Make a Brown Sugar Body Scrub from Kitchen Staples!
This is a really simple body scrub for the entire body—ear lobes to toes! Since I have fair, sensitive skin, I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting with body scrubs that are gentle yet effective, leaving my skin soft, nourished, and glowing, not damaged, irritated, and red.
[This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links I may earn a commission. This does not impact your price. For more information, please see our disclosure.]
In this Post:
Salt vs Sugar in Body Scrubs
Many body scrubs rely on salt to do the exfoliating. It’s an inexpensive, natural exfoliator. Unfortunately, each grain of salt has sharp edges, regardless of how fine the grind is. That’s just the nature of salt. It’s great in an herbal foot soak, but not so great an exfoliator for the entire body.
When used as a scrub, salt can be damaging to the skin barrier, creating micro-tears. This, over time, further weakens the skin barrier, leaving the skin prone to irritation, dermatitis, and increased reactivity.
So, with salt out of the picture, I experimented with a wide range of possible exfoliators including different clays, herbs, and types of sugar. And as a body scrub exfoliator, I’ve found I love brown sugar!
Hydrating Humectants
Brown sugar has a very fine grain and the molasses acts as a natural humectant—it encourages the retention of moisture in the skin.
My Brown Sugar Body Scrub includes another of Mother Nature’s humectants: Honey. Naturally soothing to the skin, honey has, as an added benefit, antibacterial properties.
I prefer local raw honey over commercially produced. I find the quality, aroma, and, of course, taste of local honey superior to commercial honey…and I get to support my local beekeepers!
Moisturizing Oils
In the body scrub I also include a plant-based lipid carrier oil which soaks into the skin, trapping the humectant properties of the blend and helping repair the lipid matrix in the skin barrier. Lipid carrier oils create a long-lasting, moisturizing, protective layer on the skin.
My favorites to use in my Brown Sugar Body Scrub are Hemp seed or Grapeseed oil. Both are wonderfully nourishing for dry skin as they are high in linoleic acid, an important fatty acid in the skin’s lipid matrix.
A final “secret” ingredient is what brings it all together: cream. Yes, you read that correctly, cream! I’ve used whipping cream, heavy whipping cream, double cream, and full-fat coconut milk. As with the plant-based lipid oils, the fats in the cream help moisturize and nourish the skin. It also increases the spreadability of the Brown Sugar Body Scrub.
Okay, so, whip this up and experience in just minutes the softening, nourishing, and gentle exfoliating power of a brown sugar scrub!
⭐️Brown Sugar Body Scrub Recipe
In a small bowl combine the following one at a time, stirring between each addition. Then use immediately (don’t store this one for later use).
- 3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Hemp seed or Grapeseed oil (or plant-based oil of choice)
- 2 teaspoons local raw Honey (slightly warmed)
- 1 Tablespoon Cream
- 1-2 teaspoons Herbs, powdered (optional, see suggestions below)
- 1-3 drops Skin-Friendly Essential Oil (optional, see suggestions below)
It’s easy and fun to be creative with additional ingredients to enhance your Brown Sugar Body Scrub base. Use your imagination and aroma preferences to guide you in your selections.
Body Scrub Add-Ins
Finely ground dried herbs and citrus peel make beautifully aromatic additions to body scrubs. Because I also use herbs for tea and glycerites, I prefer to buy loose leaf herb (or grow and dry my own) and then grind them with a coffee grinder. However you can buy many herbs in powder form.
I also enjoy adding a few drops of essential oil to my body scrubs. I like invigorating essential oils, like distilled Lime + Bergamot Mint, for morning scrubs. For bedtime body scrubs, I look to calming essential oils, like Frankincense + Mandarin.
Herbal Add-Ins
Stir powdered herbs into your brown sugar before adding any other ingredients. Just a teaspoon or two per batch is all you need—experiment with amounts and blends of herbs to find your favorites.
- Rose petals (Rosa spp.)
- Hibiscus flowers (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
- Butterfly Pea flower (Clitoria ternatea)
- Peppermint leaf (Mentha x piperita)
- Spearmint leaf (Mentha spicata)
- Lemon Balm leaf (Melissa officinalis)
- Orange peel (Sweet/Citrus x sinensis or Bitter/Citrus x aurantium)
- Grapefruit peel (Citrus x paradisi)
🌺See my Recommended Suppliers below
Pro-Tips: Using an Herb Grinder
💚If you are grinding loose-leaf herb, always use a coffee mill/grinder set aside just for herbs, or your coffee will taste like herbs and your herbs will smell like coffee!
💚After grinding dried loose-leaf herbs, pour them through a fine mesh sieve to remove any larger particles. Remember, you only need a couple of teaspoons of powdered herb per batch of body scrub.
💚After pouring powdered dried citrus peels through your sieve, you’re going to have some bits that don’t grind all the way. Don’t toss these in the compost bin! Instead, add them to your next cup of tea. The citrus aroma and taste add a delightful sparkle to herbal and black teas alike. Try some of your remaining orange peel bits in my Sweet Orange Mint herbal tea.
