How to take a few things from around the kitchen and turn them into a ginger-infused coconut oil sugar scrub for body and face.
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Today’s post is not about food that you eat. It is, however, about things you normally find in your kitchen like oils and ginger and sugar and kosher salt. While you could technically eat what we are going to make today, I’m suggesting that you feed it to your skin instead.
My mom is a lotion fanatic. She has a giant bottle that she is constantly using at home on her hands, her arms, legs, face, wherever. I’m sure part of this stems from being a nurse, where washing your hands so many times a day leads to dryness, which leads to an increase need for lotion. That or she just really likes soft skin.
You would think that as her oldest offspring, I may have picked up those same lotion usage habits. Instead, I have avoided lotion and anything with moisturizing qualities my entire life like the plague. Rather than have soothing properties, it has irritated my skin, dried my skin out more creating a dependence on using more lotion, or caused my skin to break out.
Water. Water was surely the answer, to stay hydrated. This works, but my skin has essentially been starved of any other form of nutrition, and I figured it was high time I grew up and started taking better care of it. I am, after all, no longer a stubborn teenager, and I should adopt some normal habits outside of eating, which took me a while to adopt anyway. Plus, it’s important to take care of the largest organ in your body, right?
It made sense for me to seek out all-natural ingredients when thinking about skincare, especially considering my history with products, and so, I’ve been mixing up a few things and looking for ways to go all natural in what I put on my skin, as well as with what I put in my body. On Babble I shared how to use olive oil as a face wash, and then I looked at using coconut oil for more than just cooking. If we’re being honest, I also make my own deodorant because I avoid the aluminum in anti-antiperspirants and it’s becoming harder and harder to find good deodorant-only options. (This is something my mom did manage to pass on to me.)
This isn’t a lotion, but it does have a moisturizing quality, and it keeps my skin feeling soft without a lot else going on. If I do need more moisturizing, I tend to turn to a tub of pure shea butter for that, though I’ve been eying Susan’s body butter for a while now.
Making Your Own Sugar Scrub:
- Use this to exfoliate every other week or so in the winter on your face as a way to rejuvenate the skin and shed dead skin cells. It’s like a homemade facial.
- Why ginger? Ginger is great for sensitive skin, acting as an anti-inflammatory agent to decrease redness and help with skin disorders. It also works to energize skin, making your skin tighter and more youthful, and I’ve heard it’s been used on other problem areas, too.
- The coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so this will be a bit thicker when mixed with the other oil, which I appreciate. It’s soft enough to scoop out, but it’s not runny. You could always use all cold-pressed oils if you want a thinner scrub consistency.
- It may seem counter-intuitive, but oil will not cause your face to be greasy. On the contrary, healthy oils will dissolve the dirty oils that collect on your face, leaving you with clean, clear and moisturized skin naturally.
- Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and a jar of this would make a wonderful gift to the special people in your life. We can all use a little bit of pampering every now and then.
1 tablespoon ginger, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup cold-pressed oil (tea seed, jojoba, sunflower, or almond oil)
3/4 cup granulated or turbinado sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1-4 drops essential oil (I used lemongrass)
In a small saucepan over low heat heat the coconut oil and ginger pieces. Continue heating for 5-10 minutes until ginger scent and juice has transferred into the oil. Remove from heat and press through a fine mesh sieve or through a coffee filter.
While the oil is still warm, mix together with cold-pressed oil. Stir to combine and allow to come to room temperature. Stir in sugar and salt. Scent with essential oils as desired. Pack into a container.
To Use: Massage into damp skin and allow to sit 2-4 minutes. Using a washcloth covered in warm water, steam over face or stand in a steamy shower for a minute. Using the wet washcloth, wipe excess from skin. Rinse and repeat until oil is washed away.
Makes approximately 8 ounces sugar body scrub.
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oooh, this sounds like it must smell absolutely fantastic!
Ginger is one of my favorite smells. I could sleep with a big knob of it under my pillow and dream happy dreams all night long, I’m sure.
I can’t wait to make this, thanks for the recipe Shaina!
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This looks absolutely luxurious, Shaina. I love it! I never adopted beauty rituals either.. this sugar scrub would be a pretty good way to start.
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This looks lovely, Shaina! I have pretty sensitive skin, so I will definitely give this a try!
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I love a good sugar scrub. Just one word of warning… if your house is prone to ants, especially in the spring and summer, keep your sugar scrub up high and rinse out your tub or sink well after using it! A friend of mine walked into a shower full of ants one day, all there to love on her sugar scrub!
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That is hilarious, Kristen, and a good bit of caution.
Thanks for this great recipe Shaina. I have one question though…would it be ok to use coconut oil based scrub on oily/combination skin? Thanks – V.
