There’s something special about homemade gifts. They typically take a little more forethought and effort than just picking an item out at the store, but I think it’s the love that goes into making a homemade gift that really shows through.
It’s probably pretty obvious that I love gifting edible delights, however you may be surprised to learn that sometimes I get creative and make other sorts of homemade gifts. I’ve made everything from wine cork cork boards to photo albums, coasters, and books with secret hiding spots.
This year I continued my infatuation with homemade beauty products and came up with a couple simple sugar scrubs using essential oils to give as gifts.
What is Sugar Scrub Used For?
I love using a sugar scrub on my skin to exfoliate dry, dead skin cell buildup. I love doing it on my hands but honestly scrub my entire body because I love how silky soft my skin is afterwards! One thing to note, you shouldn’t scrub your skin more than three times a week. I like to do it just once a week!
How to Make a Sugar Scrub
The scrubs are so easy they almost don’t require a recipe — basically you just use a 2:1 ratio of sugar and oil, then add your favorite essential oils if you want it to be scented.
I noticed that the in-house sugar scrubs at Whole Foods are made with safflower oil so I decided to test it out for the first batch. I tested one batch with safflower oil and that worked well but I really wanted to try using coconut oil as well. I whipped coconut oil in my stand mixer on medium for 10 minutes, then stirred in the sugar and essential oils. The whipped coconut oil made the scrub turn out thick and seem more luxurious. It also leaves your body ridiculously silky smooth after using it! It’s definitely my favorite of the two.
To give the scrub as a gift, I simply put some into a cute jar and added a little tag. Ta-da — a lovely little homemade gift!
What Essential Oils Are Good in a Sugar Scrub
I used lavender essential oil because I’m obsessed with all things lavender but you can’t really go wrong here! I think all of these essential oils would be amazing in this scrub:
peppermint – can relieve muscle pain, headaches and soothes inflamed skin.
eucalyptus – can help focus the mind and boost your mood.
lemon – is anti-bacterial and a good disinfectant.
orange – excellent for disinfecting as well as killing fungus and pathogens. It’s also has very effective actions against colds and flu.
The scrubs are so easy they almost don’t require a recipe — basically you just use a 2:1 ratio of sugar and oil, then add your favorite essential oils if you want it to be scented.
Ingredients
1/2 cup coconut oil, in solid form
3/4–1 cup cane sugar
10 drops lavender essential oil
Instructions
Place coconut oil in a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip for 10 minutes on medium speed.
Add in the sugar and the essential oil and whisk a a little more until everything is blended together.
Store in a covered container.
What’s the best homemade gift you’ve ever given or received?
Need help when I made the sugar scrub I put into jars but scrub turned hard really fast. I dumped out added More oils but coconut oil seems to harden too fast. Need to fix a bunch so it’s not wasted do u have any iseS what to put in the scrubs to ensure they do t get hard.
Hey Cheryl, Are you whipping the coconut oil before adding the sugar and you’re using 3/4 – 1 cup of sugar, correct? I’m thinking that maybe you are in a cool place so the coconut oil is hardening back up. Place the sealed jar under hot/warm running water or in a warm room. It should soften back up.
Oh no!! I’m sorry. I’m thinking that maybe you were storing the coconut scrub in a cool place and the coconut oil hardened back up. Place the sealed jar under hot/warm running water or in a warm room. It should soften back up.
My sister and I make sugar scrubs and we use doterra holiday joy blend (you can only get it the months of November and december) it is a Christmas in a jar….a…ma…zing.
Just wondering if the coconut oil you use is one that smells like coconut and how this will affect the scent of the essential oil you add in? I have a refined coconut oil at home that doesnt smell like coconut. I melted the oil and once it cooled, added the sugar and mixed…it turned out nice but after it cooled completely its super hard now. Wondering if another non refined/cold pressed coconut oil will mix better?
I just made the whipped coconut scrub. Whipping allows the coconut oil to blen much better with the sugar. I added rosemary and grapefruit essential oils and yellow food coloring to get a nice grapefruit color. I reserved some and added a few drops of red to make a nice soft orange as a layer on top of the yellow. It’s really pretty and smells delicious! Spreads nicely when using it. This is going to be my go to method even though it’s a little more work, result is nicer sugar scrub. Thanks
Hi! Coconut oil is solid at room temp so that’s probably why it has turned solid. I would heat up a cup of water in the microwave and place the container in the water. I use this method whenever I need to melt coconut oil and it works like a charm. Once the scrub has warmed up a bit, the coconut oil will melt and then you’ll easily be able to get the scrub out and use it. Hope this helps.
