Make Your Own Homemade Exfoliator
By
First off, what the heck is an exfoliator? It’s just a fancy word meaning, “scrub.” We use scrubs and exfoliators to gently get rid of dead skin cells in order to reveal the fresh, new skin below.It’s a great way to get your “glow on”, especially if you do it regularly. It’s also a brilliant way to detox the body and stimulate new cell growth. I make sure I use my homemade exfoliator at least 2-3 times per week, both on my face and my body.
With all the body scrubs on the market, it’s sometimes difficult to know which scrub is right for you. A lot of the commercial scrubs have dangerous ingredients, many of which are toxic and linked to diseases. When choosing a body scrub, it’s best to select one sourced from natural ingredients. These ingredients should preferably be something you can eat. After all, my motto is, “If I can’t eat it, I won’t put it on my skin!” Is that your motto too?
In today’s post, I am going to give you step-by-step instructions on how to do just that. When I made this scrub, I couldn’t believe how easy and fast it was and when I used it the shower, I was thrilled! Yes, beauty products excite me. My name is Robin and I am a beauty addict. Now, you can be too. 
Hope you enjoy!
How to Make a Homemade Exfoliator
Ingredients Needed:
Step 1:
Add 1 cup of salt to a bowl.
There are lots of reasons to use salt in your exfoliator.
If you don’t want to use it for the body scrub, its also great to soak in it for those minor aches and pains.
Here’s what Dead Sea Salt can do:
- Soothe skin disorders because of it’s high magnesium, calcium, and bromide content
- Detoxify the skin by pulling toxins out of the body
- Ease aches and pains
- Contains 21 different minerals, 12 of which are not found in any other ocean
When I went to make the scrub, I found I didn’t have enough Dead Sea Salt, so I added some Epsom salt to it. Epsom salt is also a great detoxifying salt to use with many benefits, as it is useful in relaxing muscles and detoxifying the skin. Note: You can play with the amount of salt you use, depending if you want to make a larger batch. This batch makes about 1 cup of scrub.
Step 2:
Add 1/4 cup of oil
Step 3:
Add 10-20 drops of essential oil
Step 4:
Mix well.
Step 5:
Carefully spoon mixture into the glass jar. Close tightly to keep fresh.
Step 6:
Get in the shower and scrub, scrub, scrub! A note of caution: be careful while scrubbing your feet in the shower. With the addition of the oil, it can make your tub a bit slippery.
My homemade exfoliator surrounded by 2 hibiscus flowers from the tree outside my house. 
So now you know making your own homemade exfolitor is easy as pie, are you going to give it a try?(that rhymes doesn’t it) What are some of your favorite body scrub recipes…or is it this one?! Share it in the comment below.
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P.S. I don’t usually sell in my posts, but I had to share this with you. If you’re the kind of person who’d rather make your beauty treatments rather than purchasing them, this is a must have! It’s a book called Leon’s Anti-Aging Beauty Secrets and it takes the guesswork out of creating your own natural skincare remedies. Its an ebook you can download instantly and start having fun creating the recipes for younger looking skin! And right now, when you download, you also have access to bonuses never before available! Just click here for more: Leon’s Anti-Aging Beauty Secrets
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I really want to try this! I love that it only includes a few simple ingredients I already have. I might try lemon basil!
Hi Mary,
That’s why I liked this recipe so much! Let me know how it comes out.
Robin
Twitter: Lynn_Stone
says:
This is great Robin! Thanks
My skin totally needs it from all the summer sun 
Thanks, Lynn…yup it really is the perfect summer scrub especially if you add the mint essential oils…it’s SO tingly and refreshing!
Hi there and thanks for such a great recipe!
BTW, what is the shelf life for this particular recipe?
Great question, Athena! My batch has never really lasted past a month since I use it almost as soon as I make it, but if stored in glass, it can keep for 3-5 months.
Great Recipe! I started making my own hand-soap. I was curious if you thought this might work as an exfoliant in soap? Or, do you think it would dissolve?
Hi Hollie,
Not sure what you’re asking. An exfoliant is something hard that will rub against your skin to remove dead skin cells, such as salt, sugar, oats, etc. Are you asking if you can use my recipe in your hand soap?
I think I understand that step 2&3 are different oils.
For step 2, what could you use instead of coconut oil? Would it something in my pantry – like vegetable oil or something?
Searching for the perfect scent for step 3
Hi D’Nisha,
Sure you can sub many other oils for the coconut oil, but remember, coconut oil is loaded with healthy ingredients which are so beneficial for the skin. I wouldn’t substitute for vegetable oil, since those can be highly processed and not pure. However, if you’d like, you can substitute organic olive oil, almond oil, avocado, oil, or even grapeseed oil as a coconut alternative. Thanks for visiting!
-Robin
Twitter: Gayleswishlist
says:
My favorite is honey and coffee, best scrub/exfoliator ever! Look for the recipe on my blog
You’ll find it as it is tagged under “home made skin care recipe”
G.´s last [type] ..Saturday Nails
Thanks, Gail! I just made my own coffee exfoliator today with coffee grounds, grapeseed oil. and vanilla and peppermint essential oi. It was so fabulous!
