Exfoliating the skin with scrubs made of natural ingredients is even more beneficial. Natural ingredients hydrate, moisturize and nourish the skin, leaving it with a firmer, smoother, and softer appearance. Homemade body scrubs are healthy alternatives to chemical-based scrubs because they are free of harsh chemicals. These scrubs gently remove dead skin cells and dirt build-up, leaving your skin with a vibrant and bright appearance. Moreover, it is easy to prepare homemade scrubs using ingredients that are mostly available in every home. Here are 5 easy body scrubs recipes you can make at home:
Peppermint Sugar Scrub
Peppermint sugar scrub brightens skin’s complexion and promotes skin’s firmness. Both ingredients included in this scrub offer different benefits to the skin. Sugar serves as a natural humectant. It absorbs moisture from the air and carries it into the skin. Therefore, sugar helps skin retain moisture and keeps it hydrated. Whereas, peppermint essential oil has menthol and menthone compounds in its structure that are beneficial for skin’s health in several ways. Menthol soothes irritated skin and calms itchiness. It has antibacterial and antimicrobial attributes that help remove acne-causing bacteria and prevent the skin from further breakouts. Menthone has antiseptic properties that comfort irritated skin and calm redness and inflammation.
Peppermint essential oil helps fade the appearance of discoloration and dark spots, leaving it with a clearer and brighter appearance. Furthermore, peppermint essential oil has astringent properties that help tighten pores and support skin’s suppleness.
Peppermint Sugar Scrub Recipe:
- In a small glass container add 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
- Add 2 tablespoons of fractionated coconut oil or almond oil
- Add 5-7 drops of peppermint oil
- Mix the ingredients thoroughly before use
- Store the mixture in a well-sealed glass container in the fridge or a in a cold, dark, and dry place
- It should last up to 4 weeks
- Keep it away from water otherwise, it will become rancid quicker
Yield: 8 ounces
Lavender Salt Scrub
Lavender salt scrub is a perfect combination that promotes skin’s health. It helps brighten skin’s complexion, promotes even skin tone, and refreshes its appearance. Salt helps remove the buildup of dirt and dead skin cells from the skin. It has a high mineral content that provides hydration to the skin and softens its surface. However, salt granules can be rougher on the skin than sugar granules. Therefore, salt scrubs are best for exfoliating the skin around legs, arms, and feet. Another ingredient mixed in this scrub is lavender essential oil, which offers many health-boosting benefits to the skin.
Lavender essential oil has antiseptic, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties that are soothing for the skin. It helps calm skin inflammation, itchiness, and redness. Lavender essential oil is also an antioxidant, which helps brighten skin’s complexion and fades the appearance of wrinkles. It is said to be therapeutic for sensitive and acne-prone skin.
Lavender Salt Scrub Recipe:
- In a medium glass container add 1/3 cup of coconut oil
- Add 1 cup of salt (Himalayan or Sea Salt)
- Add 15 drops of lavender essential oil
- Add 1 tablespoon of fractionated coconut oil
- Mix the ingredients thoroughly before use
- Store the mixture in a well-sealed glass container in the fridge or in a cold, dark, and dry place
- It should last up to 1 month
- Keep it away from water otherwise, it will become rancid quicker
Yield: 8 ounces
Cinnamon Coffee Sugar Scrub
This scrub carries the skin-nourishing benefits of coffee, sugar, and cinnamon essential oil altogether. Coffee helps enhance skin’s suppleness as it is known to promote collagen levels. It is a source of nourishment and hydration for the skin and improves its overall health. Coffee has antioxidant properties that help fade the appearance of blemishes and dark spots. Moreover, due to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, coffee calms inflamed skin and protects it from germs.
Cinnamon essential oil is known for soothing dry skin and promoting even skin tone. It naturally contains eugenol and eugenol acetate compounds in its chemical composition. These compounds offer antiseptic, analgesic, and antioxidant characteristics. Therefore, they help brighten the skin’s complexion and calm irritated skin. Moreover, cinnamon oil has cinnamyl acetate, which provides moisturization to the skin and helps soothe skin dryness and roughness.
Cinnamon Coffee Sugar Scrub Recipe:
- In a medium glass container add 1/3 cup of brown sugar
- Add 1/3 cup of granulated sugar
- Add 2/3 cup of coconut oil
- Add ½ cup of ground coffee
- Add 5-7 drops of cinnamon essential oil
- Add 3-4 drops of vitamin E oil
- Mix the ingredients thoroughly before use
- Store it in an air-tight glass container in the fridge, or in a cold, dark, and dry place
- It should last up to 1month
- Keep it away from water otherwise, it will become rancid quicker
Yield: 8 ounces
Green Tea Scrub
Green tea helps to enhance the skin’s health in several ways. It has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties that help protect the skin from environmental damage that causes it to look dull and rough. Moreover, green tea is known to promote collagen levels and improve skin’s firmness. It is also effective in calming redness, inflammation, and irritation on the skin. Furthermore, green tea has vitamin B-2 that nourishes the skin, promotes its suppleness, and leaves the skin looking youthful and refreshed.
Another ingredient included in green tea scrub is coconut oil, which is a rich source of moisturization for the skin. Coconut oil is known to soothe skin dryness, promote skin’s firmness, and help soften the appearance of wrinkles. Moreover, its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties help brighten skin’s complexion and maintain the skin’s health.
