Living up in the Great White North, we know a thing or two about winter, and more specifically, about dry, winter skin. In addition to regular moisturizing, my favorite way to beat the rough, dry winter skin is with a good body scrub.
But the store-bought stuff is way over-priced and sometimes too rough on sensitive skin, so of course I had to try making some at home. And you know what? It’s so easy, it’s much cheaper, and you can totally customize it to your liking!
Just start out with a basic recipe guideline (2 parts sugar/salt to 1 part oil) and customize to your heart’s content. 🙂 You can use either sugar or salt (I used a mixture of white and brown sugar), but just make sure it has small granules so it doesn’t tear at your skin.
As for the oil, my favorite is virgin coconut oil (buy at Tropical Traditions or Amazon) – I just love the way it smells and it’s health benefits are innumerable! Other great oils to use include olive oil, almond oil, grapeseed oil, and safflower oil.
The final touch to your homemade body scrub is the addition of your favorite essential oils – both for their scent, as well as their therapeutic properties. My go-to oil for bath products is lavender because it’s calming and relaxing – perfect for an at-home spa experience! Some other oils you can try include vanilla, jasmine, almond, chamomile, rosemary, and lemon, to name a few. (Buy essential oils here)
Once you’ve decided on your ingredients, simply mix the sugar/salt with the oil until nice and smooth. Then add your essential oils and mix well. Transfer the scrub into a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and you’re ready for business!
When you’re ready to use your scrub, step into your bath, wet your body with warm water for about 10 minutes, and put on some bath gloves or loofah mitts.
- After you’ve showered and your skin has been wet for about 10 minutes, spoon some of your homemade body scrub into your hands (or gloves/mitts) and rub the mixture over your entire body, in a circular motion.
- Try to always rub towards your heart – start at your feet and work up your legs; start at your hands and work up your arms, etc.
- Once your entire body is scrubbed, rinse off very well with warm water, then pat dry.
Some Extra Tips
- You most likely won’t need to moisturize afterwards, but if you do, go ahead and use your favourite lotion or a nourishing oil like almond or coconut oil.
- Don’t over-exfoliate! Once or twice a week is more than enough to keep your skin nice and soft. Any more and you could damage your skin.
- Always exfoliate before you shave (NOT after!) – it helps remove dead skin and lifts the hair follicles so they’re easier to remove.
Warning:
Oil-based body scrubs will leave your tub or shower floor slippery. Use caution when entering/exiting the tub, and clean the tub very well after each use. A simple paste of baking soda and liquid soap will cut the grease and clean the tub perfectly.
Homemade Body Scrub
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup cane sugar white, brown, or mixture of both; fine-grain salt can be substituted
- ½ cup coconut oil or olive oil
- 5-7 drops essential oil optional; lavender or lemon are great!
Instructions
- Add sugar and coconut oil to a small bowl and mix until smooth.
- Add essential oil and mix well.
- Spoon mixture into glass container with tight-fitting lid.
To use
- Scoop some out with a spoon (don’t dip your wet hands in the jar!), and scrub away all that dry, dead skin.
- Then rinse with warm water, and pat dry. Your skin will literally feel like silk!
I loved this body scrub amazing! My skin is super soft now. 😊.
Loved the scrub. It sure does smell amazing. I store this and all my other clean beauty cosmetics in my EcoRight eco-friendly cosmetic pouch. I feel it is important to have a green storage option if the products you are using are natural and organic. It feels great!
Sounds great, Chitra! Glad you enjoyed the scrub.
Hey
Loved this home made body scrub receipe. How many days in a week should be used ?
Thanks
Madhura
That’s up to you! I only have time to use it about once a week though.
I just tried this yesterday and it is awesome ! Thanks
Great recipe! Can’t wait to make this for my personal use. I do believe that scrubs are meant to be used from head to toe. Just want to ask, aside from Lavender, what are your top picks for essential oils? 🙂
Hey thanks !! for the idea of making homemade bodyscrub…
Hi,
Well-written and very informative article for general public. Wlll try this.
It was such a wonderful article dear and from my side I want to say that i am using shea moisture hand and body scrub from long and its really effective. SheaMoisture’s Coconut & Hibiscus Hand & Body Scrub is a hydrating body care solution formulated with natural ingredients designed to nourish and repair your skin.
I love Shea Moisture products, but haven’t tried their body scrub. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this post on body scrubs. Would you recommend also using the lavender and coconut oils for hair treatment. I have often seen coconut oils get recommended, but not sure about others oils such as lavender, olive, and almond oils.
http://homespa.me also has a lot of interesting uses of oils for homemade skin care treatment.
I’ve seen essential oils recommended in hair treatments, but honestly, I think you’d be better off looking into herbal infusions for hair treatment recipes.
I have made this once for myself only to find that my husband fell in love with it too… I’m just about to make another batch. I use spearmint and eucalyptus oils which smell divine! Thank you for a wonderful site! I’ve used many of your natural “recipes” and just love them!
Love when the husbands fall in love with our non-toxic body care products! 🙂
Great recipe! Looing forward to reading more from your blog. I’m obsessed with homemade beauty recipes.
http://www.wherefitnessmeetsbeauty.com/beauty/
Is their a cure for pigamentation?
What is a good alternative for the coconut oil? I think I’m allergic to it.
I haven’t tried it with anything besides coconut oil, but you could use olive oil, sweet almond oil, or grape seed oil.
I make a scrub with sugar and coffee granules but this one looks better
I’ve been meaning to try using coffee as well!
I can’t wait to try this, it sounds awesome! Gonna tweet it out right now 🙂
I just made this yesterday and it is wonderful! Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
Yay! Glad you liked it, Tamara! 🙂
This sounds wonderful! I love coconut oil as a moisturizer. Lavender is usually my go to essential oil for something like this. So soothing!
I am going to make this Right. Now. I’ve always made homemade scrubs, but used olive oil, and just wasn’t crazy about it – I LOVE coconut oil! *Why* didn’t I think of this?!?!?!
Yeah! I have all the ingredients and will be making this tonight!
I used to hate lavender, but I love it now! I am going to make this for sure! Thanks for sharing!