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This whipped brown sugar body scrub is thick and creamy with just enough exfoliation from the brown sugar. Plus, it’s made with just a few simple ingredients, so it’s easy enough to throw together for a last-minute gift, too. Great for dry winter skin!
I love to make my own body scrubs because they’re inexpensive, customizable, and naturally free from fragrances or other products that may bother your skin.
This brown sugar scrub is one of the best because it’s so thick and fluffy with just enough natural exfoliation from the brown sugar granules. It’s really the perfect DIY body scrub, and helps me have soft skin, especially during the cold winter months.
Once you make your own, you’ll never want to waste money on store-bought scrubs again!
If your skin is feeling dry right now, do yourself a favorite and make this soothing lotion bar recipe. It’s naturally non-greasy, thanks to mango butter, and works great! You can also make homemade lip balm with very similar ingredients.
What is a whipped sugar scrub?
If you want a thick, fluffy sugar scrub, you’ll need to use a solid oil that is firm at room temperature, like coconut oil. The coconut oil is whipped with almond oil and brown sugar, similar to creaming butter and sugar for baking.
The result is lusciously creamy and so smooth. It’s a lovely upgrade over regular sugar scrubs and feels heavenly on dry skin!
Since the coconut oil is only solid during the colder months of the year, this is a great scrub for winter when your skin is naturally dry and parched, too.
Why you’ll love this whipped sugar scrub recipe
- Relies on just 3 natural ingredients
- Smells almost like cookie dough, thanks to the brown sugar
- Naturally exfoliating body scrub to remove dead skin cells
- Made without synthetic fragrances or additives
- Super simple recipe anyone can make
- Great gift ideas for the holiday season
- Gentle enough even for sensitive skin
Ingredients
- Solid coconut oil – This is key! If you want a fluffy, whipped body scrub, you need to use a solid fat. Just keep in mind that coconut oil melts around 90F, so it will not be solid during the warmer months of the year. I almost always get my coconut oil from Azure Standard since it’s so affordable.
- Sweet almond oil – Or your favorite carrier oil for skincare. There are lots of options for this like extra virgin olive oil, jojoba oil, apricot oil, etc. Different oils are recommended for different skin types, so it’s worth doing a little research into which type of oil is best for you.
- Brown sugar – This is a gentle exfoliant that also happens to be easy to find and affordable. You can also use regular pure cane sugar, but I love the feeling of brown sugar in sugar scrubs.
- Your favorite essential oils – If desired. Be sure to use skin-safe oils. You can also add a small amount of vanilla extract to make it smell like cookie dough!
Equipment
To make this homemade body scrub, you’ll need:
- Medium bowl
- Hand mixer
- Mason jar for storage
How to Make Whipped Brown Sugar Scrub
- Combine the brown sugar and coconut oil in a medium bowl.
- Use the hand mixer to cream the coconut oil and sugar until it begins to turn fluffy. Drizzle in the sweet almond oil and essential oils, if using, and mix until fully incorporated.
- Transfer to a glass jar, seal and enjoy!
Free Printable Sugar Scrub Labels
Click the link below to view and download my printable gift tags in two convenient sizes for gifting. No email necessary!
Storing Suggestions
Coconut oil will melt above 90 F, so this homemade sugar scrub is best for the cooler months of the year. You can also keep it in the fridge, if you’re concerned about the coconut oil melting.
It is technically shelf-stable, but I do recommend using it within a month for the best results.
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Tips & Variations
- Use white sugar. Any kind of sugar will work. This is especially nice if you want to do a scented scrub, like a peppermint body scrub with a little peppermint oil.
- Add dried spices, like cinnamon. You can also add other ingredients for a little more exfoliation, like table salt or turbinado sugar. Just be mindful to use exfoliating scrubs on the body, not the face.
- Try different oils. You can easily adjust this recipe with different oils to customize the scent. Try adding lavender essential oil for a whipped lavender sugar scrub. Just make sure you use oils that are safe for skin.
- Scale up or down. You can easily make a small amount of scrub or grab a large mixing bowl to make a double or triple batch. The basic recipe is very flexible.
How to Use Brown Sugar Body Scrub
Like any body scrub, it’s best to start by rinsing the body with warm water. This softens the skin and makes it easier to exfoliate.
Then, grab about a quarter-sized dollop of sugar scrub and rub it onto the wet skin in a circular motion. Rinse off with warm water. If desired, apply lotion or let the oils from the scrub hydrate your skin.
This scrub should only be used on the body, not the face.
FAQs
Honestly, I don’t add vitamin E oil to anything (except liquid lotions). I typically only make enough sugar scrub to use in the next couple of weeks and have never had a problem with any scrubs going bad. This recipe doesn’t use any fresh ingredients or added water, so there’s really nothing to go bad.
More Homemade Scrubs
- Honey Lemon Sugar Scrub
- Vanilla Bean Sugar Scrub
- Brown Sugar Lip Scrub
- Lavender Sugar Scrub
- Lavender Salt Scrub
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.
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Whipped Brown Sugar Body Scrub
Equipment
- hand mixer
- medium bowl
- glass jars
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup coconut oil, solid
- 2 tbsp sweet almond oil
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- essential oils, 10-15 drops or until you reach your desired scent; optional
Instructions
- Combine the brown sugar and coconut oil in a medium bowl.
- Use the hand mixer to cream the coconut oil and sugar until it begins to turn fluffy. Drizzle in the sweet almond oil and essential oils, if using, and mix until fully incorporated.
- Transfer to a glass jar, seal and enjoy!
Notes
Did you try this recipe?
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This looks so good! What a great combination of flavors!
It does look amazing.. I just have a question about the coconut oil.. can it clog up your drain? If so what do you recommend for an alternative. Thank you, Jennette
Hi, Jennette,
Great question! I haven’t had any issues with it clogging anything up. You only use a bit for each individual use, then there’s all the hot water running down from the shower to melt and drain it away.
To replace it, you would need another oil that can be solid at room temperature, and most of those are harder to melt (which I would suspect would cause more clogs).
So really, I would only use coconut oil here and if you have delicate plumbing or are worried, you’d maybe want to use a regular sugar scrub made with liquid oils.
Hope this helps! 🙂
Could I use tallow in this instead of almond oil?? Or maybe add in some olive oil? I am allergic to almonds 😅
Olive oil would be a great swap! You can use any liquid oil you like for skincare, so lots of potential oils. 🙂