The Other Part of My Life - And Lemon-Mint Sugar Scrub
Kickin' it with Karen: Beyond Sauerkraut
So, I am not only a Kitchen Goddess experimenting with ferments, gluten free recipes, and recipes where I can replace chicken eggs with duck eggs. I am also a teacher at a large high school in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
I teach dance and English. I know, that's an odd combination. Most people who have dual licenses to teach, teach English and Social Studies, or Science and Math. But it just so happens, I was a dancer in my first career - I had earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theater with Emphasis in Dance from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.
After U.W.S.P. I spent ten long hungry years dancing and touring with African dance companies on the East Coast as well as building my own dance company called "Sisters: women of common ancestry". Though it was a life full of travel and excitement,
it was also a life full of HUNGER.
I was dancing 6-8 hours a day, and I am telling you - there is not enough food in the world that could feed a body expending that many calories. And certainly not enough money from my tiny salary to be able to buy all that food.
So, I decided to become an English teacher. What? From dance to English? Or, that's what most of my friends and family were asking.
Yep. That's what I did. I came back to Minnesota and in three years, I earned my Master's Degree from the University of Saint Thomas and my 5-12 English/Language Arts teaching license.
So why am I adding to all of this with a new blog and a YouTube Channel? I don't really know except that perhaps I like to share the things I know. Every time I learn something new, I have an insatiable urge to share what I have learned. It think that is the natural-born teacher in me. I hope that I can teach you something today.
Today, I would like to share my recipe for a facial/body scrub that has 5 simple ingredients you
probably have right now in your kitchen pantry. This recipe will cost you pennies on the dollar compared to what you will spend on store products that can cost you from three to thirty-five dollars and are often laden with ingredients that are potentially toxic to your body.
Why would you use SUGAR to scrub your skin? Here are three good reasons: sugar draws moisture from the air into the skin, it is renewing by encouraging cell turn over and it scrubs away dead skin cells. This sugar scrub lightly exfoliates and leaves your skin feeling smooth and refreshed.
1/2 cup unrefined organic coconut oil
1/4 cup carrier oil (I use peanut oil because it works for my DRY DDRRYY skin)
30 drops of Lemon Essential Oil - more or less depending on how strong of a scent you want.
20 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil - more or less for more or less of a cooling sensation.
Use: wet your face with warm water, spread about a table spoon of the exfoliant all over your face and neck avoiding the eyes. Gently scrub with your fingertips in upward circles. Rinse your face and enjoy your newly found radiance.
You can also use this as a scrub for any part of your body.
So, I am not only a Kitchen Goddess experimenting with ferments, gluten free recipes, and recipes where I can replace chicken eggs with duck eggs. I am also a teacher at a large high school in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
I teach dance and English. I know, that's an odd combination. Most people who have dual licenses to teach, teach English and Social Studies, or Science and Math. But it just so happens, I was a dancer in my first career - I had earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theater with Emphasis in Dance from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.After U.W.S.P. I spent ten long hungry years dancing and touring with African dance companies on the East Coast as well as building my own dance company called "Sisters: women of common ancestry". Though it was a life full of travel and excitement,it was also a life full of HUNGER.
I was dancing 6-8 hours a day, and I am telling you - there is not enough food in the world that could feed a body expending that many calories. And certainly not enough money from my tiny salary to be able to buy all that food.So, I decided to become an English teacher. What? From dance to English? Or, that's what most of my friends and family were asking.
Yep. That's what I did. I came back to Minnesota and in three years, I earned my Master's Degree from the University of Saint Thomas and my 5-12 English/Language Arts teaching license.
Since 2001, I have teaching English in the Twin Cities and in 2014 added my K-12 Dance License (as well as my Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Hamline University) and have been teaching both ever since. And as if that isn't enough, I also choreograph the high school musicals each fall, as well as work with the semi-professional Northern Light Opera Company choreographing their musicals during the summer - you know on my "Summer's off".
So why am I adding to all of this with a new blog and a YouTube Channel? I don't really know except that perhaps I like to share the things I know. Every time I learn something new, I have an insatiable urge to share what I have learned. It think that is the natural-born teacher in me. I hope that I can teach you something today.
Here's what I am learning now:
I am learning to make my own personal products such as facial/body scrub, deodorant and foot soak. These are all things I used to buy, but after looking at the ingredients, and glancing at research that shows that human exposure to heavy metals such as aluminum can be toxic, I made it my mission to make these products at home where I can control what is in them and what is NOT. In my plans, I am looking forward to making my own lotion, as I have dry skin and I tend to slather my body with it morning and night. But, I have yet to find or create a recipe that doesn't leave me feeling greasy or sticky. That one is a work in progress.
Today, I would like to share my recipe for a facial/body scrub that has 5 simple ingredients you
probably have right now in your kitchen pantry. This recipe will cost you pennies on the dollar compared to what you will spend on store products that can cost you from three to thirty-five dollars and are often laden with ingredients that are potentially toxic to your body.
Why would you use SUGAR to scrub your skin? Here are three good reasons: sugar draws moisture from the air into the skin, it is renewing by encouraging cell turn over and it scrubs away dead skin cells. This sugar scrub lightly exfoliates and leaves your skin feeling smooth and refreshed.
Ingredients:
1 cup organic cane sugar1/2 cup unrefined organic coconut oil
1/4 cup carrier oil (I use peanut oil because it works for my DRY DDRRYY skin)
30 drops of Lemon Essential Oil - more or less depending on how strong of a scent you want.
20 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil - more or less for more or less of a cooling sensation.
Directions:
With a fork, blend all of the ingredients together until it is smooth.Use: wet your face with warm water, spread about a table spoon of the exfoliant all over your face and neck avoiding the eyes. Gently scrub with your fingertips in upward circles. Rinse your face and enjoy your newly found radiance.
You can also use this as a scrub for any part of your body.
I hope you try this recipe for my lemon - mint sugar scrub and find it refreshing and renewing. Please visit and subscribe to my YouTube Channel: "Kickin' it with Karen: Beyond Sauerkraut"for more recipes for your health and wellbeing.
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