Why buy an expensive body scrub from the store when you can make your own at home? Go all-natural with these easy DIY recipes and ditch the store-bought chemicals.
Exfoliating your skin is beneficial and is an essential part of a healthy skincare regime. Some of the benefits of exfoliation are smooth, glowing skin, removing dead skin cells and impurities, moisturizing, anti-aging, and overall skin health. Body scrubs are commonly used ways to exfoliate. Let’s see some easy DIY ways to make your body scrub with natural ingredients.
To make any kind of body scrub, you need some items for preparation that you can easily find in your kitchen. Usually, you’ll need a mixing bowl, spoons, measuring spoons or cups, a container, a carrier/base oil, and essential oil. You’ll also need the main ingredients for each type of body scrub as described below.
Here are some of the most popular DIY body scrubs that you can make with ease in the comforts of your home without incurring much cost.
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Sugar Body Scrub
Sugar scrub is easy-peasy to prepare and the benefits are great. All you need is one cup of raw and white sugar each and half cup each of coconut oil and olive oil. Sugar is a popular exfoliator, and the oils help in delivering moisture. Once you mix all the ingredients into a bowl, the scrub is ready to use. Gently rub the mixture on clean and dry skin, and rinse it off. Once you pat it dry with a towel, apply moisturizer to rehydrate the skin.
Coffee Body Scrub
If you’re a coffee lover and love the smell of coffee, you’ll love this scrub. Simply mix half a cup of coffee grounds with two tablespoons of hot water and a tablespoon of warm coconut oil. While mixing, you can add more coffee grounds or oil to achieve the desired consistency. This mixture is not only a good exfoliator, but some scientific studies claim that caffeine diminishes the appearance of cellulite.
Shea Butter Body Scrub
If you have very dry skin or need extra moisturizing during the winter months, this is an excellent scrub for you. It’s moisturizing and leaves the skin soft and smooth. To make this scrub: Mix half a cup of shea butter to one-third cup olive oil. Add 1/8th tablespoon Vitamin E or almond oil and two-thirds cup of sugar.
Once it’s done, add a few drops of essential oil of your choice for additional benefits and aroma. A few popular essential oils that have great skin benefits, and also smell wonderful are: Geranium, Rosehip, Frankincense, Tea Tree and Sweet Orange.
Chocolate Body Scrub
To make a chocolate sugar scrub, you only need three ingredients, sugar, cocoa powder, and coconut oil. Mix the ingredients in equal quantities or to achieve the desired consistency. You can add more sugar if you want more exfoliation. Chocolates are considered to be great antidepressants. Along with being a gentle and moisturizing exfoliator, this scrub will uplift your mood. When you want to feel relaxed and destressed, this kind of chocolate therapy is exactly what you need.
For a more moisturizing effect, you can replace the coconut oil with melted cocoa butter. Not only will this give more moisture, but it also has a chocolatey scent that pairs well with the cocoa powder. This version is ideal during winter, or if you suffer from very dry skin.
Sea Salt Body Scrub
Sea salt is antibacterial and can be used to treat some skin conditions. You can also store the sea salt scrub in a container for a longer duration as salt is a natural preservative. Ground sea salt is a better option for this scrub than a coarse one, as that might get too abrasive for the skin. Moreover, if you have sensitive skin or cuts on it, it could sting. The recipe for this body scrub is simple. Combine sea salt with a base oil, such as olive or coconut, and add a few drops of essential oil, such as lavender. Add more essential oil if you want it to be more fragrant. Once your mix is consistent enough, store it in a container. This particular body scrub can last up to three months, if stored correctly.
Using Essential Oils for Aromatherapy
You can also customize the recipes according to your preference by mixing either salt or sugar with a carrier oil and essential oil. Below are some of the scrubs made with aromatic essential oils that are great mood boosters too:
Vanilla Sugar Body Scrub
Mix a cup of brown sugar with a quarter cup of jojoba oil, a few drops of almond or Vitamin E oil, and a few drops of vanilla essential oil.
Himalayan Salt Body Scrub
Mix a cup of fine Himalayan salt with a half cup of sweet almond oil and 10-15 drops of grapefruit essential oil. A word of caution – refrain from using this if your skin is too sensitive. Always do a patch test first to avoid a reaction.
Lemon Honey Sugar Body Scrub
To make a lemon honey sugar scrub, mix honey and sugar with jojoba oil, and add 10 to 15 drops of lemon essential oil.
Lavender Sugar Body Scrub
Lavender has calming properties and helps aid a good night’s sleep. It’s a great choice when you’re showering at night. Simply combine sugar, jojoba oil, and 10-15 drops of lavender essential oil.
Conclusion
In general, you should exfoliate your skin two – three times a week. For dry and dehydrated skin, once a week is sufficient. If you have a skin condition, it’s a good idea to consult a dermatologist before applying any body scrubs. These DIY recipes don’t use any chemicals or preservatives, so you should use them within one to two months.
Have you tried any of these body scrubs? What is your favorite?
