My topic for this post is the annoying pest known as gifted body wash/bubble bath. I am incredibly grateful to receive any present, but gifted body wash has begun to irritate me over the years. Most women love wonderful smelling items so for many people its a fail safe when purchasing gifts for females you aren't necessarily close to. There is an exception... if a female you know LOVES a certain body wash and you know that for sure, then by all means it's an awesome gift. However, if you aren't very close/personal, step away from the body wash. Every Christmas, I would put the body washes I accumulated that holiday in my linen closet, saying I would use them one day. Lo and behold I would forget about their existence until the next time I moved and once again I would say "I'll use it one day" and "one day" never came. 
I enjoy scented body wash, however I prefer to use Dove bar soap because of the way it moisturizes my skin. It has a soft fresh scent that I enjoy, it leaves my skin moisturized so I don't have to apply lotion and its inexpensive. Anyway, after storing body wash after body wash away while using my Dove soap I realized I was accumulating a body wash hoard hahaha. In the past few months I made a dedication to use EVERY body wash/soap in my linen closet before purchasing more Dove soap... it's been about four-five months and I have about four left! LOL if you know me personally and you are reading this post:
NO MORE BODY WASH!
So if you can't buy her body wash and you don't know what to buy her, what do you do? My answer is BODY SUGAR/SALT SCRUBS! While every girl probably has her own favorite soap/body wash she purchases on a regular basis, sugar and salt scrubs are something us women will always use whether its in the shower or next to our hand washing sink and most of us don't have a favorite, we love them all.
WE LOVE SCRUBS!
We all know how much I love exfoliation and scrubs most important benefit is they exfoliate, leaving skin feeling smooth and soft especially after shaving or waxing. They also benefit shaved/waxed areas because they remove dead skin cells that can cause ingrown/infected hairs. However, always use caution when using products on shaved/waxed areas; hair removal can cause the area to be more sensitive. Always use caution when using products on bikini lines/genital areas, as these areas are naturally more sensitive. Grapeseed oil and Jojoba oil are less likely to clog pores than other oils, so a scrub with a grapeseed oil base could help with body acne by removing dead skin cells and preventing them from clogging pores.
P.S. NEVER USE A BODY SCRUB ON YOUR FACE!
Another benefit to scrubs is the circular motion you use while using them increases circulation to your limbs and provides an invigorating effect.
While you may not know every women's favorite scents, there are many fail safe scrub scents you can opt for:
*Nutmeg/spicy/cinnamon scents are usually enjoyed by most because they give a warm, cozy feeling that is great for fall and holiday seasons.
*Peppermint is a great holiday scent that is energizing and refreshing.
*Gingerbread is another good holiday scent enjoyed by most.
*Brown sugar/vanilla is a great scent combination that most enjoy all times of the year, even men. It brings up memories of fresh baked cookies, coziness and warmth.
*Citrus scents are great for spring and summer seasons. They are uplifting, energizing and clean.
*Stay away from floral scents, they can be much too flowery and overpowering.
*Stay away from anything too musky or specific, such as Nag Champa. Not all enjoy those heavy scents.
You can purchase body scrubs in most retail stores that sell body wash for decent prices. If you are purchasing them for more than just a couple of people it may be more cost effective to make the scrubs yourself. This involves a carrier oil (almond, grapeseed, hazelnut, ect.), a sugar/salt (brown sugar, organic sugar, Epsom salt, ect.) and your choice of essential oils. You can add fun elements to your scrubs like crushed candy cane, sprinkles, dried flowers, ect. to give them a personal touch. There will be another post entirely dedicated to making your own body scrubs so stay tuned! If you can't wait until then, do a search for DIY body scrubs on Pinterest... there are hundreds of recipes out there!
Men enjoy scrubs too! Here's my scrub-loving-man story:
The Christmas after I enrolled in esthetician school, we made our own scrubs in class. I enjoyed it so much I decided to make scrubs as gifts for family and as favors at my work party. I made several different scents, such as Candy Cane, Cinnamon, Brown Sugar Spice, Vanilla Brown Sugar and Nag Champa (that one was for a special lady). Anyway, I gave two scrubs each to my boyfriends sister and sister-in-law. The next Christmas, at my boyfriends parents house we were talking about past presents and the scrubs got brought up. My boyfriends brother had an injury on his knee and shin that resulted in a large scar. He said this scar would itch and developed excessive eczema like dryness and all the lotions he tried would not relieve it. One day, behind closed doors (haha), he decided to use the cinnamon scrub because it had an oil base and thought it might provide some relief. He loved it! It relieved the dryness as well as exfoliating the dry, flaky, itchy skin. Men love a good exfoliation too!
They have uses outside of the shower as well! Oil based scrubs help remove sticky residues off hands such as motor oil, paint, stains, sap and glue. I do recommend washing hands with a very small amount of hand soap after using an oil based scrub because your hands will feel a tiny bit oily, like right after you use lotion.
So this next holiday season, instead of going for the body wash for that female coworker you drew for Secret Santa, get her a body scrub instead. Chances are she doesn't have a million already and its an item she will still enjoy! If you aren't sure of her favorite scents and you are somewhere like The Body Shoppe or Bath and Body, ask the sales clerk if any scents are the most popular. Variety packs/gift baskets are nice because you get a few different scents. If you're daring, make your own!
Stay tuned for my June and July Birchbox reviews!