I hate to sound stupid, but how in the heck do you measure solid coconut oil? I can stick a spoon in and hack off chunks, but how do you measure that? And will it really whip? Maybe what I have is not what you are talking about. Help!
Hi Patti. To measure it when it solid form, I just put the chunks into my measuring cup and estimate. I usually make it a heaping 1/2 cup to compensate for the gaps of space. You can also put your closed container of coconut oil in a cup of hot water to melt it a bit and make it easier to measure. And yes, it will really whip!
The coconut oil I purchased today is actually OIL. It is liquid form. Should I buy a solid oil instead. It sounds like from the comments that I may have bought the wrong thing!
if you got it out of the cooking oil section of say like walmart its more than likely 76 degree coconut oil which means temps higher than 76 degrees it becomes liquid i have some and its the hottest time of year here in georgia so mine is all liquid form right now but when i bought it it was solid.
This is so going to happen next Christmas! I’ll be experimenting with recipes until then. The best part is that I already have everything to get started. I use coconut oil as makeup remover so I have a big jar of that, and I have essential oils I’ve had forever that I never use. I was thinking of making a lavender vanilla one with lavender oil and a vanilla bean. Do you think the vanilla bean would make it mold faster? Maybe it would be ok if I buried it at the bottom. Oh well, I have 11 1/2 months to figure it out!
I LOVE doTERRA Essential Oils, the skin care products and everything else they make! Everything smells wonderful and I use the oils to cook with. Thank you for this yummy body scrub recipe.
I just made a huge batch this past weekend. I did not even think about mixing it in my KitchenAid! I will try that for my next batch!! I put peppermint essential oil in mine but want to make some with lavender. Thanks for this awesome post!
Love love love this idea! I made a big batch for gifts and kept a little for myself. Wrapped them in gold & white chevron tissue paper. It was so nice to bring these to a get together last night!
I just bottled up three of these for my kids’ teachers! I had a little left over for me!! We added peppermint oil…smells delish! Thanks for the inspiration!
I love to give and receive homemade gifts. It really speaks to the individuals personality and shows how much time and thought they put into the gift! I love homemade sugar scrubs…really exfoliate the skin and make it smooth.
You can use a hand mixer (if you have one) or you can simply mix the sugar and coconut oil together by hand. The coconut oil won’t be as “whipped” but you’ll still end up with a lovely sugar scrub.
I have a question about this. I’ve debated making similar things like this for myself before, but my hesitancy is the unknown shelf life. How long would this last? And is this something I’d need to keep in the fridge? When would it expire? I’d love to just make my own and save my money– the upsell on something like this is ridic– but I’d hate to make a big batch and it have mold or something.
Since coconut oil, sugar and essential oils have really long shelf lives, I’d guess that the scrub will last at least 3-6 months, probably longer. The only issue would be keeping the scrub in your shower and water (or other contaminants) getting in it, which could potentially cause mold to grow. Ideally, you’ll want to store the scrub in a cool, dry place after each use. Hope this helps!
Another tip about that is to make sure it’s in a GLASS container when you store it, or make it in general, or the essential oils will seep into a plastic bowl for example. When using the scrub make sure to have a little spoon to scoop it out so that you don’t get finger oils or wetness into the scrub, which could cause mold.
I really love getting home-made gifts, but I rarely get them. Baked goods are always nice though. This is really lovely, and I’d love to receive this scrub. Nice work!
Nice! I don’t experiment enough with making homemade things like this, but I love coconut oil. The best homemade gifts are usually pictures or frames. Especially since I print out so few now.
I totally agree! We got married last June so last year I gave lots of family members photos from the wedding as their holiday gift. This reminds me that I need to get some pictures printed!
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What is the best container for the scrubs? Glass versus plastic. Im worried about it staying contained.
★★★★
Any sealed container should work just fine, Ebony!
I definitely try this recipe. But instead of lavender oil can I use another essential oil which I like.
★★★★
Yes, you can use whatever essential oil you prefer!
