Sugar Scrub Recipe: Ready in 15 Minutes
A sugar scrub is sugar suspended in oil and butter, and the whole recipe fits in one bowl. This one, Soft Sugar Body Scrub, takes about 15 minutes and makes roughly 120 g from a 100 g formula. The ingredients are written in percentages, so a bigger jar is a matter of multiplying.
The formula (100 g)
| Ingredient | INCI | % | 100 g batch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine sugar | Sucrose | 55 | 55 g |
| Sunflower oil | Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil | 28 | 28 g |
| Shea butter | Butyrospermum Parkii Butter | 15 | 15 g |
| Vitamin E | Tocopherol | 1 | 1 g |
| Sweet orange essential oil (optional) | Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil Expressed | 1 | 1 g |
| Total | 100 | 100 g |
If you skip the essential oil, add the 1 g to the sunflower oil so the formula still totals 100 %.
Method
- Sanitise a jar and let it dry completely.
- Melt the shea butter gently, then mix it with the sunflower oil and vitamin E.
- Let the mix cool until it is just warm, then stir in the essential oil (if using).
- Fold in the sugar and spoon it into the jar.
Make it your own
| Change | How | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Softer grit | Use brown sugar | Gentler, finer feel |
| Richer feel | Swap shea for mango butter | Smoother, creamier scrub |
| Coffee version | See the Coffee & Sugar Body Scrub in the formulary | Different grit and scent |
| Salt version | Coarse sea salt scrub, 30 to 60 % salt | Coarser, for the body only |
How long does a sugar scrub last?
The recipe's planned shelf life is 6 months, in line with the 3 to 6 months listed for scrubs and polishes in the formulary. Three things decide whether yours gets there:
- Keep it dry. Sugar dissolves with water, and water in a jar invites microbes. Store it away from the shower spray and scoop with a clean, dry spoon instead of wet fingers.
- Use fresh oils. Sunflower oil oxidises faster than jojoba or squalane. The vitamin E slows that down, but does not stop it.
- Keep it cool and dark. A shelf away from the sun beats a sunny bathroom ledge.
Throw it away if it smells like paint or crayons, if it shows spots, or if it smells sour. The full table of shelf lives is in how long homemade skincare lasts.
Safety
- Use it on the body and avoid the face.
- Essential oils are optional. The guideline for rinse-off products like scrubs is up to 2 to 3 % total essential oil, and the recipe uses 1 %.
- Oils make a tub or shower floor slippery, so use a non-slip mat and step out carefully.
- Patch test a small amount on your inner forearm for 24 hours before regular use, and do not use it on broken or irritated skin.
See the essential oil dilution chart for the maximums by product type.
Package it as a gift
A jar of sugar scrub, a lip balm and a lotion bar make an easy thank-you set. The ideas in homemade spa gifts include tags and presentation. If you like making fizzy products, try the bath bomb recipe next.
The recipe in context
Soft Sugar Body Scrub is one of the 60 formulas in The Natural Skincare Formulary. The book also has formulas for a coffee scrub, a brown sugar polish and a citrus sea salt scrub, plus chapters on hygiene, measuring in grams and storage. A Quick-Start guide gives you a shopping list for a first set of ingredients.