Hi Robin,
I don’t use beauty products very much, but I thought it time to start exfoliating since ingrown hairs are attacking my legs. I heard a lot about home made exfoliators and this one sounded the best and easiest.
What stores would you recommend getting the oils from and what section might they be in? I tried stores like Target and Wal Mart and realized I didn’t really know what I was looking for or where to find it.
I had found a 2.2oz bottle of moisturizing coconut oil (coconut is my favorite scent) but I wasn’t sure if it was the right one. Then I found what I thought were essential oils in the candle/incense section, but it scared me away when I saw the warning not to use on skin.
The only thing I was able to walk away from the store with was the epson salt.
Thanks in advance!
-XD
XD-
The oils you use are quite important! You don’t specifically have to get oils meant for skin care. You can get a jar of organic, virgin coconut oil from Whole Foods (or cheaper online at Luckyvitamin.com.) This is the same oil you can also cook with. My favorite brand is Garden of Life. You can use grapeseed oil or almond oil too for some difference. These can also be purchased at the health food store or online. For the essential oils, I use Aura Cacia, but the absolute best, purest oils to use is Young Living. They are food grade and safe to use on the skin. The Aura Cacia (get at Whole Foods or online) are good but the Young Living are supreme! I am a distributor of the Young Living oils if you’d like to order some. The oils you saw at the store are probably synthetic, which you don’t want to use!
It’s hard to get these ingredients from the local store, since most of the products sold there are probably synthetic and inferior.
Another good site to get your ingredients from is More Than Alive. That’s where I got the Dead Sea Salts from. They’re quite affordable.
I hope I cleared some things up for you and feel free to let me know if you have any further questions.
Robin
Thank you for the post. I started using this last week as part of my daily regimen. Noticed that it is an excellent way to de stress. I also use this on my neck for ingrown hairs (so annoying) and it works beautifully. Also use Kosher salt with epsom salt or dead sea salt. Love it!
Robin,
Just wanted to come back and let you know that I really like the exfoliator! So does my mom. So thanks again for the recipe!
The only other question I might have is if you liquefied the coconut oil? I noticed it’s more of a solid state and in your picture it looks like liquid as opposed to a glob, if you will. When I made mine I microwaved it for about 10 seconds. I don’t know if this might hurt its richness though…
Also, if it’s not too much to ask, would you happen to know an informative website that lists the purpose of the oils? I know what some do, but I feel adventurous enough to try scents I’m not as familiar with =]
Thanks again!
-XD
Hi XD,
Thanks for coming back and letting me how the scrub turned out! So glad you like it! I can’t remember if I heated my coconut oil up, but you’re right, it’s best to work with when it’s liquified. The heating of it shouldn’t affect it at all.
A great website for info on essential oils is Young Living. They make therapeutic-grade essentials oils you can actually ingest and have incredible healing properties. I would not do that with other brands, however. If you would like to purchase any of them, let me know as they are only available through a distributor.
-Robin
Hi Amaryah,
Fabulous! It is a wonderful de-stresser as well as detoxifer! Any form of salt will work, I just love the benefits of adding in some Dead Sea salt!
-Robin
Cant wait to try. Does it work on younger kids too?
Hi Nora,
I don’t see why it wouldn’t work on kids because all the ingredients are safe and non-toxic. However, I would either make it unscented or use the essential oils sparingly as they can be a bit strong for kids.
-Robin
Hi! This a great idea for an exfoliator and it’s nice to see beauty products excite you too! I was wondering though, where I might find the essential oils? Mine is all done but I’ve yet to add a pleasent scent. This might be odd, but I simply don’t know where to look for them!
Thank you for sharing this with us.
Hello Tami,
I’s so glad you liked the post! I’d recommend high quality essential oils such as those made by Young Living. If you’d like to order some, I can help you. I’ve also heard good things about Mountain Rose Herbs, although I haven’t used them personally. I also use Aura Cacia, which are pretty affordable but not as high quality as Young Living and these are available everywhere, including Lucky Vitamin.
-Robin
Robin, I brought some pure lavender extract back from the markets in Provence, France. Can I use that in place of the essential oils?
Sharon O’Day´s last [type] ..Value, Peace and Power in Confronting Life’s Difficult Topics
Hi Sharon!
Thank so much for stopping by!I have never worked with real lavender extract! Is it the actual herb? I don’t see why you couldn’t use it, but I’d use it sparingly at first because since it’s pure, it may be a bit stronger than a regular essential oil. Let me know how it goes!
-Robin
For the last few weeks I have been using coconut oil for EVERYTHING I can. It is amazing. Of course I have been doing tons of research and learning all I can. I recall reading somewhere DO NOT heat coconut oil up in the MICROWAVE because that will alter or take away the nutrients and good things the oil contains. Heating the oil on the stove is ok and the oil will retain all of its nutrients. I know it will melt at either 78 or 76 degrees so don’t worry if you make skin care products and it solidifies from being in a cool area because as soon as you touch it or put in your hands it melts back to a liquid.
I’m so glad you discovered the joys of coconut oil! Also, thanks for the reminder about the microwave. I tend to forget to remind people about that sine I got rid of my microwave years ago! I forget people still have them…using a microwave is very detrimental to anyone’s health as the radiation strips away all the nutrients in any food you put into it. Thanks for the comment, Kristene!
-Robin