How to Make a Body Scrub at Home

What makes a good body scrub? The ingredients you need to make body scrubs are an exfoliator and oil. Some exfoliators you can use are sugar, salt, and seeds. The oil can be coconut, jojoba, or whatever oil you like the most.

There are two different types of body scrubs: 

• Anhydrous (Oil Base)

• Aqueous (Water Base)

Typical scrubs that use sugar and salt will be anhydrous. This is because sugar and salt dissolve in water. On the other hand, some aqueous body scrubs use sugar and salt.

A very simple body scrub that you can make is using only oil and sugar. You can do the formulation of 80% sugar and 20% oil. You can use your favorite oil. Put the sugar in a bowl and stir the oil into the sugar.

Which is Better: Sugar or Salt Scrub?

Sugar scrubs are best for sensitive skin types because it is gentle exfoliant. Using salt in a scrub could irritate your skin if you have any open cuts or wounds.

When deciding between sugar or salt in your scrub, look at what size grain you would like to use. Salt is larger than sugar. If you want a fine exfoliant in your body scrub, you should go with sugar.

Both sugar and salt are water-soluble, meaning that when you use them in the shower, they will quickly dissolve in the bath or shower water. They make no mess compared to seeds or other exfoliants in body scrubs.

Sugar in Body Scrubs

There are two different sugars that you can use in body scrubs: brown and white sugar. 

What is the best sugar to use for sugar scrubs?

The best sugar for a body scrub is granulated sugar, and the best sugar for a face scrub is brown sugar. Brown sugar is best for the face because it is not as coarse and rough as granulated sugar. 

Salt in Body Scrubs

The most common salt that you will see used in a body scrub is Himalayan salt. Some scrubs will use Epsom salts as well.

People will use salt in body scrubs because it is more abrasive than sugar leading to better circulation. Like dry-brushing, using a body scrub helps with blood flow.

Some will use salt in foot scrubs instead of sugar because it is more abrasive. Salt will help to exfoliate the calluses on the bottom of your feet.

What Oils are Best for Body Scrubs?

The most common oils to use in a body scrub are coconut, jojoba, almond, rice bran, and olive oil mentioned Matteo Essentials. These are only the most common that you will find in sugar or salt scrub recipes. 

These are just a few oils that you can use. You can mix and match different oils to get more benefits.

Other Ingredients to Use in Body Scrubs

There are many different ingredients that you can add to your body scrub. 

Exfoliants

Not only can you use sugar and salt in your body scrubs, but you can also add in seeds, coffee grounds, nutshells, and other ingredients that can be abrasive to the skin. 

Adding some of these ingredients will add different benefits your body scrub can offer your skin.

Oil Soluble Ingredients

You can use different types of oil-soluble ingredients in your body scrub. Some of these ingredients are butter, waxes, and fatty alcohols. 

Essential Oils

If you want your scrub to have a scent, you can add essential oils. You can use the essential oils for the benefits they offer your skin or just because you like how they smell.

Clays

Adding clays to a body scrub gives it fun pop of color or additional exfoliating properties.

Clays offer different benefits to body scrubs. For example, it helps clear the pores ridding your skin of blackheads and pimples. It also helps to nourish the skin because clays are rich in minerals.

Preservative

When creating a body scrub, it is a good idea to use a preservative. You can add a preservative even if you are not using any water ingredients in the product. 

The reason to use a preservative in a body scrub is typically people use it in or near a shower. This bring the body scrub in potential contact with water.

You do not need to add a preservative if you or the consumer place the body scrub in a bowl before going near the water.

Using optiphen in your oil-based body scrub keeps it from growing mold or bacteria.

Do You Use a Scrub Before or After a Shower?

It is best to use a body scrub before you use the shower. You can apply it while you are in the shower. This will keep any possible mess in the tub or shower area.

If you are going to shave and use a body scrub in the shower, it is best to exfoliate before shaving. Exfoliating before shaving will help you remove any dead skin cells, so you have a cleaner shave.

What Should You Apply After Scrubbing?

After using a body scrub, you should apply body butter or lotion. If you use a face scrub, you should apply a serum or face moisturizer after exfoliating your skin.

Applying body butter to your skin after a body scrub gives maximum hydration to your skin. It does this because of the oil and butter that it contains.

Making sure that your skin is hydrated and moisturized after using any exfoliation will keep your skin happy and healthy. 

Conclusion

Body scrubs are wonderful for exfoliating the body and making the skin glow. 

Do not use a body scrub every day. It is recommended to use it not more than twice a week. Some would say that using a body scrub once a week is the best practice.

Happy Scrubbing!