I haven’t had an issue using on my combination skin, but I don’t use it on a daily basis. It replaces the dirty oil on your face rather than adding to them. If you are worried about it, you could always cleanse your skin as you normally would after using the scrub first.
I should update this to add that this is my daily scrub now.
Coconut oil is awesome for oily skin! I’m a skin care therapist, and recommend it to my clients. I’ve found olive, castor and coconut oils to be best, but you should play around with the percentages to find what works for you
Oh this sounds awesome!!! I definitely want to make this and give it away as gifts!! What a great Valentine’s Day gift to girlfriends too!!
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This sounds like something I could eat with a spoon – and although Kristen’s comment is freaking me out a little, I’ll be sure to keep my jar tightly sealed!
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so pretty! Love this
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Shaina, I never make my own skin care but you have made it very obvious to me that I should. Beautiful + smart
I love coconut oil for hydrating my skin and I even use it in my hair!
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I bet this is AMAZING Shaina!! I’m going to have to try a batch!
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I would love to be more creative and patient to actually do something like this!
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I bet the lemongrass smells heavenly.
Would you mind sharing your deodorant recipe? I’ve been experimenting with different natural ones, baking soda/cornstarch, etc., so I’d be curious what you use and like. Thanks!
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Of course, Anna! I’ll email it to you, but I’ll also plan on sharing it in a post.
I use Milk of Magnesia (unflavored, store brand) poured into a small squirt bottle and spray on my underarms daily. This worked better than coconut oil recipe I’ve tried in the past.
You’re going to send me a jar of this when the baby’s born, right? Sounds like the perfect cure for the post-partum blues. =)
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I love sugar scrubs, and I bet this one smells heavenly!
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It seems to be great, the smell of ginger is one of my favorites, and since I have super sensitive skin, I will try, thanks for the recipe.
I can’t wait to try this!
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I love the combination of coconut and ginger – this sounds amazing!
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Oh my! I can’t wait to try this…sounds lovely
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Made and tried this on my face and body today — LOVE it! My face was so soft and smooth afterwards. I was a bit hesitant to try something different on my face, as I have fairly sensitive skin, but it was just fine. Thanks!
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I’m so glad I convinced you to try it with the ginger in, and equally thrilled that you love it!
This looks amazing!! Can’t wait to try it!
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well this is extraordinary I am gonna try this…:)
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What kind and size of jar did you use? It is beautiful! I just ordered some almond oil to add to my coconut oil, so I should be able to make this sometime this week… my body can’t wait
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The jars are 7.4-oz. Tulip Jelly Jars from Weck Jars. It makes a bit more than that, but I used it up about 15 minutes after I made it when I jumped in the shower.
I made it yesterday and it is FABULOUS!!!! I added a couple of drops of a citrus/vanilla essential oil blend and it smells good enough to eat. I’m sure I’ll be through this jar in no time
Thanks for the recipe (I added a link to it on my blog today, too!).
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I tried to make my own at one time, and it was runny and ucky. This sounds wonderful. Set the jar in a plate of water and you won’t get ants!
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Could hemp oil be used as the other oil? I have it on hand and would like to try this.
Yes. Hemp oil makes a great carrier oil, and it’s a fantastic oil for the skin.
I’m wondering if I could use EVOO as the other oil? It’s something I have on hand and I am already using it in my OCM blend.
Since starting the OCM I’ve been wanting to make my own scrub to use once or twice a week. Your “recipe” looks very easy and doable! Oh, and any recommendations on other essential oils that would be good with the ginger? At home I already have lemon, eucalyptus, lavender, and tea tree.
Thanks!
EVOO works as a carrier oil. For this I’d probably go with the eucalyptus essential oil. I love tea tree oil, but I think it would overpower the ginger here.
Does this go bad? Should it be refrigerated? I worked at a spa and we mixed our own sugar/salt scrubs on an as needed basis and used them immediately, so they never got a chance to go bad. Just curious.
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I keep it in the cabinet in my bathroom in the winter. That said, my house is rather cold. In the summer when it’s more humid and the air isn’t as dry it goes in the refrigerator. I generally use mine within a month of making it.
[...] to use on tougher areas, like feet and elbows. My friend Shaina has a lovely recipe on her blog for Ginger and Coconut Oil Sugar Body Scrub that sounds [...]
Sounds wonderful! I’d like to know how to make your homemade deodorant.
krista, I saw this on frugally sustainable website for deoderant. 1 tablespoon of organic corn starch, 1 tablespoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. You can use some beeswax with it if you want it to be like storebought and use an old container. I have not used beeswax. I put mine in a ceramic container so I can use my Young Living Essential Oils in it. I use Lavender. I just dip my finger and get a little every day. If that is a problem, use the bees wax melted and mix. This works wonderful and no chemicals. Also my persnikity daughter uses it.
