So spring has finally arrived! The air here in the mountains is still a bit crisp, but these 50-60 degree temps are a welcome change from the subzero nonsense we were dealt last month. And a hearty buh-bye to you, old man winter! In light of the warmer weather, I want to share one of my favorite homemade sugar scrub recipes. There is nothing better for sloughing away that dry winter skin like an all-natural, super exfoliating, delicious-smelling scrub.
If you’ve never used a sugar scrub then you are definitely missing out. They can be a bit expensive to buy pre-made, especially if you are picky about ingredients like I am. The great news is that making scrubs yourself is easy peasy, quick, cheap, and it gives you full control over what goes into the scrub. They also make great affordable gifts and it’s easy to add a ribbon or use a decorative container for festive presentation.
I use a sugar scrub twice a week and 1 recipe generally lasts me 1-2 months. Regular use has made a huge difference for my skin, and this is coming from someone who’s been dealing with eczema since the age of 4. There are endless combinations of ingredients that you can use to create a scrub that is perfect for you so I encourage you to play around. I will post a tutorial for creating your own scrub one of these days, but we’ll start here with one I came up with over the winter.
I formulated this recipe with a cappuccino in mind–cream, coffee, and just a hint of cinnamon. It’s the perfect pick-me-up for your morning shower and it smells absolutely divine. Just in case you’re not thrilled with the idea of walking around smelling like coffee all day, the scent doesn’t linger long so no worries. It exfoliates and seals in moisture, leaving your skin feeling silky and smooth.
The ingredients for this DIY Cappuccino Sugar Scrub Recipe are simple: sugar, ground coffee beans, vanilla, cinnamon and coconut oil. These are all pantry staples for me so it’s quick and easy to make a batch in a hurry when I run out. I use an old recycled 16 oz plastic tub with a lid to mix and store my scrub in. Mixing in your storage container saves on post-scrub-making cleanup. You can also use a glass jar if you wish, but the container can get a bit slippery with use due to the oil that’s in the scrub, so I prefer keeping mine in a plastic container.
Now a few notes on ingredients and we’ll get to the recipe. I use white granulated sugar, but any type of granulated sugar can be substituted. If you don’t have a coffee grinder you can use pre-ground coffee. I’ve used both pre-ground and freshly ground and have found that freshly ground smells better and I like grinding it a bit less finely than pre-ground, so that is my preference. I use vanilla paste because the consistency is more in line with what you want in a sugar scrub, however, I’m reasonably certain you could simply substitute the same amount of regular vanilla extract and it wouldn’t hurt at all.
Cappuccino Sugar Scrub Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 c granulated sugar
- ⅓ c freshly ground coffee
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tbsp vanilla paste
- ½ c coconut oil, melted
Method
Mix all ingredients in 16 oz or larger jar or plastic tub with lid. Do not tamp down as coconut oil can harden a bit at room temp and you want to make sure your scrub is easy to scoop out. Keeps for up to 2 months at room temp.
Directions for use: Rub small amount in circular motion over wet skin until sugar dissolves. Rinse with warm water. A tiny bit of oily residue may be present at first, but your skin will absorb this entirely once you’ve dried off and trust me, it’s a good thing! This recipe is a full body scrub and can be used almost everywhere, but is not formulated for use on the face.
What’s the difference between a body and face sugar scrub I wonder? This sounds nicely scented but says not formulated for face… How would I alter?
I will post an entire detailed tutorial about the differences and formulations for each type eventually (because it’s really fun to concoct your own scents/recipes!), but to summarize, the main difference is the size of the sugar and coffee granules. I would grind the coffee a bit more finely and use less in a facial scrub, as well as use brown sugar instead of white because the granules are finer and better for sensitive areas. I also use a different type of oil for face scrubs since coconut oil can harden at certain temps; again to keep the scrub a bit more gentle. I’ve used grapeseed oil for facial scrubs in the past, and would also like to experiment with jojoba and almond oil in the future. Hope that helps!