I wish I could say I was one of those people who never had skin problems, but I'm not.  I was always plagued with problems growing up and my skin seems to just get more sensitive over time.  I blame this on my dairy consumption growing up (and the latter on...age).   I used to love 1% milk and my mom would let me drink three glasses a day. Now I know better.

Well, I'm always looking for ways to improve my skin condition so I'm a bit of an exfoliating-addict per say, and love coming up with new concoctions to treat my skin with.  Lately, I've been reading a lot about the health benefits of macadamia oil, but more so for its uses on the stove top, testing it out on basics like eggs and vegetables.  It's really the new and improved olive oil -- low in omega-6 fatty acids, high in palmitoleic acids.   It's done wonders in enhancing the flavors of my food, and roasting is definitely next on the list.

So I decided to test this on my skin.  This scrub I made reminds me of the black sand beaches in Costa Rica and especially of Punalu'u in Maui, hence the name "black sand".  The macadamia oil's high amount of palmitoleic acid acts as a great natural moisturizer since our skin naturally secretes it through sebum, and unlike olive oil which can leave you looking greasy, it absorbs into the skin and leaves it soft.  I combined it with some leftover coffee grounds which have anti-inflammatory benefits, a high antioxidant tea, and some oats for a gentle exfoliation.  A quick and simple way to rejuvenate the skin.

I'm probably going to try this on my whole body next so I'll eventually let you know how that goes.

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Black "Sand" Scrub 1 cup leftover coffee grounds 2 tablespoons macadamia oil 1/4 cup of steel cut oats Contents of 1 tea bag of a high antioxidant tea

Combine coffee, oil, oats, and tea in a small disposable bowl until everything is well blended in the oil.  Scrub into skin using a circular motion.