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definitely making this for my mum… she’ll just love this
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[...] Ginger and Coconut Oil Sugar Body Scrub | Food for My Family 1/4 cup coconut oil 1 tablespoon ginger, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup cold-pressed oil (tea seed, grape seed, sunflower, or almond oil) 3/4 cup granulated or turbinado sugar 1/4 cup kosher salt 1-4 drops essential oil (I used lemongrass) In a small saucepan over low heat heat the coconut oil and ginger pieces. Continue heating for 5-10 minutes until ginger scent and juice has transferred into the oil. Remove from heat and press through a fine mesh sieve or through a coffee filter. Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and a jar of this would make a wonderful gift to the special people in your life. [...]
[...] 1/4 cup coconut oil 1 tablespoon ginger, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup cold-pressed oil (tea seed, grape seed, sunflower, or almond oil) 3/4 cup granulated or turbinado sugar 1/4 cup kosher salt 1-4 drops essential oil (I used lemongrass) Ginger and Coconut Oil Sugar Body Scrub | Food for My Family – StumbleUpon [...]
I love all of the products I have tried from the Skin Gym.It is so hard to choose which one I like the best, I know that this time of year (winter)my face can’t get enough moisture and would always feels dry Virginia said to try the avocado and geranium daily moisturizer.It is by far the best I have tried and doesn’t leave my face feeling greasy,and lasts all day.Thanks Virginia
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can you use the jarred minced ginger & not press it through a sieve? i have ginger people’s organic minced ginger & it’s so fine it’s practically a puree.
I think that would work fine. My only reason for removing the pieces of ginger was so that they wouldn’t be susceptible to deteriorating as the jar sat. I keep mine around for a month, but refrigerate only in the summer. I may refrigerate it regardless if it included a ginger paste just to be on the safe side.
I love all the products. It’s interesting maybe our skin help to maintain fresh and stay young. I feel lucky to know that Ginger and Coconut oil is use to scrub our body.
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This sounds great. I really want to try making this, I bet it smells amazing!
thanks for the recipe – I made this and it was fabulous – for the first couple of days – then the sugar/salt dissolved in the oils and within a couple of weeks I had a gloopy mess. I am wondering if anyone else had this issue?
I haven’t had this issue, Louize. I have a few ideas on why this would happen, so I’ll explain how I care for my jar once it’s made and I’m using it.
First, I do keep my jar outside of the shower. The condensation and spray from the shower would get into the jar otherwise. Plus, it’s hot in there, hotter even than outside the shower. I have a small ledge on the sink right outside my shower where my jar sits. I also have a fan in the bathroom that kills some of the moisture when my family members are bathing as well.
I’m thinking if it’s excessively humid and warm either from the shower or just in the house during the summer, you could experience the sugar and salt dissolving. To remedy this, I would suggest placing a lid on the jar and storing in a cool, dry place. I’m lucky that my bathroom tends to be a cool, dry place naturally.
I’m so glad to hear you liked this. Hopefully making a few changes to storage will help preserve it longer for you. I use mine nearly daily (it’s my primary face wash), but they tend to last several weeks without having the dissolving issues you described.
Many thanks for taking the time to reply at such length.
It is good to know your scrub lasts for longer than a few days, I won’t give up hope and will try making another batch, taking into consideration your suggestions.
Hi, I made a huge batch of this a few months ago and the Sunflower oil’s smell overpowered everything! I’m going to try again….is there a certain brand of oil I should be looking for? Thanks!
Your cold-pressed oil will carry a scent. I’d try a tea seed, jojoba, or almond if you didn’t like the sunflower. I personally use almond or jojoba in my mix, though I have used tea seed in the past and liked that as well.
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where can I get coconut oil?
I am planning on making this body scrub for my Mum’s Christmas present….can i use any other type of salt as im not sure where i am going to buy Kosher salt in the UK?
I think Maldon Sea Salt Flakes would be a good substitute. You’re just looking for a rough flake-like salt to give the scrub texture.
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Hi! I’m wondering if I can substitute ground ginger for the chopped ginger. Will it still turn out? I can’t wait to try this recipe! I’m planning on making several jars for Christmas gifts!=)
Hi! I’m wondering if I can substitute ground ginger for the chopped ginger? Will it still turn out? I can’t wait to try this recipe! I’m planning on making several jars for Christmas gifts!=)
I would stick to the fresh for this purpose, but you can just omit it and use the essential oils as the primary scent and skin benefit.
Thank you for sharing! I just bought little mason jars today and making this scrub for all the girls at work. Excited to put it all together this week!