Exfoliation can be a great way to keep your skin looking vibrant and healthy.
A body scrub is a popular way to exfoliate your skin, and there are plenty of store-bought varieties to choose from. Or, you can make your very own homemade body scrub using ingredients you already have in your pantry.
What are the benefits of body scrubs?
Exfoliation with a body scrub, or with other types of products like a brush or loofah, can help boost the health and appearance of your skin in several ways.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, exfoliation can leave your skin looking brighter because it removes the top layer of dead skin cells. It can also stimulate the production of collagen, which may help your skin stay firm and radiant.
Another benefit of exfoliation is that it can improve the efficacy of topical treatments. If you exfoliate your skin before applying a cream, for example, the cream will be able to penetrate more deeply instead of sitting on the surface.
In addition, massaging your skin with a body scrub can also be a wonderful way to relax and feel calmer, especially if you’re tired or stressed.
How often should you use a body scrub?
It’s best not to use a body scrub on your skin every day. Overexfoliating your skin can leave it dry, sensitive, and irritated.
It’s generally safe to exfoliate your skin two to three times a week. If your skin is dry and sensitive, you may want to exfoliate only once a week. If you have a skin condition, or if you’re unsure how often you should exfoliate your skin, talk to a dermatologist.
It’s usually easiest to apply a body scrub in the shower or bath. Gently massage the scrub into your skin in a circular motion and rinse it off thoroughly with warm water.
What do you need to make a DIY body scrub?
To make a DIY body scrub, keep the following items on hand:
spoons for mixing
mixing bowl
measuring spoons or cups
a carrier or base oil, such as coconut oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, almond oil, or olive oil
sealed container to store the scrub in
a few drops of your favorite essential oils, if desired
Once you have those items, you can mix the oils with the granules of your choice, such as salt or sugar. You may also want to add other ingredients that can benefit your skin, like honey or green tea, as outlined in the recipes below.
With homemade body scrubs, it’s important to get the consistency right. You don’t want it to be too runny, which can make it hard to scoop into your hands, but you also don’t want it to be too crumbly.
Here are some of the most popular types of DIY body scrubs that are both beneficial to your skin and easy to make.
Coffee scrub
There’s some scientific evidence that caffeine may help diminish the appearance of cellulite.
A 2011 studyTrusted Source tested a cream containing caffeine and other ingredients on 78 participants. The study found that after 12 weeks of use, the participants who used the cream saw a significant decrease in the appearance of their cellulite. A 2015 clinical studyTrusted Source involving 15 subjects found similar results.
However, these creams contained other ingredients, such as retinol, so it’s hard to determine how effective the caffeine is on its own at making cellulite less noticeable.
That said, coffee is still a popular ingredient for many DIY body scrubs. The tiny granules are gentle on the skin, while still being effective at removing dead cells from the skin’s surface. And who can’t resist the aroma of a cup of coffee?
Ingredients
1/2 cup coffee grounds
2 tbsp. hot water
1 tbsp. coconut oil, warmed
Directions
Add the coffee grounds and hot water to a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly with a spoon.
Add the coconut oil. If needed, add more coffee grounds or more oil to get the consistency right.
When you’re satisfied with the consistency, spoon the mixture into a container.
Brown sugar scrub
Brown sugar is an inexpensive and accessible ingredient that also does a great job of exfoliating your skin.
Brown sugar is gentler on skin than sea salt or Epsom salt. This makes it an ideal ingredient for sensitive skin. The sugar granules might make your skin feel sticky, so be sure to rinse thoroughly after you’ve exfoliated.
Ingredients
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil of your choice, such as coconut, jojoba, olive, almond, or grapeseed
essential oils (optional)
Directions
Combine brown sugar and oil in a mixing bowl.
Mix thoroughly. If needed, add more sugar or oil to get the consistency right.
If desired, add one or two drops of your favorite essential oil, and stir it into the mixture.
When you’re satisfied with the consistency and fragrance of your scrub, spoon it into a container.
Sea salt scrub
Salt has antibacterial properties that can be helpful for some skin conditions. Salt is also a preservative, so the sea salt scrub will be able to naturally preserve itself.
Use ground sea salt, as coarse sea salt can be too harsh on your skin. Sea salt scrubs may be too abrasive for sensitive skin. Also, be careful if you have a cut on your skin as the salt can sting.
Because salt has no fragrance, you may want to add your favorite essential oils to your DIY salt scrub.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sea salt
1/2 cup oil of your choice
essential oils (optional)
Directions
Combine sea salt and oil in a mixing bowl.
Mix thoroughly. If needed, add more salt or oil to get the consistency right.
If desired, add one or two drops of your favorite essential oil and stir it into the mixture.
Once you’re satisfied with the consistency and fragrance of your scrub, spoon it into a container.
Green tea sugar scrub
Rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, green tea may benefit your skin in several ways.
Also, according to a 2013 studyTrusted Source, cosmetics that contain green tea may be able to reduce harm to the skin caused by sun damage.
Green tea can easily be added to a homemade body scrub together with other nourishing ingredients.
Ingredients
2 teabags green tea
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
Directions
Add teabags to hot water. Let the tea steep until it cools.
While the tea is cooling, add brown sugar to a bowl.
Add coconut oil and mix thoroughly with the sugar.
Once the tea has cooled, add it to the sugar mix. It’s important that the tea is cool so the sugar doesn’t dissolve.
If the mixture is too crumbly, add more coconut oil. If it’s too soggy, add more brown sugar.
When you’ve reached the desired consistency, spoon your scrub into a container.
Honey sugar scrub
ResearchTrusted Source shows that honey has antibacterial properties. According to a 2016 reviewTrusted Source, honey also has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that may help a variety of skin conditions.
Not only can honey help repair skin tissue and protect against UV damage, it may also help kill germs on the skin.
Honey can easily be combined with granules and oil to make a skin-nourishing body scrub. After massaging the scrub into your skin, be sure to rinse your skin off thoroughly to prevent stickiness.
Ingredients
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp. honey
Directions
Add brown sugar, coconut oil, and honey to a mixing bowl.
Mix the ingredients thoroughly, and add more coconut oil if it’s too crumbly.
Once you’ve reached the desired consistency, spoon your scrub into a container.
Safety tips
These homemade scrubs are only intended to be used on your body, not your face. The skin on your face is more sensitive than the skin on the rest of your body.
Avoid exfoliating skin that is:
sunburned
chapped or broken
red or swollen
recovering from a chemical peel
If you want to add essential oils to your body scrub, do a patch testwith the diluted oil on your skin first to make sure you’re not allergic to the oil.
If you have sensitive skin or very dry skin, talk to your doctor or dermatologist to find out if exfoliation with a body scrub is right for you.
