A couple of moths ago I was trying to find a natural way to deal with some rough patches on my skin and came across something super-simple and really amazing: sugar scrub. It’s basically just sugar and a carrier mixed together. It works better than anything I have ever bought in a store.

You can buy sugar scrubs at stores, but they tend to have artificial ingredients and can be extremely expensive depending on the brand. Fortunately, it’s super easy to make the stuff at home for only a dollar or two a batch.

What you need:
Sugar (White sugar is the least expensive, but you can also use raw sugar or brown sugar.)
Oil (Grapeseed oil is the best, you can also use coconut or sunflower oil or even olive oil.)
Essential oil (optional)

I use white sugar and grapeseed oil in my sugar scrub. Coconut oil is more expensive, sunflower oil goes rancid very quickly and olive oil has a strong scent and isn’t as good for your skin, so grapeseed is my personal choice. It’s amazingly light, has almost no scent and tastes like nothing at all.

Mix 1/4 cup oil with 1/2 cup sugar for a single batch. Just put them in a bowl and mix until there’s no floating oil. I also add a few drops of organic essential oil that I get from a lady in Pennsylvania through the internet. Mulberry is my favorite, but you can use whatever you like, so long as it’s skin safe. You can even use edible natural extracts like lemon or vanilla. 3-4 drops is all you need per batch.

This size batch will do your whole body 2-3 times. Don’t mix bigger batches or it may spoil. Keep your sugar scrub in a small, airtight container in the bathroom, but be sure no water gets inside or it can mold. It’s easy enough to mix more once a batch is used up.

To use the sugar scrub, start with dry hands. I sit on the edge of the tub with my feet inside and start at the feet. Take a pinch of the scrub and work it in gentle circles until it’s spread as far as it will go, then grab another pinch and repeat. Don’t rub hard or you can scratch your skin, let the sugar work for you. It can take some time to learn how to pinch and rub the scrub without dropping it all, but you’ll get it. Just keep taking pinches and rubbing it in gentle circles until you’ve done as much of your body as you want. Personally, I go from feet to face. Because grapeseed oil is low-comedogenic (won’t clog pores) you can use it everywhere on your body.

I use my scrub once every 3 days, and I have amazing skin from it. Don’t use it every day though or it can become irritating. It’s especially good to use before shaving, since the oil makes the razor glide nicely. After you’ve scrubbed all the places you want, rinse your body in warm water, then soap as usual and rinse again. Be sure to give your tub or shower floor a good rinse too so no oil is left behind to slip on. Once you’re dry, you’ll notice your skin feels super smooth and soft.

I had really bad rough patches in my elbows and knees that are almost totally gone now because of the scrub. I’m also getting fewer ingrown hairs where I shave. This stuff is so simple and inexpensive, but it works wonders!

**Note** Some people suggest using food-grade aloe instead of oil for sugar scrub, but I tried it personally and it doesn’t work. The aloe dissolves the sugar and you’re left with a nasty, sticky slush. I don’t recommend it at all.

Image: Public Domain, Morguefile

Briana Blair

Briana Blair is an author and artisan. She has published more then 30 books and thousands of articles across multiple sites. After practicing Paganism and witchcraft for 25 years, she's now on a journey as an atheist and skeptic. She's eclectic, unpredictable, and always evolving. Facebook - Twitter