Holiday Sugar Scrubs

Sugar scrubs are popular “off the shelf” beauty treatments to use at home. They have given women the glowing skin they are looking for in the moment.

But they are so easy for you to make on your own! And your version can be free of chemicals and artificial ingredients. You don’t need anything special as most of the components can be found right in your kitchen or bathroom. This will make your sugar scrub less expensive. Plus, with your natural ingredients, it will be good for the environment.

Benefits

Sugar naturally contain glycolic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA), that helps breakdown dead skin cells and promote cell turnover. This will brighten superficial dullness and leave behind only radiant skin. The glycolic acid will also help with hyperpigmentation by fading dark spots and evening out skin tone, including lightning scars.

Sugar is a humectant, which means it naturally draws moisture into the skin when it is applied. The grains of sugar also unclog pores. The scrub increases blood flow to the surface of the skin, removing unwanted particles and bringing in fresh nutrients.

How to Use

It is recommended to use a sugar scrub 1-2 times per week, however, this can vary by person and their skin type. The size of the sugar grains should also be considered. Larger grains are wonderful for a full body treatment, while smaller ones are gentler on more sensitive skin, like the face or lips. Brown or white sugar can be used. While both exfoliate well, the brown sugar can be a little stickier. I recommend using an organic brand for keep your scrub “clean” and non-toxic.

My favorite type of carrier oil is fractionated coconut although olive, grape seed, or sweet almond can be used as well.

Here are several essential oils that are great for the skin: frankincense, patchouli, jasmine, orange, bergamot, lavender, geranium, chamomile, mastrante, sandalwood, tea tree, myrrh, rose, and tansy.

Here are 5 simple steps for apply your sugar scrub:

1. Cleanse the skin: It is best to start with clean skin before applying the sugar scrub.
2. Massage the scrub gently in circular motions to exfoliate the skin more thoroughly.
3. Rinse the sugar scrub away with water in a bath or shower. Then gently pat the skin dry.
4. Hydrate to nourish the skin. You have just sloughed off dead skin cells to reveal a fresh surface!
5. Apply SPF and/or makeup as usual!

If you are doing a lip scrub, smaller grains of sugar work well for this delicate area. Using the 4th finger, gently apply in small circular motions. Again, make sure to moisturize afterwards. This is a miracle treatment for dry, chapped lips!

Recipes

You can easily swap out the essential oils and the carrier oils for your preference in the recipes below.

Because of the holidays arriving in the near future, the recipes below reflect those scents of this season! They are part of the Winter Bundle, a fantastic collection of essential oils and cleaning products that make your home smell festive for November and December!

Check out the Winter Bundle!

Enchanted Forest Body Scrub

• 1/4 cup organic fractionated coconut oil
• 3/4 cup organic cane sugar
• 15 drops Evergreen Essence (or spruce) essential oil blend
• 10 drops Vanilla
• Mix Evergreen Essence & Vanilla with fractionated coconut oil in a glass container, then add organic cane sugar to the bowl and stir until combined.
• To use, massage into skin in a circular motion and rinse well. After exfoliating, remember to moisturize!

Candy Cane Lip Scrub

• 5 drops Peppermint essential oil
• 5 drops Vanilla
• 1/4 Cup White Sugar (a finer grain sugar is best)
• 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
• Combine essential oils and coconut oil, then add in sugar. Apply nightly to lips in a circular motion. Wipe off with a dry towel. Apply moisturizing lip balm afterwards! Store extra scrub in a glass jar.