By Chelsa Skees
As the hot summer months creep near, I have been in the market for a good scrub to keep my skin exfoliated and moisturized. I have tried several types of scrubs, from high-end to drugstore, from salt to sugar. I started keeping track of which ones I liked best and why I liked them; then I came to the realization that I could make my own custom product for a portion of the cost.
My skin is on the drier side, so I knew I wanted to use a sugar scrub rather than a salt scrub; they're less drying. As for the other ingredients, I did a little research on the various types of essential oils to learn a little more about their benefits.
The results are below: my perfect sugar scrub recipe, background on the ingredients, plus a how-to tutorial so you can make your own scrub:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup body oil (I used a lavender-scented moisturizing oil)
- 1 teaspoon argan oil
- 1 teaspoon rose hip oil
- 1 teaspoon lavender oil
- Airtight container
A little background on the ingredients:
- Brown and white sugar — I like the roughness of brown sugar and the fineness of white sugar, so mixing them together makes a superb consistency for a scrub: not too rough, not too fine.
- Body oil — Any body oil works. Other alternatives that work nicely are olive oil, almond oil or even Neutrogena Body Oil.
- Argan oil — If you've never heard of this before, you should read up on it: It helps protect against wrinkles, reduce skin irritation, repair elasticity and remedy dry skin (but is also great for oily skin types). Not to mention, this oil is also amazing for your hair!
- Rose hip oil — It contains vitamin A, which helps delay the effects of skin aging, assists with cell regeneration, and promotes collagen. This should result in firmer, smoother, and more youthful skin, with greater elasticity. Rose hip seed oil also contains a high amount of essential fatty acids and vitamin E, which further promotes healthy skin.
- Lavender oil — Used only for extra fragrance.
- Airtight container — You will need something to store your product in! Of course you can use any airtight container, but my favorite to use are vintage style glass jars with hinge lids.
Besides the ingredients, you will also need a large bowl, spoon and measuring cups. Now we are ready to begin!
In no specific order, add all of your ingredients into a bowl and mix well. The sugar should look "fluffy." You can always test out your blend over the sink on your hands to decide if you want to add more oil or sugar to get the consistency you prefer.
Once your ingredients are blended well, you are ready to bottle your scrub for storage. Spoon your mixture into your preferred container. Using the back of your spoon, press the scrub down occasionally to ensure you get the most amount of scrub in your container.
That's it: Your scrub is finished and ready for use!
Tip: This recipe produces enough scrub for two 7-oz. containers (as seen in the photos); therefore, it's perfect to make one for you and one for a friend. I gave my second scrub to my mom for Mother's Day. Gifts are always more special when they are handmade. A gift card and a bow made of twine is all you'll need. Happy scrub-making!
Chelsa Skees is currently working as a freelance fashion stylist and writer. Her favorite color is gray, and she can beat just about anyone in a bubble-blowing contest.
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