That's What Makes You Beautiful

As you may remember, I got the most awful sunburn a few weeks ago (you can read about it here).  Ever since, I have been intermittently peeling and suffering from super-dry skin.  I have been struggling to keep my skin moisturized and have been failing quite miserably.

However, the other day, my friend Nina sent me the recipe for an exfoliating body scrub and told me that if I used it, I would "reap the rewards of softer than ever, fragrant, and even tasty skin".  I saw her the following day, and she gave me a jar of the leftovers from her recipe.  I finally used it today in the shower and I am happy to report that it was nothing short of AMAZING.  I don't think that my skin has ever felt softer, smelled more awesome, and post-shower, my sunburn is barely peeling at all.  So without further ado, let me share the recipe for Nina's Tropical Summer Sugar Scrub!

What you'll need:

• White Sugar
• Brown Sugar
• Ground Sea Salt
• Organic Dark Honey
• A few wedges worth of Lemon Juice (she says you can also use Grapefruit or Lime if you're feeling saucy)
• Coconut Oil

How you make it:

Mix equal parts of white and brown sugar and then add a bit of ground sea salt.  Add in the honey, juice, and coconut oil.  Stir into a loose paste, and then hop in the shower and scrub!  Be warned that the oil can make your skin a bit slippery when you first get out of the shower, but your skin will soak up the extra oil within the half hour.

Why these ingredients?

• Well, white and brown sugar help to exfoliate the skin quite nicely.  
• Organic honey has wonderful benefits as well.  It is a natural antiseptic and keeps wounds, cuts, scrapes, and burns clean, free from infection, and promotes healing.  It clears blemishes and when applied to skin and then washed off, it helps to keep skin as soft as a baby's bottom.  Raw honey can also soften facial lines and tighten pores.  (Read more here!)
• The lemon juice (or any citrus fruit substitute) contains a natural exfoliating ingredient called alpha hydroxyl.  The natural astringent properties cause the juice to help with oily skin, acne, unclogging pores, and eliminating blackheads.  The juices refresh and revive the skin and help to fade scars and other skin discolorations.  (Read more here!)
• Coconut oil has amazing benefits.  It is chock full of Vitamin E and fatty acids that anti-fungal, anti-oxidizing, and antibacterial (like the honey!); all of these effects make for fantastic skin! (Read more here!)

I hope you get a chance to make and use this wonderful concoction! Your thirsty summer skin will thank you for it :)

On an entirely different note, Memphis was absolutely incredible.  I have seen a lot of fantastic theatre in my  life, but this show was definitely the most amazing performance I have ever seen.  If you care about theatre at all, I would definitely recommend that you see this show if possible, whether on tour or on Broadway.  Currently on Broadway, Adam Pascal (of Rent fame) is starring as Memphis radio DJ Huey Calhoun.  As amazing as I'm sure Mr. Pascal is, Bryan Fenkhart (the Huey that I saw) is unbelievable in his portrayal of the lovably  passionate, rebellious, and simple music lover.  I would highly recommend that you see him, whether in a performance, a concert, or even on YouTube.  He is insanely talented and brought down the house quite a number of times throughout the show.  I even met him afterward and he was the coolest famous person that I have ever been lucky enough to meet (I have been fortunate enough to have met quite a few); he carried on a really nice conversation with my friend, boyfriend, and I and his humility and overall "chill-ness" made him just as endearing in real life as he was onstage.  Luckily, his incredible performance did not by any means put the others to shame.  Felicia Boswell starred as the black club singer (also named Felicia) and provided a stunning performance as a Beyonce-esque diva ahead of her time (though her stellar voice puts Beyonce's and nearly all other pop "diva's" voices to shame).  Quentin Earl Darrington, Will Mann, and Rhett George as Delray, Bobby, and Gator respectively each stole the show with their phenomenal voices and presence onstage.  Everyone in the show was incredibly talented; the dancing was spectacular, the music was an absolute joy, and I was so drawn into the characters' lives and stories that I lost track of any bit of reality.  To me, that is what theatre is meant to do :)

Love, Leaza