Last week was beauty week on The Martha Stewart Show. On Friday her guest was the founder and formulator for Farmaesthetics, Brenda Brock. She shared her recipe for her Hot Toddy for the Body scrub. (Note, there are several mistakes on the recipe listed on the Martha Stewart website so I'm posting the instructions as they were given on the show.)
Photo credit: Rob Tannenbaum/The Martha Stewart Show
Hot Toddy for the Body is one of Farmaesthetics best selling body treatments. It includes 2 products, a cornmeal scrub with heat-producing herbs in it, cloves cinammon and orange and you mix it with an infused soy oil. Mix it into a paste and use it in the shower. Avoid using it on the face as the cornmeal is too abrasive for the sensitive skin on the face.
To Make Your Own Calendula Oil:
You start by infusing oil with calendula (you can buy organic dried calendula flowers from Mountain Rose Herbs). Calendula is known as the "skin mending herb" in herbalism. In the recipe on the Martha Stewart website it says to use soy oil, but in the show they actually used almond, which I think is a much better option as soy is often genetically modified.
To infuse the oil put 1/2 cup of very dry calendula petals in a mason jar and fill the jar with almond oil (you could also use jojoba oil). Stir well to suspend the flowers in the oil. Add 1 dropper full of Vitamin E to preserve it (note, be sure to use organic Vitamin E to ensure it's not genetically modified), and stir again. Put the cap on and put it in a paper bag and put in a dark, cool place for 3 or 4 weeks.
When it's done infusing strain it through a tea strainer into a new jar (I'd suggest sterilizing it so you don't introduce bacteria into your oil. Using it right out of the dishwasher should be fine). You will notice the oil is now a dark golden color and a bit thicker. If you still have particles from the flowers strain a 2nd time through a coffee filter. Any particles in the oil will cause the oil to go bad faster.
You can now use this oil as a body or bath oil.
Don't want to take the time to make your own calendula oil? No worries, you can buy organic calendula oil from Mountain Rose Herbs. Or, if you're ok with the soy oil you can buy Farmaesthetics Calendula & Orange Sweet Soy Oil.
To Make the Scrub:
Start with 2 cups of find ground organic corn meal in a bowl. Corn meal is less abrasive than sugar or salt. You can also use course ground corn meal if you want it more abrasive. Add a pinch of salt as a preservative. Add 2 tablespoons each of cloves, cinnamon and powdered orange peels. Mix it well. Store in a plastic container in your bathroom. If you're careful not to get water in it the corn meal mixture will last for quite a while.
When you are ready for your bath or shower put a small amount of corn meal into a bowl. Pour in a little of your calendula oil to make a paste.
This scrub would also be good for getting embedded dirt out of your hands after gardening.
There is no need to worry about this going down the drain and clogging it. Brenda says corn meal is an old fashioned way of cleaning oil and hair from drains.
Because you have the oil in the scrub there is no need to put on additional moisture after you get out of the shower. This mixture is particularly good in the dry winter air because the corn meal will help remove dried skin, and the calendula will help heal the skin.
To customize your scrub you can add herbs to the cornmeal mixture such as chamomile flowers for sensitive skin, orange essential oil to add aroma, peppermint to make it refreshing.
Want the benefits of Hot Toddy for the Body but don't want to make it yourself? Farmaesthetics sells it as a kit.
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