Exfoliation with body scrub is a common way to help improve the appearance of your skin. It will make your skin look brighter since it can remove the top layer’s dead skin cells.
Plus, this method helps moisturize your skin as you have removed all the deep dirt from the skin. There are many variants and brands of body scrubs that appear in the store nowadays. However, these store-bought products are expensive and may contain harmful ingredients in them.
Luckily, you can make your body scrub at home with some simple ingredients. If you want to know how to make body scrub, carry on reading the post’s information.

How To Make Body Scrub – A Complete DIY Guidance
Choose Your Ingredients
Choosing the ingredients to make your body scrub is the first part to pay attention to most. There will be some small steps for you to follow below.
Step 1: Decide the way you want to apply your body scrub on as it is the key to choosing which ingredients you will use in making your scrub.
There are some callused and tough areas like heels or elbows that you need to use abrasive elements to exfoliate it fully. Yet, some tender areas like lips will require less-abrasive exfoliants, or else you may suffer from hurts.
Additionally, when making scrub for your lips, it shouldn’t contain colorants or essential oils as they will irritate the area.
Tips: If you want to use abrasive ingredients to brighten your skin, make sure to use moisturizer afterward to avoid drying your skin.
Step 2: Choose your exfoliants to make the scrub. The ratio of it is two parts of the exfoliants and one part of the oil. There are many kinds of ingredients used as exfoliators, and they all have different pros and cons.
- You can use Epsom salts to detoxify and moisturize the skin on the rest of the body since they are not very abrasive.
- Ground coffee is great for making the skin brighter. It also helps tighten up the blood vessels and may ease the varicose veins.
- Oatmeal is the most gentle ingredient. It will help moisturize and soften your skin.
- Salt is known to be the harshest and most abrasive exfoliant. It is a great choice for tough and calloused areas like knees, elbows, or heels.
- Sugar is the most common exfoliant used in body scrubs. It’s gentle and good for moisturizing the skin. White sugar or brown sugar is fine to use.
Step 3: Choose your carrier oil based on what you like. There are various types of oil for you to choose from with different consistency and scent. Some of them can help reduce your skin problems like dryness.
- Avocado oil is best for sensitive or dry skin with its thick, rich, and moisturizing characteristics.
- Coconut oil is luxurious, moisturizing, and thick.
- Grapeseed oil has a sweet and light smell.
- Macadamia nut oil is ideal for dry skin types with the moisturizing ability.
- Olive oil is the most common pick of carrier oil as it is widely available and fit for all skin types.
- Sesame seed oil and sunflower oil can quickly absorb into the skin, so it is the right match for all skin types.
Step 4: Add essential oils to your scrub to have if you want. Essential oils can help cure some skin problems like excessive dryness and acne. The fragrance of essential oils can lighten your mood and make you feel relaxed.
- Energizing oils may be grapefruit and lemon.
- Bergamot essential oil is perfect for all skin types. Plus, it can remedy eczema and acne.
- Lavender essentials can benefit the aging or dry skin type. With its great smell, it will help soothe the senses.
- Rosemary essential oil and tea tree oil suit all skin types and has a fresh woody smell. Plus, it can remedy acne and oily skin.
Step 5: Add in some other ingredients if you want your scrub to have additional benefits.
- Activated charcoal is good for facial scrubs. You can use it alone or mixed in with other exfoliants. It is best for clearing out blackheads and detoxifying.
- Baking soda is also an option for facial scrubs. It is usually for home remedy for acne.
- Cocoa butter and shea butter can make a luxurious and moisturizing scrub. Make sure to melt or soften the butter first before adding it to your scrub.
- Herbal tea is another pick for your scrub. Based on your skin problems, you can choose different types of teas to help remedy them. Green teas or chamomile tea are for all skin types. Calendula, lavender, and rose are good for dry skin; meanwhile, sage, peppermint, and thyme suit oily skin.
- Lemon and grapefruit juice are used to freshen and brighten the skin. It can also add some scent to your scrub.

Step 6: Make a special appearance for your scrub. You can skip this step if you want your body scrub plain, or you can add some vibrant to it with color and shimmer.
- You can use soap colorants to add color to your scrub. They usually come in liquid form, dye blocks, or as powders.
- Food coloring can also be another choice to add color to your scrub.
- Avoid adding color or shimmer to your scrub if your purpose is to use it on your lips. You can consider adding lip balm or chapstick instead.
Make the Scrubs
Step 1: Put all the ingredients of exfoliants into a big bowl
Step 2: Pour in your carrier oil. You may start your work with ¼ to ½ cup of the oil. You can decide the type of your scrub in this step according to the amount of oil you use. The less oil is, the more abrasive the scrub is, and vice versa; the more oil, the more moisturizing.
You can substitute your carrier oil with milk, honey, or yogurt. If you use thick carrier oil like coconut oil, you should melt it first in a saucepan or the microwave.
Step 3: Stir your ingredients with a spatula or a large wooden spoon. You will gain a grainy texture as the exfoliant will not dissolve into the oil. You can adjust your scrub more If you want your scrub to be more abrasive or smoother and gentler by lessening the oil or adding more into it.
You can put your scrub into a jar at this stage or continue adding some other ingredients.
Step 4: If you choose to have essential oil in your scrub, you can add it in this step. Usually, you will need between 5 to 10 drops of the essential oil in your scrub. However, If you intend to make a small portion with little exfoliant and carrier oil, lessen the amount of essential oil.
Step 5: Add everything else into your scrub, such as fruit juices, honey, or colorants.
- For liquid dyes and food coloring, start adding it with a few drops and adjust it later. Do not put in too much if you don’t want to color your skin. All you want is a subtle and pale color.
- Other ingredients like herbal teas, butters, and yogurt, begin with adding one tablespoon and continue adding more if you feel like it. For a smaller portion, you can use a small amount counting with a teaspoon.
- If your scrub is starting to lose its grainy texture and become runny, you can stir it again so the mixture will blend in together. If that does not work out, you may have put in too much addition. Fix it by adding more of the exfoliant.
Step 6: Stir it one last time and put the scrub into a container to store it in the refrigerator. Any container is fine if it has a lid.
Use the Scrubs
Because it does not have the preservatives like the store-bought do, you need to store it in the refrigerator to avoid melting. You can use your body scrub in the bath or shower to rinse it off after doing it.
Remember that not using your scrub every day since over-using may lead to over-exfoliate and irritate your skin. It would be best if you can use it once or twice a week.
In Short
We hope you find this post on how to make body scrub helpful to be your guidance in making your scrub. You can pick up some suggestions or tips mentioned to apply when doing.
Good luck with your work. Thank you for reading!