A sugar scrub is simply sugar (the exfoliant) suspended in oil (the moisturizer). The classic ratio is 2 parts sugar : 1 part oil — adjust for a drier, grittier scrub (more sugar) or a wetter, gentler one (more oil). Because there's no water, it keeps for months.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar (white for fine, raw/brown for coarser/gentler-melting)
- ½ cup carrier oil (sweet almond, coconut, jojoba or olive)
- 10–15 drops essential oil (citrus, vanilla, peppermint)
- Optional add-ins: 1 tsp honey, lemon zest, a little vitamin E
Step-by-step
- Mix. Stir the sugar and oil together until it looks like wet sand. Add more sugar for grittier, more oil for smoother.
- Scent. Stir in the essential oil and any add-ins.
- Jar it. Spoon into a clean, completely dry jar.
- Use. In the shower, massage onto damp skin in circles, then rinse. Skip the face.
💧 Keep water out
Water in the jar is what spoils an oil-based scrub. Scoop with a dry spoon (not wet fingers in the shower) and it'll stay good for months.
Variations
Coffee scrub: swap half the sugar for used coffee grounds. Lemon-sugar: olive oil + lemon zest + lemon EO. Brown sugar vanilla: brown sugar + coconut oil + vanilla. Salt version: swap fine sea salt for sugar (more detoxifying feel, a bit harsher).
FAQ
Sugar or salt? Sugar is gentler and dissolves quicker; salt is more abrasive and great for feet. Coconut oil hardens in winter — warm the jar or use a liquid oil. Face scrub? Use a much finer exfoliant (like ground oats) — table sugar is too rough for facial skin.