Green Tea Scrub Recipe:
- In a large container add 1 cup of granulated sugar
- Add 1 cup of coconut oil
- Add 1 tablespoon of matcha green tea
- Pour the mixture into a cube tray
- Keep it in the freezer for 5-10 minute before use
- Store it in a well-sealed glass container in the fridge
- It should last up to 4 weeks
- Keep it away from water otherwise, it will become rancid quicker
Yield: 8 ounces
Cucumber Body Scrub
Cucumber is replete with nutrients, minerals, and vitamins that are vital for healthy skin. It naturally contains vitamin C and caffeic acid that soothe inflamed and irritated skin, leaving it with a healthy glow. Cucumber is a rich source of hydration, with 96% of its composition containing water content. It keeps the skin hydrated, relieves itchiness, and soothes dryness. Moreover, its peels contain silica, that firms sagging skin, promotes collagen production, and fights the signs of aging. Cucumbers also contain potassium, vitamin A, K, B, and sulfate, which are known for their nourishing properties for healthy skin. Furthermore, due to its antioxidant properties, cucumbers lighten the appearance of dark spots, blemishes, and discoloration.
Coconut oil is another ingredient incorporated to create this revitalizing scrub for skin. Coconut oil’s moisturizing properties soften skin’s texture and improve skin’s elasticity and firmness. It exhibits antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties that soothe skin irritation and fight against acne-causing bacteria. The antioxidants in its composition, such as vitamin E and vitamin A, help fight free radicals that damage the skin’s health and accelerate its aging process. Furthermore, coconut oil contains oleic acid that offers antioxidant and moisturizing properties, leaving the skin with a silky, smooth, and bright appearance.
Cucumber Body Scrub Recipe:
- In a large glass container add 1 cup of white sugar
- Add ¾ cup of chopped cucumbers
- Add ¼ cup of coconut oil
- Mix the ingredients thoroughly before use
- Transfer the mixture into an air-tight glass jar
- Store it in the refrigerator
- It should last up to 2 weeks
- Keep it away from water otherwise, it will become rancid quicker
Yield: 8 ounces
Anti-Aging Strawberry Scrub
This scrub is great for combatting skin degradation from premature aging. “A beautiful and yummy at-home scrub for aging skin is puréed strawberries; it’s rich in antioxidants and vitamin C which help fight free radicals and boost collagen production,” she explains. “Strawberries also contain AHA exfoliating acid, so this makes for an effective but gentle armpit exfoliator to give your natural deodorant an extra boost. Adding a combination of ground oats is soothing, and coconut milk is a good place to start for hydration.”
Strawberry Scrub Recipe:
- 1 cup raw sugar
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup ground or even whole oats
- 1/4 cup pureed strawberries (you can also smoosh using the back of a fork)
- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl with a spoon.
Yield: 8 ounces
Energizing Citrus Scrub
In these cold, bleak months, a zesty citrus body scrub will not only boost your mood, but the collagen in your skin. Says Pelletier, “If you’re feeling the effects of the cold and less sunlight, take a trip to an imaginary tropical island with this citrus and tropical fruit mood-boosting scrub, which helps boost circulation and improve skin tone.”
Energizing Citrus Scrub Recipe:
- 1/2 cup sea salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup sunflower oil
- Zest of a lemon
- 2 Tbsp pureed papaya
- 10 drops orange essential oil
- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl with a spoon.
Yield: 8 ounces
Spirulina Scrub
“This dreamy green-hued scrub will make you feel like you are back at the ocean any time of year,” says Blankenship. “This exfoliating and detoxing body scrub mixes mineral-rich sea salt with epsom salt, which helps eliminate toxins and relieve tired muscles. Nourishing sea kelp stimulates blood flow and antioxidant-rich spirulina fights free radicals, helps skin retain moisture, and creates a beautiful jade green hue.
Spirulina Scrub Recipe:
- 1/2 cup fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup epsom salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 Tbsp french green clay
- 1 Tbsp spirulina powder
- 2 tsp kelp powder
- 10 drops lemongrass essential oil
- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl with a spoon. Put in an 8-ounce glass jar with a lid. Will keep for up to 6 months if kept dry.
Yield: 8 ounces
Hydrating Honey, Sage, and Oat Scrub
Davenport loves using this scrub in the fall for its cozy notes of sage, but any time is a good time to reap its hydrating benefits. “This scrub harnesses the power of oats which help treat dry skin and remove dead skin cells, softening honey, and sage which helps with skin regeneration.” Honey is also a natural antiseptic, meaning it could help with breakouts.
Honey, Sage, and Oat Scrub Recipe:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 1 Tbsp of dried sage leaves
- 1 Tbsp of honey
- Mix all ingredients together with spoon and put in an 8-ounce glass jar.
Yield: 8 ounces
Firming Body Scrub
Too much salt or alcohol? This scrub will help rid the body of the excess water you find pooling the morning after. (Bonus points if you add in a body-sized to boost lymphatic drainage.) “Juniper and grapefruit work together in this scrub that is ideal for… areas that could benefit from a lifting boost,” says Shannon Davenport, founder of Esker. “Anchored by the hydrating properties of juniper berry which tones and reduces water retention, grapefruit which reduces the appearance of puffiness, and lavender which has anti-inflammatory properties which can help deflate any swelling or irritation.”
Ingredients:
- 1 cup brown or cane sugar
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 Tbsp of juniper berries blitzed in a clean coffee grinder
- 1 Tbsp of dried lavender from the farmer’s market
- 10-15 drops grapefruit essential oil (or the zest of a fresh grapefruit)
- Mix all ingredients together with a spoon and put in an 8-ounce glass jar.
Yield: 8 ounces
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