Unlike sugar scrubs made with only oils and sugar, emulsified sugar scrubs become a creamy exfoliating lotion upon contact with water, leaving no oily residue, but only soft, supple skin behind.
One of the most common DIY beauty products that can be found online is sugar and salt scrubs. Perhaps the main reason that these products are so popular is that they are very easy to make. Basically, you take some oil and mix it together with either sugar and salt, and you’re essentially done. Sure, you can customize your recipe with different oils, sugar types, essential oils, and/or add in other exfoliants or colorants, but most of these recipes are essentially the same.
I’m not going to criticize these recipes. In fact, one of the first DIY recipes on my blog was a brown sugar lip scrub. As you may have guessed, I mostly used it to exfoliate my lips, but also tried using it in the shower to exfoliate my skin.
The benefit of emulsified sugar scrubs
The problem with regular sugar scrubs is that they tend to be messy to use. The oil doesn’t provide a lot of structure for your product, so it’s usually hard to scoop into your hands to use in the shower. Sure, you can use coconut oil to give it more body, but as soon as the weather warms up, you’re back to a more liquid product.
You could, of course, add some butters and/or waxes to the scrub to thicken it, but we’re still left with the main problem with sugar scrubs, the oily residue. Because it’s an oil-based product, you usually end up with oil all over your hands, and body, and shower, as well as the container you’re using for your sugar scrub. I liked the smooth feeling of my legs and arms after exfoliating with my homemade sugar scrub but didn’t like the feel of the oily residue all over my body.
Emulsified sugar scrubs don’t leave that sort of oily residue behind. Because they include an emulsifier as one of their ingredients, when the oils and waxes of the product come in contact with water, they basically form an emulsion, or a lotion, on your skin while you are exfoliating away. In the end, emulsified sugar scrubs are like exfoliants and lotions in one product. You’re essentially making an exfoliating creamy cleanser right on your skin as you scrub away.
If you’re lazy like I am, and don’t like having to exfoliate, rinse, and then use lotion once out of the shower, this emulsified sugar scrub is the perfect solution. It leaves your skin clean, smooth, and lotioned up. (Is that a word?)
Watch me make this easy, emulsified sugar scrub:
Should you add a preservative to your sugar scrub?
Because this is still an oil-based product, without any water in it, you technically don’t have to add a preservative to it. The problem with not using a preservative, though, is that you use this product in a very wet environment and likely scoop it out of the jar with wet hands. The likelihood of moisture contaminating your product is very, very high.
That’s why preservatives are usually added to these types of products, and why you have to be very, very careful using it if you choose not to add a preservative. You could even consider adding less sugar and less wax to the scrub so that you end up with a thinner product that you could more easily dispense from a silicone travel tube dispenser or another type of flip cap dispenser. That would allow you to dispense the product without touching it and would help keep water from contaminating your product.
Customizing the emulsified sugar scrub
There are several ways that you can customize this recipe to better suit your taste.
Changing the exfoliant: Salt, sugar, or brown sugar?
While I made this a sugar scrub, you could just as easily add salt to the recipe instead. Salt tends to be a bit more abrasive because the granules aren’t as round and it takes longer for the salt to dissolve, but it really depends on the coarseness of whatever you choose to use. Brown sugar usually has smaller granules and tends to be a lot less abrasive, making it a great option for exfoliating your face.
How much sugar should I use?
When I first made the recipe, I used 120g of sugar and found it to be a nice texture. The next time I made it, I decided I would add more sugar, around 30g more, thinking I’d end up with a thicker scrub (and more of it). In the end, I think it may be a bit on the thick side (as you can see at the end of my video when I’m applying the scrub). It still works well, especially if you are applying it to wet skin, but is a bit harder to apply if it isn’t thinned out with a bit of water. I think somewhere between 120g-150g is a good guideline, and you can adjust the amount to achieve the consistency you prefer.
Customizing the fragrance
I used a combination of lavender, rosemary, and lemon essential oils because I tend to favor citrus herbal scents. You can change the essential oils, though, to suit your tastes. I like lavender because it is calming and soothing for relaxing after a busy day. Lemon can be both soothing or invigorating depending on what you mix it with and when you use it. I don’t normally measure out my essential oils, but use my nose to help decide how much to add.
Which emulsifying wax should you use?