Essential Oil Add-Ins
Essential oils are also an option and allow you to incorporate aromatherapy into your self care time. Mix one to three drops of your selected essential oil, or essential oil blend, into your hemp seed or grapeseed oil before stirring into the brown sugar. Look to skin-friendly essential oils which include:
- Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
- Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia)
- Frankincense (Boswellia frereana or Boswellia carteri)
- Rose (Rosa spp)
- Mandarin (Citrus reticulata)
- Sweet Orange (Citrus x sinensis)
- Distilled Lime (Citrus x aurantifolia)
- Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)
- Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)
- Carrot seed (Daucus carota)
- Bergamot Mint (Mentha citrata)
🌺See my Recommended Suppliers below
Herbs + Essential Oils
You don’t need to use only herbs or only essential oils in your body scrubs. Use them together, if you wish.
For example, I love the combination of Rose, Frankincense, and Orange. So, to my body scrub, I might add powdered Rose petals and Orange peels and a drop of Frankincense essential oil.
Experiment with the ingredients. Vary the ratios, and try different combinations of herbs and essential oils in your body scrubs. Keep track of the combinations you create and note those that work best for your skin and that you want to use again.
And have fun with it!
Using Your Brown Sugar Body Scrub
Use your body scrub once a week or every couple of weeks. Make a fresh batch each time.
Step into the tub, wet your hands with water, and apply the body scrub from shoulders to toes. Scoop out a small amount at a time and re-wet your hands as needed. Focus on areas that may need a little more attention, such as the back of your neck and shoulders, elbows, knees, and feet. Use the entire batch at once.
Always use a gentle stroking touch. You don’t need to be rough on your skin to get the benefits of your body scrub.
If desired, you can use this time to help stimulate lymph circulation. Starting at your feet stroke up each leg several times. Then stroke each arm from wrist to shoulder several times.
Finally rinse well in warm water.
🔶️Use caution as the floor of the shower may be slippery.
There’s no need to soap up after using your body scrub. Just rinse and pat dry.
While your skin is still warm from the shower, apply a fragrance-free moisturizer, rich body butter, or nourishing plant oil-based body oil.
Body scrubs should never leave your skin feeling tight or dry! I’ve found this blend of ingredients leaves my skin feeling clean, soft, moisturized, and cared-for.
What are your favorite herbal or essential oil add-ins for your body scrubs? Let us know in the comments below!
⭐️BONUS: Brown Sugar Hand Scrub
Sometimes my hands feel like they need a little extra TLC, especially if I’ve been working in the yard or they’re feeling dry and itchy.
In those instances I’ll whip up a small batch of Brown Sugar Hand Scrub right in the palm of my hand!
- 1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Hemp seed oil
- 1/2 teaspoon local raw Honey
- 1/2 teaspoon Cream
- 1/2 teaspoon finely ground Herbs
- 1 drop of Carrot Seed, Rose, Lavender, or Frankincense essential oil
Mom’s Shopping List
Most of my tools and glassware come from Amazon, and you’ll find them on Mom’s Kitchen Favorites Shopping List. These are the specific tools I use when making my brown sugar body scrubs:
My favorite measuring spoons are magnetic, stainless steel, and measure all the way down to 1/8 teaspoon. I have a set for my kitchen and a set for my “lab.”
This Cuisinart coffee mill/grinder has been steadily powdering my herbs for the past couple of years.
This mesh on this small sieve is fine enough that my powdered herbs have a lovely consistent texture and at 3 inches in diameter it fits nicely into the top of a mug or storage jar.
Preferred Suppliers for Lipid Carrier Oils
- Renewalize (on Amazon) – my favorite source for specialty facial oils
- Plant Therapy for lipid oils, butters, and hydrosols
- also at Plant Therapy on Amazon
- Cliganic for Vitamin E, Squalane, lipid oils, and some harder to find oils
- also at Cliganic on Amazon
- Aromatics International for organic lipid oils, butters, and hydrosols (especially for hard-to-find hydrosols and those that can be used internally)
- 3CayG (on Amazon) for all natural butters from around the world.
- Hemp Seed Oil (Cannabis sativa):
- Plant Therapy, organic, for skin care (Direct or Amazon)
- Manitoba Harvest, organic, for lip balms & culinary use (on Amazon).
Preferred Essential Oil Suppliers
Each one of these favorite suppliers provides a wide selection of sustainable, therapeutic, beautifully aromatic, pure essential oils. Browse their inventory and imagine the aromatic possibilities!
- Aromatics International for ethically wildcrafted, organically sourced, and Certified Organic essential oils (Mom’s AI favorites)
- Plant Therapy for Certified Organic and sustainably sourced, conventional essential oils (Mom’s PT favorites)
- Also at Plant Therapy on Amazon
- Edens Garden (on Amazon) for sustainably sourced, conventional essential oils (Mom’s EG favorites)
This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is for educational purposes only.
All recipes provided are for personal use and are not designed for re-sale or large-scale manufacturing.
Please consult your doctor, naturopath, herbal practitioner, or other qualified health professional for medical advice and before starting any herbal regimen, particularly if you are pregnant or nursing, have any existing medical conditions, or are taking any medications.
Chris P | Author, Certified Aromatherapist, Natural Skin Care Formulator
Chris (“Mom”) enjoys formulating bespoke aromatherapy, skin care, and herbal products to support her family, pets, friends, and clients. She also loves experimenting with recipes in the kitchen. An avid reader, writer, and lifetime learner, Chris enthusiastically explores research rabbit holes and then writes about her discoveries.💚 (Learn more >>)
