DIY Sugar Scrub Recipe for Smooth Skin: Homemade Body & Face Scrub

Sugar scrubs are excellent for exfoliating and moisturizing the skin. This simple sugar scrub recipe uses just three main ingredients: sugar, coconut oil, and essential oils.

I make many homemade skincare products at home, and sugar scrubs were one of the first DIY projects I tried. I received a vanilla brown sugar scrub as a gift years ago and, when it ran out, I wanted to recreate it—thus beginning my DIY skincare journey. Since then I’ve made salt scrubs, pink salt scrubs, and coffee scrubs.

Sugar scrubs are simple to make and highly versatile. Below I explain the basics of making sugar scrubs and how to choose different sugars, carrier oils, and essential oils to create the perfect scrub for your skin.

What is a Sugar Scrub?

A sugar scrub is an exfoliating skin product made from sugar, a carrier oil, and a fragrance or scent. Although you can buy scrubs, making them yourself is economical and lets you control every ingredient. If you’re sensitive to essential oils you can use dried herbs or omit fragrance altogether. If coconut oil doesn’t suit your skin, choose another carrier oil—DIY skincare lets you customize to your preferences.

Ingredients for homemade body scrubs:

Sugar: Use white organic sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, or coconut sugar. Cane sugar is standard for most scrubs and is nearly scentless; brown sugar and coconut sugar bring a gentle, sweet aroma.

Carrier Oil: Choose a skin-loving carrier oil. Popular options include:

• Virgin coconut oil
• Fractionated coconut oil
• Avocado oil
• Jojoba oil
• Sweet almond oil
• Olive oil
• Macadamia nut oil
• Grapeseed oil

Scents: Add essential oils, plant extracts, or dried herbs to scent the scrub. Essential oils are concentrated, so use them sparingly and follow safety guidelines for topical use.

Preservative/Antioxidant (optional): Preservatives aren’t required for a sugar scrub since the sugar and oil combination resists bacterial growth, but antioxidants can help slow oil rancidity. Vitamin E oil and rosemary antioxidant are natural options. If you prefer a formal preservative, Geogard ECT is an example used in DIY skincare at 0.6–1% of the formula; follow manufacturer instructions and safety precautions if using a preservative.

Below are some favorite essential oil blends for this sugar scrub:

• Peppermint (15–20 drops) — a bright scent, great for holiday-themed scrubs.
• Lavender (15–20 drops) — calming and skin-friendly.
• Vanilla & Lavender (15 drops vanilla, 10 drops lavender) — a relaxing, warm blend.
• Grapefruit & Lime (use with caution) — zesty and uplifting. Avoid sun exposure after using citrus oils, as they can be photosensitizing.

How To Make A Simple Sugar Scrub

Equipment

• Mixing bowl
• Whisk or hand mixer (food processor optional for a whipped texture)
• Jars or mason jars for storage

Ingredients

• 1 cup white, brown, or coconut sugar
• 1/4–1/2 cup carrier oil (coconut oil is popular)
• 15–20 drops essential oils
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs (optional)

Combine one cup of sugar with 1/4 cup oil to start. Whisk until evenly combined. If the mixture feels dry, add more oil a tablespoon at a time until the scrub holds together without being greasy. Add essential oils gradually: start with 10–15 drops, mix, then add more in small increments until you reach the desired fragrance. If using an antioxidant or preservative, add it now following recommended usage rates and safety precautions.

Transfer the scrub into air-tight jars, label each jar with the scent and creation date, and store in a cool, dark place.

How To Use

1. Use 1–2 tablespoons of scrub to exfoliate a section of skin at a time.
2. Gently massage in circular motions; avoid scrubbing too hard to prevent irritation.
3. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. If your scrub contains herbs, consider a drain catcher to prevent clogging.

Homemade Sugar Scrub Recipes

Here are three favorite variations based on the basic recipe. Each uses different sugars, oils, and scents to give varied textures and aromas while helping exfoliate and moisturize dry skin.

Coconut & Vanilla Brown Sugar Scrub

Ingredients:

• 1 cup organic brown sugar
• 4–6 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 15–20 drops vanilla essential oil or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Combine brown sugar and melted coconut oil in a bowl.
2. Add vanilla essential oil or extract and mix thoroughly.
3. Transfer to an air-tight jar.

Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 4–6 tablespoons pumpkin seed oil or carrier oil of choice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch of ground clove

Directions:

1. Mix the sugars and oil in a bowl.
2. Combine the spices in a small bowl, then add them to the sugar mixture and stir until incorporated.
3. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

Lavender Sugar Scrub

Ingredients:

• 1 cup organic cane sugar
• 4–6 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 15–20 drops lavender essential oil
• 1 tablespoon dried lavender buds (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine sugar and melted coconut oil in a bowl.
2. Add lavender oil and buds, then mix thoroughly.
3. Pack into an air-tight jar for storage.

If you enjoy this sugar scrub recipe, try other homemade scrubs like coffee scrubs, lemon sugar scrubs, Himalayan salt scrubs, or lip scrubs. These simple, natural products make thoughtful gifts when stored in pretty jars with labels.

Originally published December 19, 2020. Updated with new images and notes on November 9, 2021 and September 8, 2022.