I can’t get enough of the smell. It does a great job of making me feel refreshed and relaxed. I always feel so luxurious when I use it. It truly gives you the spa feeling for a price that is unbeatable!

My skin loves it even more than I do. I like to exfoliate about once a week and it keeps my skin looking fresh and healthy. I seriously can’t get enough of this amazing scrub.

The scrub should stay good for about 3-4 months.

Let me know how making your own green tea scrub goes for you!

Supplies used in this post:

The post DIY Green Tea Scrub for Healthy Skin appeared first on Pins and Procrastination.

From mid-October through January I went without eating any added sugars. That includes cane sugar, maple syrup, honey, splenda, aspartame, and any kind of added sweetener except for fruit or pure fruit juice. I was fairly strict but I also ate at restaurants so there is no way I can be sure that I ate absolutely no added sugar throughout the 100 days. Regardless, I did my best, and I thought it was worth blogging about.

My sugar-free health kick started with the Whole30. A big part of why I wanted to do the Whole30 was to try to kick my sweet tooth. I have an out of control sweet tooth. It’s bad. And it also feels even worse in comparison to Lars. I live with someone who eats two bites of a candy bar and can save the rest for a month. My self control is not quite so strong.

I know I am addicted to sugar. The kind of sugar cravings I get are intense. I used sugar for energy. You know how people drink a ton of caffeine during finals so they can concentrate? I would eat more candy. It is such an unhealthy habit and addiction.

When we finished the 30 days of the Whole30, I felt like my sugar addiction hadn’t decreased. I continued the Whole30 for another 15 days. Still didn’t feel like I kicked it. Inspired by my future mother-in-law, I decided I could go a full 100 days without sugar.

I know how bad sugar is for you. All the latest nutritional research is finding that fats (saturated fats included) are not the culprit contributing to rising obesity rates and heart disease. Ever since the low-fat craze our health has been getting worse. And you know what is increasing in our diets? Sugars. Sugars have replaced fats in all the low-fat foods that we are told are healthy. The chance of dying from heart disease increases with proportion of added sugars in your diet, regardless of whether the rest of your diet is healthy.

I don’t know if that scares you, but it scares me. It scared me enough to try 100 days without sugar. And it was so worth it.

So here are my thoughts on going 100 days without sugar:

• I picked the worst time ever. My 100 days included Thanksgiving, Hannukkah, Christmas, and my birthday/ New Years Eve. But the fact that I made it through all those days makes me super proud.
• My days felt a lot more even. I was taking less naps.
• I have more self control than I realize. My sugar cravings got smaller and less intense but didn’t go away.
• Do you know how hard it is to bake and not lick food off your hands? I do!
• Do you know how hard it is to carry leftover wedding cake and then not lick frosting off your hands? I do!
• I think my migraines decreased, but it’s really hard to say. I should keep better track of them.
• Eliminating sugar effectively limits processed foods. Can you find any processed foods without sugar in them? It’s next to impossible.
• My skin got way better. Who knew that sugar affected my skin so much? Or maybe it is something like preservatives in processed foods. Who knows.
• Man I am glad to not be eating processed foods. But I do miss the convenience of the occasional frozen meal.
• Do you know how sugary most breakfast foods are???
• I lost about 15 pounds in the 100 days (and I’ve since gained back 4)
• Thank goodness I gave up sugar during honeycrisp season. They’re seriously the best tasting thing ever.
• I’ve read that people who go for a long time without sugar think that sugary desserts taste too sweet later. This was not the case for me. I don’t know that my body has a “too sweet” setting. Something I’m missing, I guess.
• 100 days did not kill my sweet tooth or addiction. The second I had one bite of sugar when I was allowing it back in my diet I needed more.
• I did have a small binge after allowing sugar back into my diet. Now my sugar intake is lower than before I started, but still higher than I want it to be.

What was so crazy to me was that 100 days did not kick my sweet tooth. As soon as I had a bite of a chocolate on day 101, I had to have 3 more. Then ice cream that night. It was bad. So unfortunately, I didn’t meet my goal, but I feel like I learned a lot.

So now that I’m thinking back, I feel like it might be time to do another 100 days without sugar. It was so good for me. I still get pretty bad sugar cravings, usually right about mid-day. I want to have a healthy heart and live a long life, so it would be worth the sacrifice.

What do you think? Should I do another 100?

The post 100 Days Without Sugar In Review appeared first on Pins and Procrastination.