How to Make DIY Sugar Scrub at Home—Plus, 5 Fun Ideas to Try

Whether you're dealing with the drying effects of

winter or want to maximize your glow ahead of a much-needed beach day, well-tended skin is a relatively universal desire. But why spend money (and contribute to unnecessary packaging waste) on

body exfoliants when you can easily make them at home? Sugar scrub recipes come down to two main ingredients—oil and sugar—and can be easily adapted to suit your tastes.

Creator

Ahnika took to

TikTok to share her go-to sugar scrub recipe, along with similar sentiments about its simplicity. The result is a sumptuous scrub ideal for an at-home (and, again, low-waste)

spa day, her approach primed for emulation and personalization.

Though Ahnika favors coconut oil, any skin-nourishing carrier oil (think almond, jojoba, and avocado) will work, too. The most important thing to remember is quantity: always opt for a 2:1 ratio of sugar to oil.

Additional exfoliants like sea salt and

oats are welcome to join the party, with essential oils and other organic ingredients providing beauty benefits, grounding aromatherapy, and more. Though technically safe for your face, your complexion's moisture barrier requires a fair amount of protection, so it's best to reserve your homemade sugar scrubs for use on the body.

Ready to get started? This sugar scrub recipe is the ideal springboard for your skin-saving mission.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil (or carrier oil of choice)
Essential oils of choice
Petals of choice

1. Add sugar and coconut oil to a blender or food processor. Pulse until combined and smooth.

2. Transfer to a glass bowl and add essential oils and other extras. Stir for even distribution.

3. Store in a mason jar or another airtight container and enjoy!

Fairly, simple, no? If you need a bit of inspo around additives, these five sugar scrub recipes are sure to spark your exfoliation imagination.

The ideal scrub for a p.m. home spa session. Lavender bulbs (and the optional addition of lavender essential oil for extra scent) transform this sugar scrub into an instantly calming aromatherapy session. Adding grape seed oil to go-to coconut makes it extra moisturizing, too.

The beautifying effects of rose feature in this sugar scrub recipe. Simple mix petals and rose essential oil into your standard blend and romance yourself with a bought of skin-sloughing and smoothing.

The comforting scents of autumn come year-round with this

pumpkin spice-inspired scrub. Brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon combine in an addictive scrub—just switch the suggested baby oil for coconut, almond, or jojoba and turn every day into the first day of fall.

This recipe offers double the gentle scrub. Oat provides an anti-inflammatory additive to sugar's exfoliative properties, while honey, milk, vitamin-rich

avocado oil, and sweet almond oil team to soothe and feed the skin.

Calm, smooth, and invigorate skin with this rosemary mint scrub. Rosemary is a antioxidant powerhouse (inflammatory, bacterial, fungal), while mint hydrates while alleviating scarring.