You can use any emulsifying wax that you may happen to have on hand. If you make your own homemade lotions, you should already have one or two of them at home.
If you are very concerned about making a very natural emulsified sugar scrub, consider using an emulsifying wax like olivem. Olivem is a vegetable based emulsifier that is derived from olives. It is allowed in natural, organic products that use the ECO-CERT certification. Olivem is a great option for an emulsifying scrub, too, because some people say that it has a bit of a soap feel to it. In the case of a cleanser, that is more of an advantage than a disadvantage.
Basic, Easy Emulsified Sugar Scrub
Emulsified Sugar Scrub
Ingredients
- 50 g oil I used sweet almond oil
- 10 g cocoa butter
- 10 g shea butter
- 10 g beeswax or candelilla wax
- 15 g emulsifying wax Olivem is a great choice for this!
- 1 g essential oil (I used lavender, rosemary, and lemon)
- 1 g cosgard or other natural preservative used at the recommended dose
- 150 g sugar (Use less for a slightly thinner product)
Instructions
- Weigh out ad mix together the first 5 ingredients: the oil (but not essential oils), butters, and waxes.
- Melt the oils, butters, and waxes over a double boiler (or in the microwave, if you prefer).
- Once melted, remove from the heat, and stir occasionally as the mixture cools. You can use a mixer to help blend everything together and make a creamy mixture, but it’s not essential.
- Once your mixture has cooled down quite a bit (ideally below 45ºC/115ºF), you can begin to add the essential oils and preservative.
- Make sure the essential oils and preservative are well incorporated into your oils and then begin to add the sugar. Add slowly, and stir constantly, so you can gauge the consistency of the product. Add as much sugar as you like to achieve the desired consistency. (I like it somewhere between 120-150g.)
- To use your sugar scrub, scoop out a small amount in your hands and begin to rub over your wet arms and legs (or any areas you want to exfoliate and hydrate) in a circular motion. As the mixture comes into contact with the water, a lotion will be formed, and the sugar will begin to dissolve, making the product smoother and less abrasive. Rinse any remaining sugar crystals off, and pat your skin dry. Your skin should now feel smooth and hydrated.
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Sophia
Thank you for publishing this! One question: the recipe doesn’t have a total yield! I’m making a large batch for gifts and want to get the volume right.
Tracy Ariza, DDS
Hi Sophia,
It makes somewhere between 200-250g. In volume, you can see I made the small jar in the picture. I’m not sure what the exact volume is of that jar.,
Genevieve
Hello
Do i have to have beeswax? What purpose does it serve in the scrub?
Tracy Ariza
Hi Genevieve,
No, you can definitely ditch the beeswax. It just thickens up the scrub to make it easier to apply. You can also thicken it by using more of one of the butters or just by adding more sugar.
Genevieve
Hi Tracy
Thank you for your reply.
I notice you don’t use stearic acid in your scrub. It is listed in so many emulsifying scrubs. It doesnt appear to be a necessity. What is its purpose?
Khalia
Hey what’s the shelf life for this product? Also do you think I can use a natural lemon instead of the lemon essential oil?
Tracy Ariza
The shelf-life, as written, is basically as long as the individual ingredients you’ve used. Because there is no water in this product, there is no reason for it to go bad sooner, unless you contaminate it with water while using it.
If you add natural lemon juice instead of the lemon essential oil, you’d then definitely need a preservative (because you are adding a water-based ingredient to the product). You’d also end up lowering the shelf life of the product. You’d have to be careful about trying to filter the juice well, too, as food-type ingredients also tend to be food for bacteria and mold. The more of those ingredients that you add, the harder it is to successfully preserve the final product.
Rebecca
Hi there! I was wondering, if I didn’t want to use the butters and wax, could I just straight up not add them or would I then also have to change the ratio of the other ingredients like oils? Thanks! So excited to try this out 🙂
Tracy Ariza
Hi Rebecca,
Normally, I’d say that you’d want to sub them out for something else that will make the product more solid, but in the case of a sugar scrub, it isn’t really necessary. The emulsifier will already make it thicker than a sugar scrub made with only sugar and oils. So, I’d say to try it out. It’s a pretty forgiving recipe so you can definitely play with the ratios and with whatever ingredients you happen to have on hand. Try to keep the percentage of the emulsifier about the same. (So, you can sub out the butters and wax for more oils. If you find it too thin, then lower the amount of oils or just add more sugar.) ?
