How to Make 3 Types of Sugar Scrubs – Ultimate Body Exfoliation Guide
Sugar scrubs are great physical exfoliants for the body, as it is sugary, effective, and can leave you with soft, healthy skin. The best part is you can make every type of sugar scrub at home for a fraction of the price.
This will also cut out any unnecessary ingredients like dyes, preservatives, and irritating fragrances.
How to Make Every Type of Sugar Scrub
Here is how to make a simple sugar scrub, a whipped version, and a foaming version.
Simple Sugar Scrub
This sugar scrub only takes about a minute or two to make! It is a very low-effort yet effective scrub.
Grab 200 grams of granulated and 50 grams of oil. This is about 1 cup of sugar, and 3.5 tbsp of oil. You can use any oil, like coconut, almond, or even avocado.
This oil may be a bit harsh for everyday use, as white sugar granules are large and jagged, so make sure not to use it daily. Remember not to get any water into this oil, so do not reach back in with wet hands in the shower.
Emulsified Sugar Scrub
The biggest difference for this one is the use of kinds of butter, as well as wax and oil.
Use about 15 grams, or 1 tbsp, of a butter like mango butter, cocoa butter, or shea butter. You’ll also need about 10 grams (2 tsp) of an emulsifying wax, like btsm. An emulsifying wax is an organic ingredient that is moisturizing for the skin and can bind products together.
Make this scrub even better by adding a pinch of cetyl alcohol, which is really just a moisturizing waxy solid for more skin hydration.
To this, add 86 grams of oil, which is about ⅓ cup to ½ cup, depending on the oil. Heat this over low heat and mix. Add vitamin E oil as an antioxidant for preservation as well.
Mix this with 80 grams of sugar (⅓ cup), adding more sugar if you want a more solid scrub.
The emulsified scrub tends to be very moisturizing and useful for people with drier skin.
Foaming Sugar Scrub
For a foaming scrub, you will need a surfactant, which causes foam. You can use one that is not too harsh like sodium cocoyl isethionate, which comes from coconut oil and is extremely gentle on the hair and skin.
Use about 35 to 40 grams of powdered surfactant, about 2 to 3 tbsp, along with 20 grams (about 1 to 2 tbsp) of liquid surfactant, like cocamidopropyl betaine. This is another gentle foaming ingredient commonly used for products designed for babies.
To this mixture, add 20 grams of water, 1 tbsp. Add 15 grams (1 tbsp) of humectant ingredients like sorbitol or glycerine to help the skin retain moisture as well. Mix this well.
In another cup add 10 grams (1 tbsp) of emulsifying wax, 10 grams (1 tbsp) of shea butter (or any other like mango), and a thicker like cetyl alcohol or stearic acid. You only need about a teaspoon of this or 4 grams. Finish off with 14 grams (1 tbsp) of oil.
Melt both of these down to a liquid and immediately mix them well. Let it cool, and then vitamin E oil as an antioxidant, and whip it together with a small mixer. This will make the scrub whip up and gain a creamy consistency. Add 60 grams of white sugar (¾ cup) to this and mix by hand.
Done! This scrub works well if you want that clean feeling after exfoliation.
Quick Tips!
Here are some super quick tips for a better scrub today!
Use Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is finer and more gentle than white sugar and may be a good option for people who are worried about over-exfoliating with a physical scrub.
Don’t Get it Wet
Getting any wet scrub can become contaminated with harmful bacteria. Use a scoop to get the product out without needing to dip your hands in it.
Store it on the Fridge
To preserve your scrub even more, store it in the fridge and take it out when needed! This will also give the scrub a refreshing, cooling effect when applied to the skin.
Add Essentials Oils
Caution with this one as some essential oils, like lavender, are known to cause skin irritation to some! Always patch test with a highly diluted essential oil and carrier oil mixture. Add some to your sugar scrub if you’re ok with them and not
Don’t Over Exfoliate
It might seem super tempting to start exfoliating every day with your new sugar scrub. Don’t do it! Even the skin of the body needs time to rest and recover after exfoliation, so try skin cycling on the body as well as the face.
Moisturize Afterwards
Make sure to replenish the hydration and moisture of the skin by following up with a moisturizing product with beneficial ingredients! We want the skin to look nice, and be healthy.
The Takeaway
DIY sugar scrubs are easy to make at home for a fraction of the price compared to store-bought ones.
It is very easy to make the different types, so check out the kinds and pick whichever you feel like making! You can add fragrance if you want. The three types discussed here are the simple scrub, the emulsified scrub, and the whipped, foaming scrub.
Remember not to overdo it on exfoliation, as this can actually damage the skin barrier instead of help. Follow up exfoliating products with a moisturizer for ultimate skin benefits and even try skin cycling for the body.
Your skin is something that should be protected and supported, as it protects our insides from the outside world. Use these scrubs but also continue with the basics, like applying sunscreen daily, using gentle cleansers, and finding moisturizers with ingredients that support skin health, like ceramides.
Health starts from within, so also consume healthy foods to help give the body the building blocks it needs to thrive.
