DIY // homemade body scrub

I really like Tree Hut's Shea Sugar Body Scrub in Tropical Mango.  It's a pretty natural option and that's why I've been using it (plus it smells really yummy!).  But since I've switched to an all natural skincare regime, I thought...why not use an all natural and homemade body scrub as well... one that includes the nourishing oils, but not all of the chemicals.  It can't be that hard and it definitely has to less expensive.  So I decided to try it, and better yet, give it as Christmas gifts.  Well, it's been unanimously praised so I thought it time to share.  :)

Honestly, this is one of the easiest homemade beauty recipes I've tried (more to come on that).  It only takes 5 minutes with items you probably already have in your kitchen.  I found several recipes in my Google search that severed as inspiration for my own recipe.  The possibilities are nearly endless however: variations of salt, sugar, oil and essential oils abound, so it is easy to formulate your perfect scrub. I stuck to sugar this time...but I think I may experiment with salt next! 

 I actually made 4 sugar based scrub varieties in total; the other three, I will list at the end of this post, but the easiest is definitely the Brown Sugar Vanilla.  This scrub smells just like a sugar cookie and has a medium grain for a moderate scrub.  More white sugar produces a finer scrub, good for sensitive skin, and more raw sugar produces a coarser scrub, good for rough areas like elbows and knees & not as ideal for sensitive areas.

This recipe makes about 16 ounces of scrub and isn't too runny or too dry, but somewhere in the middle. If you like a runnier consistency just add extra tablespoons of oil, one at a time, until you are satisfied.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1/2 cup white sugar (pure cane) 

1/4 cup raw sugar (organic turbinado) 

5 tbsp sunflower oil 

4-6 drops vanilla extract

Add all of the sugars and vanilla to a small bowl.  Mix well, breaking up any clumps.  

Add the oil and mix to fully hydrate the sugar.  

Allow to sit for about 5 minutes, so oil can fully saturate the grains; mix again and adjust amount of oil or sugar if necessary (you want a pretty thick mixture; ideally the scrub should hold together if you pick up a dollop in your hand, but should not be so wet that oil is dripping). 

 Package in a clean jar (I used 16oz Ball Glass Preserving Jars from target).  

Now, you can jump right in for personal enjoyment or decorate with a bow and cute tag and give as a gift like I did.

Here are the other varieties that I made:

 Cinnamon Vanilla Brown Sugar Body Scrub (top)

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1/4 cup white sugar (pure cane) 

1/2 cup raw sugar (organic turbinado) 

6 tbsp apricot kernel oil

3-4 drops vanilla extract

several dashes of cinnamon

Lavender Vanilla Body Scrub (left)

1 1/4 cup white sugar (pure cane) 

1/2 cup raw sugar (organic turbinado) 

1 t lavender buds (dried)

7 tbsp sunflower oil 

1-2 drops vanilla extract

Coffee Body Scrub (right)

1 cup white sugar (pure cane) 

1/2 cup raw sugar (organic turbinado) 

1/4 cup coffee grounds 

7 tbsp apricot kernel oil

1-2 drops vanilla extract

 Well, I hope you will try this out.  It's a wonderful spa treatment right at home, that will only set you back about $3.50 for the whole 16 ounces including the mason jar (compared to Tree Nut at $7.49 for 18 ounces). When a refill will only cost about $2.60 (since I already have the jar),  I'd say I've found 

a permanent addition to my beauty arsenal!

Enjoy!