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You can easily pay $20 for a jar of body scrub. This recipe for pineapple body scrub from Lauren and Jane Cox’s book "EcoBeauty" will probably only cost you a quarter of that, depending on how much pineapple costs in your neck of the woods. You might argue that you only get one body treatment as a result, yet you’re left with three-quarters of a fresh pineapple to nosh on when you’re done.
Whenever I eat a fresh pineapple, I always save the peel to use as body scrubbers — a trick I learned while on vacation in Hawaii.
Use the inner part of the peel, not the outside, which would be very ouchy. Fresh pineapple contains an active enzyme called bromelain, which acts as an effective natural exfoliator and will leave your skin super smooth and clean. Your body will say mahalo (thank you)!
The peel from 1/4 pineapple is about the right amount for a whole body treatment; wrap up the rest of the peel and store it in the refrigerator or freezer to use another time.
The peel of 1/4 of a fresh pineapple, cut into 3- to 4-inch-wide strips
Coarse salt or sugar (optional)
Sprinkle the inside of the pineapple peels with salt or sugar for extra exfoliating power, if you like.
To use, stand in the shower or tub and scrub your skin with the inside of the pineapple peels just like you’d use a sponge or loofah to scrub your body and exfoliate dead skin cells. Rinse well afterward.
Yield: 1 whole body treatment
Good Stuff: Natural Fruit Enzymes — Fruit enzymes are a popular beauty ingredient because they quickly cleanse and soften the skin. Papaya contains papain, pineapple contains bromelain, kiwi has actinidin, and figs are rich in ficin. These enzymes are well suited for smoothing out typical rough skin spots, such as the elbows, knees, and feet, but I don't recommend using them on your face, as they may be too harsh.
Photo: Dreamstime
Reprinted with permission from "EcoBeauty: Scrubs, Rubs, Masks, and Bath Bombs for You and Your Friends" by Lauren Cox and Janice Cox, Ten Speed Press
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