Brown Sugar Vanilla Sugar Scrub Recipe

For several years now I've been making my own sugar scrub and using it often on my face, hands and feet. Today I'd like to share my recipe with you and let you in on all the great advantages of using a sugar scrub!

I used to sell this scrub in my etsy shop, but because of shipping costs and some other things I decided quickly that this item was not the right fit for So Sew Organized. So I'm happy to share it will you now so you can make it yourself!

My recipe is simple, and certainly not original to me. You can find this and similar recipes all over the blogosphere, because they all use one basic ingredient - sugar, obviously!

For this recipe, you need:

Equal parts brown sugar and white sugar 
Olive oil
Vanilla extract

Mix the sugars in a bowl and drizzle with enough olive oil to get the desired consistency. I have found that it gets wetter over time, so I start out with it a little on the dry side. Add a drop of vanilla extract.

Let sit until the oil has saturated all the sugar. I try not to stir it too much so the sugars don't begin to dissolve. Just a couple turns to make sure all the sugar is covered with oil, and the rest will blend together itself.

That is it! You now have a sugar scrub that smells great and works great.

Besides being simple to make and use, homemade sugar scrub is a much more frugal option than buying scrubs and moisturizers from the store or a catalog. It also makes a great gift!! Give it to a new mom, a hostess, put it in a gift basket, or give it "just because." And hello...tomorrow is Valentines day. You can easily whip this up and gift it then!

Here are some of the ways I use sugar scrub regularly:

 - On my hands. In the last couple years I have developed some seriously dry, sensitive hands, and I use sugar scrub to scrub away the dead, dry skin. The oil in the scrub works as a moisturizer that helps my hands from cracking and peeling.

- On my face. Again the oil works like a moisturizer, and I can tell a huge difference in my skin when I use it! I rarely have to moisturize if I use this scrub on my face every few days. The sugars can be a little rough on the more sensitive skin of my face, so I scrub it in my hands a bit before applying to my face. I don't want to cause small tears in my skin, that would defeat the purpose!

- On my feet. I know feet are generally a gross topic, and I probably don't need to describe my dry, cracked heels to you. We've all had them! I like to use this scrub on my feet the last thing before I hop into bed at night...it is so relaxing! You could use this scrub as a soak for your feet as well. After, I just slip on a clean pair of socks and hop into bed...I always feel relaxed and refreshed! Just by washing my feet!

The other time I find this handy on my feet is in the summer when I am in flip flops 24/7, working in the garden and just generally collection dirt and grime on my feet. I use this to scrub away all that dirt and leave my feet clean and soft - well, softer. :) Because who wants to walk around with their dirty feet exposed? Not me!

And lest you think this might be time-consuming or difficult to hop in the tub or make up a soak for your feet every day...I normally just stick my feet one at a time in the bathroom sink. Yup, just being truthful! It takes just a couple of minutes and does the trick. You are welcome for that mental image. :)

There are lots of other recipes for sugar scrubs, but I like this one the best because it uses ingredients I always have on hand. I have tried other recipes such as this one, and there are several more on my Pinterest board, so check those out if you want to try something different!

Have you used homemade sugar scrubs? What recipe is your favourite? What is your favourite way to use a scrub? Please share!


Linked up to the Weekend Wind-Down Party