Here’s how it goes down in the Diamond household (which is currently just me; can a household be a household of 1? wah-wahhhh): I get home after a long day of running around LA; I look in my fridge; I begin considering what I can slather on my body in the form of a DIY spa treatment. I peruse the wilted kale, the dangling carrots, the tired parsley, and my eyes linger on the bag of bruised fruit I got for pie and jam on Monday at the farmers market.
I whipped out nectarines and cara cara oranges and got to mixing. The textures here are everything: Granular sugar, silky raw coconut oil, piquant orange zest, and tender nectarine pulp. Together, they form a paste guaranteed to scrub away the detritus of even the roughest of days.
This potion also smells as intoxicating as it looks and sounds. Orange essential oil is released through the zest, triggering a bright aroma that melds perfectly with coconut and sweet scent of nectarine.
Make a jar of it when you get home today, or heck, just stay home from work and luxuriate in the bath with a glass of champers to keep you company. I MEAN TO HELP YOU DO YOUR WORK. Clearly.
Here’s a quick rundown of FAQ that may come up for you when you use this:
1) Can I use this on my face?
I don’t recommend it. Coconut oil is genius for everywhere on your body except your face, as it can tend to be comedogenic (pore clogging).
2) Can I use this if I have very sensitive skin?
If your skin is prone to reactivity, eczema, or breakouts, please test this on a portion of your body before using it all over. I would not recommend using any scrub at all on rashy or irritated skin—it needs to be soothed rather than riled up. Try the Lavender Honey Brightening Mask, instead!
3) Should I use a soap or body wash before I use this?
A light suds won’t hurt, if you feel like it!
4) Do I need to moisturize after I use the scrub?
Nope! That’s the genius of coconut oil, sugar, and fruit—everything sloughs off (including dry skin), and the coconut oil remains to give you a good skin quenching.
5) Will this make a huge mess in my shower/bath?
Almost everything melts away, except a few nectarine fibers and some nectarine and orange zest. Use your drain catcher (what’s that thing called?!) to scoop everything up.
Enjoy the ultimate summer glow!
Ingredients
- 1 small or ½ large ripe nectarine
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons raw coconut oil
- 1 cup raw sugar
Instructions
- Nota bene: If you’re exposed to sun directly after using citrus on skin, you may experience severe burning or irritation. Make sure to wash your skin well after application, wait at least several hours before exposing yourself to the sun, and always apply sunscreen for protection. Moreover, excessive use of citrus on skin can cause lightening, so don’t use this mask more than once a week.
- Place orange zest in a small dish. Cut the nectarine in half, remove the pit, and use the zester to gently zest the skin off the nectarine, depositing zest into the bowl with the orange peel. Set aside.
- Using a mortar and pestle (or fork), roughly mash nectarine. Add raw sugar and coconut oil, and stir to blend. Add in orange and nectarine zest, and continue folding and blending.
- When all is properly blended, spoon into an airtight container to keep in fridge when not in use. Should last 2-3 days in the fridge. Ideally used immediately! Just bring it into the shower or bath and scrub away!
