a DIY, non-culinary endeavor: homemade body scrub

I have learned that part of working in the restaurant business involves feeling dirty. Always feeling dirty. I leave smelling like a combination of fish, smoke, fry oil, and pine sol. Who knew? Working in a coffee shop for 3 years I learned to detest the smell of ground coffee and espresso lingering on my clothes, and now nothing has changed except the scent is slightly less pleasant than old coffee. Because of that nasty feeling after work of sweat, grit and oils floating around in the air, I have taken to not bothering with a shower before work - I mean I am just going to have to shower it all off anyways, and I have to pull my hair back in the most un-feminine way possible (in the name of food safety. so it's worth it) and wear knickerbockers or oversized chef pants. I can't paint my nails, because God forbid my nail polish chip off in the food. No earrings - I would hate to be charged with physical contamination of the food. So I have lost my hygiene and I have lost my femininity, both of which I hold so dearly. It has been painful to say the least.

So I have taken on a new priority, which is to make myself feel as clean, girly and hygeniec as possible on the weekends or my days off. No, I still don't paint my nails (though I make sure my toe nails stay painted. Except right now I am giving them a breather) but I am taking longer showers and shaving more often. My most recent addition to this goal is a homemade body scrub I made of plain sugar, olive oil and lavender extract. Inspired by my dear friends Erin Bedenbaugh and Carley Davis, yesterday I peeled the label off of a saved spaghetti jar and got to work. I used it tonight for the first time and it is better, cheaper, and more appreciated than any scrub I have ever used before. Guys, just use eucalyptus or spearmint if you don't like the idea of smelling like lavender or rose. As I sit here with my glass of red wine and silky smooth legs, I think that feeling dirty doing something great 80% of the time makes feeling pretty and clean once a week quite worth it.

Homemade Lavender Body Scrub

Mason jar
Sugar
Olive oil
Lavender extract (or rose, or mint, whatever suits your fancy)