Homemade Vanilla Sugar Scrub Recipe

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Refresh & hydrate your skin instantly with this homemade vanilla sugar scrub recipe! It only requires a few ingredients and will be ready in seconds!

jar of homemade vanilla sugar scrub made with real vanilla beans.

If you’re noticing your body needs some gentle exfoliation, this super simple vanilla sugar scrub will do the trick! It’s gentle and made with almond oil so it’ll sink right into your skin. It’s totally safe enough to eat and we even make ours with real vanilla beans!

recipe for homemade vanilla sugar scrub in a vintage mason jar.

What is vanilla sugar scrub?

A sugar scrub is a gentle exfoliant made by combining sugar and oil. It’s used to remove dead skin cells and rehydrate dry skin. This vanilla sugar scrub uses vanilla extract and beans to add a delightful vanilla scent.

A good sugar scrub is especially lovely in the winter time when your hands are dry. Since sugar scrubs are made from such simple ingredients, it’s so easy to make homemade scrubs in your own kitchen! This particular recipe is really decadent, using real vanilla beans and sweet almond oil for extra hydration. It’ll be your new favorite scrub!

Why you’ll love this vanilla bean sugar scrub

Tons of natural vanilla scent: This vanilla body scrub recipe has layers of vanilla scent thanks to extract and real vanilla beans! No fragrance needed.
Luxurious gift: If you want to give a homemade gift for the holidays or just because, a jar of this sugar scrub makes a great gift! There are printable labels available later in this post, so be sure to snag those!
Use up extract beans: If you make your own vanilla extract, then you are probably looking for ways to use up those leftover beans. Those tender beans still have plenty of scent and are the perfect addition to this sweet vanilla sugar scrub!
Fragrance-free: As someone who cannot use any fragrance at all, it’s hard to find safe scrubs at the store. Instead, I prefer to make my own DIY sugar scrubs and give away extra jars .
Easy to customize: Make this scrub exactly how you like it with the 8 variations below!

Equipment

Because this homemade body scrub is made using real vanilla beans, we need a few extra tools than normal. You absolutely can make this scrub without the vanilla beans, too. In that situation, you’d just need a small bowl and a spoon. Easy!

food processor
small mason jar
spatula
scissors

Ingredients

Sugar: For even more vanilla scent in this vanilla sugar body scrub, use homemade vanilla sugar. You can also use regular white sugar or even brown sugar.
Sweet Almond Oil: To make this almond oil sugar scrub, add oil to make a paste with the sugar. You can also use avocado oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, and more.
Vanilla Bean: This simple scrub is made with real vanilla beans! You can use a fresh bean or repurpose a leftover bean from making extract.
Vanilla Extract: A little splash of vanilla extract adds a wonderful scent of vanilla! If you use leftover extract beans, you’ll have even more vanilla scent

How to Make DIY Vanilla Sugar Scrub

Add all of your ingredients to the food of your food processor. Cut the vanilla bean into pieces using scissors.
Blend thoroughly to break down the vanilla bean.
Scoop the mixture into small glass jars and seal.

step by step instructions for how to make sugar scrub with vanilla.

How to Use Vanilla Bean Sugar Scrub

There are a few tricks to using sugar scrubs. Although sugar is pretty gentle, those sugar crystals will exfoliate, so I recommend following these steps.

Wet your hands or body under warm water.
Add a scoop of the scrub onto your hands.
Gently rub your hand over your hands, arms, or legs with circular motions to slough off dead skin and rehydrate.
Rinse the sugar scrub away and dry off with a dry towel.

Free Printable Labels

Label your sugar scrubs for gift-giving!

Get the free printable labels & more when you sign up for email updates.

Storing

It’s really important to use an airtight container for your homemade sugar scrubs. They can dry out in the air or absorb moisture, which will cause the sugar to clump. This scrub can stay at room temperature and does not need to be refrigerated. For best results, use within 2-3 months.

If you’re using this scrub in the shower, you might want to use a plastic tub instead of a cute glass jar. Just make sure you choose a container that closes completely to avoid a clumpy mess.

Tips

Feel free to use any type of sugar, including raw cane sugar or even brown sugar.
Choose an oil that works well for your skin type. I prefer to use sweet almond oil because it is mostly non-comedogenic, meaning it could be used all over your body.
Avoid using sugar scrubs on your face. They’re too harsh.
Everyone likes a slightly different ratio of oil to sugar. If you feel like this is too much sugar, add a small amount of oil at a time until you reach your preferred texture.
This product is great to use as a lip scrub! You can pack it in small tins and gift it as a lip scrub instead, if you’d like.

Variations

We are a (mostly) fragrance-free household, so we’re used to things either with no scent or just a subtle aroma. We love the smell of vanilla, but you can totally add to that with a few essential oils or common ingredients!

VANILLA BODY SCRUB RECIPE WITH VANILLA SUGAR

Replace your regular sugar with vanilla sugar for extra vanilla scent!

LAVENDER VANILLA SUGAR SCRUB RECIPE

Add 10 drops of your favorite lavender essential oil.

VANILLA MINT SUGAR SCRUB

Add 10 drops of peppermint or spearmint extract. This smells like a candy cane!

CINNAMON VANILLA SUGAR SCRUB

We typically do not use cinnamon essential oil topically as it can be very warming. Instead, you can add 1 tsp of cinnamon powder to the base recipe for a gentle, spiced vanilla sugar scrub. Add more if you want it really potent!

VANILLA LATTE SUGAR SCRUB

Make a batch of vanilla coffee sugar scrub & use up leftover coffee grounds at the same time! Use 1/4 cup of coffee grounds and reduce the sugar to 3/4 of a cup.

VANILLA BROWN SUGAR SCRUB RECIPE

Replace the cane sugar with brown sugar for a little extra color and a delicious scent.

ROSEMARY VANILLA BODY SCRUB

For a sweet and savory experience, add 10 drops of rosemary oil. You can also add some fresh rosemary for extra exfoliating power!

VANILLA GRAPEFRUIT SCRUB RECIPE

Add 10 drops of grapefruit essential oil to this DIY sugar scrub for a citrusy twist.

jar of DIY vanilla sugar scrub on a wooden cutting board.

FAQs

Can you make vanilla sugar scrub with coconut oil?

Yes! In fact, that’s what I used for most of my sugar scrubs for a long time. However, It’s not always the best carrier oil. During the winter when temperatures drop, your coconut oil will solidify, making it hard to scoop the scrub from your jar. I recommend using an oil that is liquid at room temperature, like jojoba oil, olive oil, almond oil, etc.

Can I put vanilla extract in my sugar scrub?

Yes! It is hard to get that vanilla scent into a homemade sugar scrub. Even if you add real vanilla bean, you might notice your sugar scrub doesn’t have as much fragrance as the storebought stuff. It won’t since we’re not using vanilla fragrance or oil, but you can use extract instead! You need just a little bit for a delicious vanilla scent.

Alcohol can be drying to skin but because we are using so little and pairing it with an oil, you shouldn’t have any issues.

How should I store my vanilla sugar scrub?

Choose an airtight container like a mason jar or plastic tub. If you plan to store your scrub in the shower, you may want to repurpose a pastic container to avoid any messes.

Can I make vanilla sugar scrub with real vanilla beans?

Absolutely! In fact, this is a great way to use up extra beans from making DIY vanilla extract or to add extra color and texture to your scrub. I recommend cutting the beans into small 1-inch pieces then adding all of the ingredients to the bowl of your food processor. Blitz them up until the beans turn into small specks and store them in glass jars.

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