Sugar & Oats Body Scrub

Recently, I had a conversation with my sister. It went like this:

Me: Do you know of any tested homemade personal care products?

She: Oatmeal scrub.

-The end-

That’s it. Literally. No hellos. No goodbyes. We probably should work communicating.

I rarely use scrubs. I’m lazy that way. But ever since I made this and tried it, I’m now constantly counting the days before I could use it again. It’s that good.

Making scrubs is so easy. You generally need two main ingredients.

Exfoliator
Sugar, gentler on skin compared to salt.
Salt, rougher on skin but less processed. It’s good for blood circulation.
Oats, softest on skin and hydrates it.
Coffee
Sand
Almond meal, rice meal, flax seed meal..etc.

Oil
Coconut, grape seed, olive, rice bran… generally any oil of your preference. Some oil has a stronger scent or feels oilier than others.

In terms of ratio, for every 1 cup of exfoliator, you’ll need 1/3 cup of oil. Of course more or less depending on your preference.

Essential oils are optional. It’s up to you, but I prefer not to put any type of fragrances in mine. Some even put honey, vanilla, fresh herbs, or fruits in scrubs. Again, all these are optional. I went for something simpler yet effective and used ingredients that has a longer shelf life on its own.

I used two types of oats (because that’s what I had on hand) and decided to mix brown sugar and cane sugar (to give it a half fine half coarse blend). Olive oil came to mind, but after giving it a sniff, I decided to go with rice bran oil because it has a more neutral smell. Regardless, both types of oil are extremely good for the skin.

I made a test batch using the recipe below + honey. When I tested it on my hands, it was clumpy. It didn’t spread nor stick well and I’m left with nothing but oil on my hands. Everything else has fell off and gone to waste. After another test without the honey, it was perfect. It spread and stuck to the skin well and it made my hands so silky smooth. I immediately imagined what it could do to my whole body.

So, go on. Have a conversation with someone. You never know what surprise awaits. Perhaps something spectacular like this scrub! Or better yet, have a conversation with this scrub. Make it and tell it that it’s awesome!

Quick Recipe         Yields    5-6 uses

what you need:

1/4 cup rolled oats (or other exfoliator)
1/4 cup oat grouts
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cane sugar
1/3 rice bran oil (or any oil of your preference)
1 airtight container (clean and dry)

directions:

1. Blend rolled oats and oat grouts on high in a high powered blender until it becomes powder form (oatmeal).
2. In a bowl, combine ground oats, brown sugar and cane sugar and mix well.
3. Pour oil into the bowl and stir. It will feel like you’re stirring wet sand.
4. Store in an airtight container.

Notes:

1. Mixture may separate a little. Just give it a stir and use.
2. Do not get water into the scrub. Water makes it go bad. Always use a clean, dry spoon to scoop what is needed.
3. Shelf life will depend on ingredients used, temperature and if water gets in. Good rule of thumb is to smell it each time before using. If it’s smells funny, get rid of it.
4. This recipe is enough to use for 2-3 weeks. In a cool climate, it should be safe out of the fridge for that duration of time. In a warmer climate, if you’re not 100% sure, you can place the scrub in the fridge and take out what you need each time.
5. I kept mine on the counter in the bathroom with an average temperature of 19 C (66 F) for 2 months and it was still fine. 
6. Some say mix in some Vitamin E to increase shelf life. I’ve never tried it.
7. I wouldn’t use any scrub more than twice a week. That’s my skin. So, know yours before attempting the crazy.
8. After using, the floor tile/tub may be slippery. If I remember to clean it, I’d give it a spray of my multipurpose and water cleaner solution, roughly scrub with a brush and rinse. Usually, I’d forget this step though.

What is your favorite homemade scrub recipe?