Guess what! It’s summertime!!!
And if your feet haven’t made it out of their shoes yet, they are bound to soon! My flip flops and sandals have certainly been getting a workout.
If you are like me, this means it’s time to spend a little more time on your feet, making them look, well, not so “unkempt” (ahem).
But sugar scrubs really aren’t just for feet. They can be used on other parts of the body that might be showing more in warmer months, as well. They are gentle enough to be used on the entire body, including the face.
Sugar Scrub Ingredients
As with most things, I usually make my sugar scrubs at home, because, well, it’s easy! And I usually have all of the ingredients hanging around anyway. So, it’s usually easier to whip up a batch in my kitchen, than it is to run out to the store.
What do you need to whip up a batch, you ask?
Most of my recipes call for just a few main ingredients: sugar, carrier oils, essential oils, and vitamin E oil.
Sugar
Sugar is, obviously, the main ingredient in sugar scrubs. But why sugar and not salt?
Sugar particles tend to be smaller and less abrasive than salt particles. Therefore, sugar scrubs are gentler on the skin, provide more moisture to the body and are just as effective in removing dead skin as salt scrubs.
Carrier Oils
When it comes to putting oils on the body, it is extremely important to use high quality oils. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again.
What you put ON your body is just as (or more) important than what you put IN your body.
This is because what you put on your body gets soaked right through your skin and goes straight into your bloodstream, without being filtered by the digestive system. That means that any toxins in low quality oils will also get into your bloodstream, unfiltered, which can be extremely dangerous over long periods of time.
Therefore, when choosing the right carrier oil to use, I always look to Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Avocado Oil, Virgin Coconut Oil, and even Beef Tallow from grass-fed, pastured cows as being healthy options.
Essential Oils
There is such a wide variety of essential oils on the market. You can really get creative with them.
Calming scents, like lavender and chamomile are always a great choice. Similarly, citrus scents are great for uplifting the spirit. There are also several woodsy scents that even make great sugar scrubs for guys.
When choosing an essential oil brand, it is important to know how the oils were sourced and how they were extracted. Look for oils that were extracted through steam distillation or mechanical methods, such as cold-pressing.
Vitamin E Oil
Vitamin E oil has two purposes for being added to sugar scrubs. One is for its many benefits to the skin. Vitamin E oil has a reputation for regenerating new skin cells, lightening brown spots and scars, nourishing the skin and minimizing wrinkles.
This oil is also an antioxidant. Therefore, when added to oil-based products, vitamin E oil helps prolong the shelf life of that product, which may oxidize if exposed to oxygen.
Top 5 Sugar Scrubs
1. Honey-Almond Sugar Scrub
Honey-Almond Sugar Scrub
Materials
- 1 Cup Cane Sugar
- ⅓ Cup Raw & Unfiltered Honey
- 2 Tbsp Sleepytime Tea (Strong-Brewed)
- 1 Tsp Almond Extract
- ½ Tsp Vitamin E Oil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well with a spoon. Store in two 4-ounce mason jars.
2. Lemon-Lime Sugar Scrub
Lemon-Lime Sugar Scrub
Materials
- 1 Cup Cane Sugar
- ½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ Tsp Vitamin E Oil
- 10 Drops Lemon Essential Oil
- 10 Drops Lime Essential Oil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well with a spoon. Store in two 4-ounce mason jars.
3. Mint-Eucalyptus Sugar Scrub
Mint-Eucalyptus Sugar Scrub
Materials
- 1 Cup Cane Sugar
- ½ Cup Avocado Oil
- ½ Tsp Vitamin E Oil
- 13 Drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil
- 7 Drops Peppermint Essential Oil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well with a spoon. Store in two 4-ounce mason jars.
4. Vanilla-Lavender Sugar Scrub
Vanilla-Lavender Sugar Scrub
Materials
- 1 Cup Cane Sugar
- ½ Cup Sweet Almond Oil
- ½ Tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ Tsp Vitamin E Oil
- 15 Drops Lavender Essential Oil
- 1-2 Tsp Dried Lavender Flowers (Optional)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well with a spoon. Store in two 4-ounce mason jars.
5. Whipped Sweet Orange Brown Sugar Scrub
Whipped Sweet Orange Brown Sugar Scrub
Equipment
- Electric Hand Mixer
Materials
- 1 Cup Coconut Palm Sugar (or Brown Sugar)
- ½ Cup Virgin Coconut Oil, Whipped
- ½ Tsp Ground Cinnamon (Optional)
- ½ Tsp Vitamin E Oil
- 20 Drops Sweet Orange Essential Oil
Instructions
- Add coconut oil to a bowl and whip it with an electric hand mixer.
- Add remaining ingredients to the bowl and combine well with the electric hand mixer.
- Store in two 4-ounce mason jars.
How Should I Store My Sugar Scrub?
When storing sugar scrubs, it is important that they be kept in an air-tight container to prevent water damage. Since essential oils can leach plastic into the scrubs (which will then be used on our skin) plastic containers are NOT an ideal choice for storing your scrubs.
I like to use small 4-ounce glass mason jars for my scrubs. If you are worried about rust forming on the twist-top lids over time, consider using a jar with a flip-style lid and stainless-steel fasteners, instead.
How Long Will My Sugar Scrub Last?
How long your sugar scrub will last, really depends on how you use it.
The best way to use a sugar scrub is to scoop out the portion you will use, without introducing any water to the jar. Once water is introduced to the jar, it MAY encourage mold to grow, since it is a natural product, without any preservatives. It is for this reason that I store my scrubs in small 4 ounce jars.
That being said, if the scrub is free of water, the vitamin E oil will prolong the shelf life of the scrub for several months or even a year! I have made several sugar scrubs that lasted for a year, without any traces of mold.
These sugar scrubs make great gifts for Mother’s Day, Christmas, and birthdays, as well as shower favors. I can even say that my husband likes the “manlier” scents I make. Hey, even guys have rough skin and need to exfoliate every once in a while! Who knows, your guy may even enjoy getting one of these for Father’s Day.
Hopefully you, or whomever you make a scrub for, can indulge in a little at-home spa time and have luxuriously smooth skin this summer…skin worthy of baring in the sunshine and of course…flip flops and sandals!
Do you make your own sugar scrubs? What is your favorite one? Please share below.
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