Need help when I made the sugar scrub I put into jars but scrub turned hard really fast. I dumped out added
More oils but coconut oil seems to harden too fast. Need to fix a bunch so it’s not wasted do u have any iseS what to put in the scrubs to ensure they do t get hard.
★★★★★
Hey Cheryl, Are you whipping the coconut oil before adding the sugar and you’re using 3/4 – 1 cup of sugar, correct? I’m thinking that maybe you are in a cool place so the coconut oil is hardening back up. Place the sealed jar under hot/warm running water or in a warm room. It should soften back up.
Hello..I made the whipped sugar scrub and was great for a day..then crystallized.? what happened?? Can it be reshaped? I’m bummed!
Oh no!! I’m sorry. I’m thinking that maybe you were storing the coconut scrub in a cool place and the coconut oil hardened back up. Place the sealed jar under hot/warm running water or in a warm room. It should soften back up.
My sister and I make sugar scrubs and we use doterra holiday joy blend (you can only get it the months of November and december) it is a
Christmas in a jar….a…ma…zing.
Just wondering if the coconut oil you use is one that smells like coconut and how this will affect the scent of the essential oil you add in? I have a refined coconut oil at home that doesnt smell like coconut. I melted the oil and once it cooled, added the sugar and mixed…it turned out nice but after it cooled completely its super hard now. Wondering if another non refined/cold pressed coconut oil will mix better?
I just made the whipped coconut scrub. Whipping allows the coconut oil to blen much better with the sugar. I added rosemary and grapefruit essential oils and yellow food coloring to get a nice grapefruit color. I reserved some and added a few drops of red to make a nice soft orange as a layer on top of the yellow. It’s really pretty and smells delicious! Spreads nicely when using it. This is going to be my go to method even though it’s a little more work, result is nicer sugar scrub. Thanks
Hi! Just wondering if the whipped coconut oil scrub will make your body feel super greasy?
Hi how much did this recipe yeild?
★★★★★
Hi Janelle. ! I’m not 100% sure because I didn’t measure it but given the measurements I’d say about 3/4 – 1 cup.
I just found this recipe after i made one that was 1 cup sugar and 3/4 cup coconut oil but im definitely going to try this one soon
★★★★★
Hi, I received this scrub for Christmas and it hat turned stolid. If I whip it to soften it will the sugar disolve?
Hi! Coconut oil is solid at room temp so that’s probably why it has turned solid. I would heat up a cup of water in the microwave and place the container in the water. I use this method whenever I need to melt coconut oil and it works like a charm. Once the scrub has warmed up a bit, the coconut oil will melt and then you’ll easily be able to get the scrub out and use it. Hope this helps.
Which safflower oil did u use the one form cooking depth or the cold press for health and beauty line
I used the Whole Foods brand from the cooking aisle.
I hate to sound stupid, but how in the heck do you measure solid coconut oil? I can stick a spoon in and hack off chunks, but how do you measure that? And will it really whip? Maybe what I have is not what you are talking about. Help!
Hi Patti. To measure it when it solid form, I just put the chunks into my measuring cup and estimate. I usually make it a heaping 1/2 cup to compensate for the gaps of space. You can also put your closed container of coconut oil in a cup of hot water to melt it a bit and make it easier to measure. And yes, it will really whip!
Approximately how much product does your recipe make. I need to make bridal shower favors and would love to follow your whipped coconut scrub recipe.
Hi Donna! I’m not 100% sure because I didn’t measure it. You can make one batch, measure it and then decide how much you need for the shower favors. 🙂
What size WECK jar is in the picture? I want to use scrub for baby shower favors.
Hi Patty. Are you talking about the small one? I’m pretty sure it’s 5.4oz. http://bit.ly/1TURgV5
Add a little almond oil to thin it a bit
I love this recipe!!! I only used the sugar & coconut oil. It was perfect!! Creamy & fluffy and applied to skin nicely!!
The coconut oil I purchased today is actually OIL. It is liquid form. Should I buy a solid oil instead. It sounds like from the comments that I may have bought the wrong thing!
if you got it out of the cooking oil section of say like walmart its more than likely 76 degree coconut oil which means temps higher than 76 degrees it becomes liquid i have some and its the hottest time of year here in georgia so mine is all liquid form right now but when i bought it it was solid.
