It is starting to smell like the Holidays

This is another one of those smells-so-good-I-want-to-eat-it posts.

I was trying to come up with something I could make for gifts for some of my female family members that I have not already given out a hundred other times.  If you know me, you probably have already been given at least one of the numerous body scrubs I have created over the years (vanilla, peppermint, citrus, margarita, coffee, and so on.)  

While continuing on the body scrub theme, I thought this new scent would appeal to most of the ladies I would be giving this to.  This time, I created a Chocolate-Covered-Peppermint Sugar Scrub.  If you remember, sugar scrubs exfoliate and moisturize the skin.  I love keeping mine in the shower and using it on my legs and arms.  Using a scrub like this always makes my skin feel soooo smooth.

This particular sugar scrub is made with granulated (white) sugar, cocoa powder, soybean oil, and peppermint oil.  Chocolate dipped candy canes, perfect for Christmas giving!  But I did not want to stop there.

I decided I wanted to make this a 2-for-1 gift.  I created this body butter to compliment the sugar scrub.  

Thicker than a regular body lotion, this body butter contains shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, and peppermint oil.  It is thick, but absorbed relatively quickly, so it does not leave your skin feeling greasy.  The cocoa butter gives the product a wonderful chocolatey smell and the peppermint is energizing.  

I hope the ladies enjoy these products, if they can keep themselves from trying to eat them first!

I love making Body Butter

Although I recently posted this recipe and product, I made another batch and wanted to share it again.  I love the scent while making this.  The entire test kitchen smelled like chocolate.  

Make it a little easier on yourself and let the products cool in the refrigerator until it just begins to set.  Then whip it up with your mixer (hand held or stand) or use an immersion blender.  

Here it is coming together nicely.  I always want to lick the beater!

Ready for packaging!  Want to try this?  Ask me how!

Oh, and Happy Birthday to me!  :)

Perfect for your Sweetheart

Tomorrow is Sweetest Day and although I personally have never celebrated it and do not really know many people that do, I thought I would make some sweets for my... well, family.  

This was an experimental recipe crossover that I think turned out to be a sweet success!  I mixed my body lotion bars with my so delicious-smelling and popular body butter and created these chocolate scented body lotion bars.  The chocolate scent from the cocoa butter is accented with a hint of orange.  Make some for your sweetie!

Happy Sweetest Day!