Maria
Dear Tracy
Thank you so much for your lovely recipes.
About this recipe, do you think I can use BTMS as a emulsifying wax?
Thank you
Warmly,
maria
Tracy Ariza
Hi Maria,
Yes, I think it would work perfectly here!
SRE
Hi!
This recipe looks great and I am really excited to try it! I just have one problem, I am allergic to almond, so I cannot use the sweet almond oil. Is coconut oil an ok substitute? Or is there something else you would recommend.
Tracy Ariza
Hello,
Yes, you can use a different oil. Coconut oil is fine. If it’s too thick, you may want to use a more liquid oil or use slightly less emulsifier.
Amberleigh
I really would love to try this recipe, but I have a question. I have a body butter that I adore from a small business, but I’d love to take about half of it and make it into this type of sugar scrub. Is this possible without adding anything that could compromise the smell of the lotion?
Tracy Ariza
Hi Amberleigh,
Well, you could experiment with taking a very tiny amount and just adding the sugar to it to see what would happen. It won’t be emulsified, because body butters normally don’t have water-based ingredients or emulsifiers, but it’s already a thick consistency that should hold the sugar well.
There is the possibility of heating it gently and adding the already melted emulsifier and stirring them together, but in that case you risk 2 things. If the body butter was whipped, you’ll lose the airy texture unless you re-whip it as it cools. Also, as you mentioned, there is the possibility that the scent is heat sensitive and could be compromised by heating it.
Janki
Thanks for the lovely recipe…please, pretty please can you make a thinner face scrub recipe for us to try. Would love to see a face scrub recipe on your site. Love your website, it’s so helpful. Thanks
Tracy Ariza
Hi Janki,
Great idea!
Sure, I can work on something like that.
There are other ways to make something like that too. Maybe I can work on a couple of different options.
This fall, when my son goes back to school, I’ll have more time to formulate a bunch of new products so I imagine I’ll be publishing a lot more again!
Janki
Hi, could you use this as a face scrub, would love a good face scrub recipe. Thanks
Tracy Ariza
Hi Janki,
Yes, of course!
I’ve used it as a facial scrub before.
What I would recommend, especially if you have sensitive skin, is to try brown sugar instead for a facial scrub. Brown sugar isn’t as rough on the edges and has a finer grind so it won’t be as abrasive on your face. As you use the scrub, the edges will begin to dissolve and soften immediately, but it still is nice to start with something not-so-scratchy. 😉
Maria
This recipe is amazing, but I have so little time and I prefer to buy my body scrubs from a small boutique. My time is much important and I know for sure that I buy organic products.
Melissa
Hello I have a questions that I am so confused about when adding preservative to sugar scrub. I am using Cosgard at a rate of 0.8%. But am I using it at that rate in relation to the waxes and oils OR am I using that in relation to the oils, waxes, AND sugar? Basically am I calculating how much of my preservative to use based upon the total weight of the product (sugar included) or before the sugar is added? I am reading that sugar helps prevent microbial growth but it’s the mold that I am more concerned about. I have been reading different things. Some formularies do the preservative based on just the waxes and oils and others are figuring it out based upon the weight or everything, sugar included. Could you please please help me with this question. I would be forever grateful!!! Thank you so much ?
Tracy Ariza
Hi Melissa,
That’s a great question!
I actually have done it based on the total recipe, including the sugar. I do it that way to err on the safe side.
Certain ingredients can be self-preserving, like honey, but can then later make it so that a final product is more likely to go bad. I’m not sure about sugar. I was thinking the same way as you, though, about the sugar probably helping in prevent microbial growth. (Usually when they say “microbial” growth vs. “bacterial” growth, they are referring to a broad spectrum that includes both bacteria and molds.)
In any case, in a recipe like this one, it’s probably not going to make a huge difference. While it’s best to err on the side of caution, it’s not strictly necessary without any water-based ingredients.
What I’d suggest is that you can use the total amount of ingredients, but use the smallest percentage recommended for your preservative. So, if your preservative is normally used at a concentration of 0.5%- 1.5%, use the 0.5% rather than the around 1% that people normally use. Does that make sense?