★★★★★
My friends are very crafty I’m not I think I could make these scuba and surprise them
This is such a good idea! Thanks for sharing! But what is the difference if I whip it or not? Are there any benefits? Thanks again!
There’s no real difference, the coconut oil just becomes soft and creamy after being whipped. 🙂
Ok thanks! I am going to go try it! 😉
Where did you buy the little white spoon with the hole in the handle?
Crate and Barrel. 🙂
This is so going to happen next Christmas! I’ll be experimenting with recipes until then. The best part is that I already have everything to get started. I use coconut oil as makeup remover so I have a big jar of that, and I have essential oils I’ve had forever that I never use. I was thinking of making a lavender vanilla one with lavender oil and a vanilla bean. Do you think the vanilla bean would make it mold faster? Maybe it would be ok if I buried it at the bottom. Oh well, I have 11 1/2 months to figure it out!
I LOVE doTERRA Essential Oils, the skin care products and everything else they make! Everything smells wonderful and I use the oils to cook with. Thank you for this yummy body scrub recipe.
I need to make a batch of this for friends! Such a beautiful DIY 😀 happy holidays!
I just made a huge batch this past weekend. I did not even think about mixing it in my KitchenAid! I will try that for my next batch!! I put peppermint essential oil in mine but want to make some with lavender.
Thanks for this awesome post!
Love love love this idea! I made a big batch for gifts and kept a little for myself. Wrapped them in gold & white chevron tissue paper. It was so nice to bring these to a get together last night!
I just bottled up three of these for my kids’ teachers! I had a little left over for me!! We added peppermint oil…smells delish! Thanks for the inspiration!
This looks and sounds amazing! I will definitely try this out.
My cousin did this for everyone last year! Such special gifts 🙂
Brittney, this is great! Thanks for the idea!
I love to give and receive homemade gifts. It really speaks to the individuals personality and shows how much time and thought they put into the gift! I love homemade sugar scrubs…really exfoliate the skin and make it smooth.
How can you make this without a stand mixer?!
You can use a hand mixer (if you have one) or you can simply mix the sugar and coconut oil together by hand. The coconut oil won’t be as “whipped” but you’ll still end up with a lovely sugar scrub.
Great idea, and beautiful pictures! I did a sugar lip scrub last year, and this year I did homemade body butter.
Ohhh… I love those ideas! Did you post the recipes on your blog?
I love this! I am always looking for DIY body scrubs and face masks. This looks like one I can do!
Great idea! I’ve been wanting to try coconut oil topically for awhile. I hear it does wonders.
One of my favorite posts. Love this idea!
I have a question about this. I’ve debated making similar things like this for myself before, but my hesitancy is the unknown shelf life. How long would this last? And is this something I’d need to keep in the fridge? When would it expire? I’d love to just make my own and save my money– the upsell on something like this is ridic– but I’d hate to make a big batch and it have mold or something.
Since coconut oil, sugar and essential oils have really long shelf lives, I’d guess that the scrub will last at least 3-6 months, probably longer. The only issue would be keeping the scrub in your shower and water (or other contaminants) getting in it, which could potentially cause mold to grow. Ideally, you’ll want to store the scrub in a cool, dry place after each use. Hope this helps!
Another tip about that is to make sure it’s in a GLASS container when you store it, or make it in general, or the essential oils will seep into a plastic bowl for example.
When using the scrub make sure to have a little spoon to scoop it out so that you don’t get finger oils or wetness into the scrub, which could cause mold.
I love doterra and this scrub looks insanely rich and perfect for moisturizing your skin!
I love this idea so much!
I really love getting home-made gifts, but I rarely get them. Baked goods are always nice though. This is really lovely, and I’d love to receive this scrub. Nice work!
Thanks Ashley!
Nice! I don’t experiment enough with making homemade things like this, but I love coconut oil. The best homemade gifts are usually pictures or frames. Especially since I print out so few now.
I totally agree! We got married last June so last year I gave lots of family members photos from the wedding as their holiday gift. This reminds me that I need to get some pictures printed!
Hi Carla. When you say VCO, do you mean virgin coconut oil? If so, using virgin coconut oil won’t make any difference. That’s actually what I used.
Yeah..I also have the same question. And would it make any difference if we use VCO?