Homemade Sugar Foot Scrub With Matcha Green Tea
Looking for a natural and rejuvenating way to pamper your feet? This DIY matcha green tea foot scrub is the perfect solution! Made with the antioxidant-rich and detoxifying properties of matcha powder, along with the exfoliating benefits of sugar and baking soda, this foot scrub will leave your feet feeling soft, smooth, and refreshed. With the added benefits of peppermint oil for a soothing and invigorating sensation, this foot scrub doubles as a foot mask, allowing you to relax and indulge in a spa-like experience in the comfort of your own home. Follow the simple steps below to create your own matcha green tea foot scrub and give your feet the TLC they deserve.
Matcha
Matcha green tea is a special type of tea that is grown and harvested in Japan in a unique way. This popular Japanese tea is firstly shaded for 4 weeks which helps the plant increase chlorophyll. This makes the tea fresher and greener. The new leaves that grow under the shade are hand plucked and carefully processed whereby they are slowly stone ground into a fine powder. High quality matcha will be bright green and have a rich, smooth, grassy flavour.
There are various ways to mix matcha including the traditional ways of using a bamboo whisk and specially designed bowl. These are known as a chasen and a chawan. You can alternatively use a hand held mixer, a whisk, blend into smoothies, cakes and bakes. There are so many fabulously fun ways to use matcha green tea in recipes.
Matcha green tea is a healthy type of tea that contains wonderful antioxidants. It’s also highly beneficial when applied topically. If you love tea skincare recipes like this, you may also love this recipe for making a DIY matcha and aloe vera face mask.
What are the Benefits of Using Matcha Topically?
Matcha contains healthy free radical fighting antioxidants that help keep us young. Matcha also contains a compound known as methylxanthines which is known to be skin conditioning and blood flow promoting. Methylxanthines are alkaloids that can be found in tea, coffee, and chocolate. Caffeine, theobromine and theophylline are the main methylxanthines that are naturally found in tea.
Coffee scrubs are commonly used for skin conditioning but did you know that matcha can also be used in the same way? The caffeine found in tea and coffee has the ability to penetrate the skin barrier for a deep skin conditioning treatment full of antioxidants. Studies show that caffeine helps protect cells against UV radiation, slows down photoaging of the skin and stimulates hair growth. So watch out for those hairy toes when using this foot scrub!
What Ingredients are Good for Using in This Foot Scrub?
Matcha: Matcha contains a lots of brilliant antioxidants that can be beneficial inside and out. There are various types of matcha to use. I would tend to reach for a mid range matcha for this use and save the expensive stuff for drinking straight. Why not make a delicious hot matcha tea and rose latte while you sit back, relax and allow your toes to enjoy the treatment.
Baking soda: Baking soda contains natural antiseptic and antibacterial properties, it is also commonly used in exfoliating products. All of which is ideal for use on your feet.
Sugar: Use granulated sugar when making this for your feet. Granulated sugar is more abrasive than softer types making it ideal to use to exfoliate the hard skin on your feet.
Oil: I love using sweet almond oil for my skin as it contains lots of essential nutrients and it has also been used for centuries to help soothe eczema and psoriasis. You can of course use alternative oils such as olive oil or coconut oil.
Essential oil: Purely optional, but highly recommended is using a few drops of uplifting and invigorating peppermint oil. If you have another essential oil preference, go ahead and use that.
How to Make a DIY Matcha Foot Scrub
Try making this totally fabulous soothing and uplifting matcha and mint foot scrub and mask at home.
Note that this should not be used on damaged, open or sensitive skin. Always consult your medical practitioner or dermatologist with any health concerns.
INGREDIENTS (Makes 1 Foot Scrub)
1 Tablespoon of Matcha Green Tea
3 Tablespoons of Granulated Sugar
1 Tablespoon of Oil (Sweet Almond, Olive or Coconut)
1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
2-3 Drops of Peppermint Oil
METHOD
Mix together the matcha green tea, granulated sugar, baking soda, oil and add a few drops of peppermint oil. Keep mixing until a paste forms.
Use the matcha paste to scrub your feet before rinsing with warm water.
Alternatively for extra soft goodness wrap your feet in cling film with the scrub still on and leave for 10-20 minutes before rinsing off with warm water.
Read More Matcha Recipes
Matcha Latte - iced plus strawberries and rose
Turmeric & Ginger Wellness Shots - with matcha!
A Tequila Sunrise Cocktail - made with matcha!
