Easy Lemon Sugar Scrub Recipe

Today we are making our own homemade lemon sugar scrub!  I love everything about sugar scrubs, except for the price.  They seem to keep going up and up and up.  

So my daughter and I started making our own to help with our dry skin. We have so much fun making it together, it's great mother/daughter time together.  And that is precious!  The first time we made it, we had the biggest mess in the kitchen trying out all the different ratios until we got it just the way we like it.

The best part about making your own is that you really only need simple ingredients.  Plus, when you make it yourself, you know it only has natural ingredients.

Supplies For making lemon sugar scrub

• Lemon Essential Oil
• Olive Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Regular White Sugar (or you can make it more coarse with cane sugar)
• Fresh Lemon for Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice
• Pretty Jar

You can also make this organic by using:

• Organic Cane Sugar
• Organic Coconut Oil
• Organic Lemon
• Organic Olive Oil

How to Make Our DIY Lemon Sugar Scrub

Start by heating your 1/4 cup of coconut oil in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds, depending on your microwave, in a microwave safe bowl. I start with 10 seconds, stir it, and put it back in the microwave for 5 second intervals as needed. In the summer you will need less time if you live on the sun like we do in Texas.

Add 1 cup sugar, juice and zest of 1 lemon, 15-20 drops of essential oil, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Then mix it really well.  It's way easier to add more essential oils than to try to take them away! So start with a few drops and keep going until you have the lemon intensity you like best.

Add it all into your glass jar and seal it up.  

For me, I added pretty ribbons around my cute jars.  I like the wide mouth small mason jars the best.  Then it's easy to scoop out this DIY sugar scrub, rather than the skinny opening jars, since then you will need a spoon or something else like a Spatty.

Once it's all done, I store mine in a cool dry place, room temperature is fine.  Then you scoop out a small amount of scrub, rub it in circular motions over your hands, elbows, feet, anywhere you have rough skin or dead skin cells.  Once you are done, use an unscented soap and warm water to wash off the oils.  At first you may think that you are washing off all the goodness you just put on, but trust me on this, your hands will be still be super smooth and soft.

I have sensitive skin and Emily has Eczema, and we both love this scrub.  I keep a jar in my bathroom closet and also one under my kitchen sink.  Not only is it perfect for rough spots, it also works well on stinky hands!  

This tutorial has been featured on FaveCrafts.com as a part of National Craft Month 2024! You can see all the featured projects from all different creators here.

Great Gift Idea

Not only is this great for personal use, jars of this homemade sugar scrub make the perfect gift! Whether it's for mother's day, holiday season, birthday, it doesn't matter.  Add a cute label to your jar and you have an instant gift.  I love finding handmade gift ideas, and if you are the same, keep this one in mind for sure!

We started making it for personal use, but this last year, we made batches of homemade scrubs for her friends as gifts.  

​Change It Up!

You can do this with your favorite essential oil also, it doesn't just have to be lemon.  We've done it with orange and lime citrus oils, but you can do it with lighter oils as well.  

Whether you make this for the dry winter months or any time of the year, I encourage you try making this lemon scrub.  Let me know what you think of this lemon sugar scrub recipe and if you are going to give it a whirl.  Until next time, XOXO, Meg