Mocha Mud Body Scrub was the featured item for the August Elixir Collective, this Limited Batch offering was crafted entirely with locally grown ingredients! Below you will find the note that accompanied each box. The Mocha Mud is available for purchase on its own here while they are still in stock. 

Amongst nature’s vast rainbow of botanical delights, the sweet nectars of the tropics are some of the most alluring ambrosias under the sun. Hawaii has become a home to such delectable flora as cacao, vanilla, coffee and sugarcane — each with intoxicating flavors and aromas that are almost universally beloved by the human palette. Through various forms of alchemy we are able to transform these otherwise inconspicuous and inedible fruits into masterpieces of delight; heat, fermentation, pressure and distillation are all involved in their metamorphoses into mediums that we can enjoy.

The Mocha Mud Body Scrub is a divine combination crafted entirely from Hawaiian sourced ingredients, incorporating all of the aforementioned flora. The exfoliating base consists of Maui cane sugar, Kona coffee, and local cacao shells sourced from throughout the islands. Macadamia oil from Maui binds them all together into a luscious and nourishing formula. A bit of home brewed vanilla extract, made from Maui rum and Big Island vanilla beans, helps to preserve the blend while adding subtle sweetness to the scent. All of these decadent botanicals combine in a richly aromatic exfoliator to rejuvenate your skin.

Exfoliation is a beauty ritual that dates at least as far back as the ancient Egyptians and their pomace stones, but it has been popularized throughout history: wine baths of the Middle Ages, full body scrubs at Asian spas and Middle Eastern bathhouses, and dried corn body brushes utilized by Native Americans all made use of physical and chemical exfoliants. Derived from the Latin ‘exfoliare’ — which means ‘to remove leaves’ — the practice of exfoliating accelorates our skin’s own natural process of renewing itself. Skin cells created in the dermis assemble into layers and are slowly pushed upward as newer cells are created beneath them; when they finally reach the surface, we eventually shed them. Scrubbing helps to remove these dull cells for smoother skin overall, while encouraging local blood flow to keep the epidermis healthy and glowing.

Mocha Mud is designed for exfoliating rough and dry areas of the skin — elbows, knees and feet are all ideal candidates. Because of its coarseness, I do not recommend this scrub for your face {I personally don’t recommend facial exfoliation, but if it’s a part of your routine, always be sure to stick with soft, minimally abrasive grains for your most delicate complexion}. The Mocha Mud is best used while bathing: work a small amount over skin in circular motions and rinse clean. To get the most out of the scrub’s hydrating properties, use after washing with soap to keep the oils on your skin; try before shaving for ultra smooth results. Keep in mind that products with oil {like this one} can leave your shower floor slippery! Help preserve your Mocha Mud by keeping water out of the jar, and if the smell changes, discontinue use. This elixir should last three to six months, if you don’t use it all up sooner!