Indulge Your Skin With Brown Sugar Face and Body Scrubs

Sweeten up your exfoliation routine

Woman applying body scrub to shoulder

deniskomarov/Getty Images

Nothing tastes as good as smooth skin feels—except for brown sugar scrubs. The relatively soft grains provide a gentle way to slough off dead skin cells and polish yourself all over. Here's a simple (and budget-friendly) way to exfoliate your face and body: mix brown sugar with just a few natural ingredients. Two indulgent homemade recipes coming right up.

Not the DIY type? Fresh Brown Sugar Body Polish ($39) and Sugar Face Polish ($62) might be for you.

Brown Sugar and Honey Facial Scrub

Raw honey and brown sugar make one sweet power pack. The former boosts exfoliation with natural enzymes; it's also anti-inflammatory and antioxidant to help keep skin calm, collected, and youthful.

To level up, Manuka honey is believed to be even more potent than raw honey. Native to New Zealand, it possesses a compound called methylglyoxal, which lends antimicrobial powers. 

A little bit of olive oil adds nourishing moisture and extra antioxidants. This recipe also includes essential oils to elevate your skincare routine with some aromatherapy; you can skip this if you have sensitive skin.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup raw honey or Manuka honey
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 drop lavender, jasmine, rose, or geranium essential oil

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients well.

Take a dime-sized amount. Starting from the center of your face and working outward, gently massage the scrub into your skin, including your lips, in circular motions for one minute. Leave it on for five to 10 minutes for a quick mask.

Rinse with warm water and pat skin dry with a towel.

If you have oily skin, you may not need to follow with a moisturizer. If your skin feels tight and needs extra hydration, apply a moisturizer or facial oil afterward.

Exfoliate once or twice a week. Store leftover scrub in a jar at room temperature.

Brown Sugar and Coconut Oil Scrub

For a perfect body scrub, keep it simple. Skin loves to soak up the deep moisturizing properties of coconut oil. This carrier oil is best for the body, as it can potentially clog pores and cause breakouts on the face. However, if you know for sure that your face doesn't react that way to coconut oil, feel free to use this as a facial scrub as well.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions

Warm coconut oil to room temperature. In a small bowl, combine coconut oil and brown sugar well.

Take a palmful and apply to damp skin. Scrub all over your body in a circular motion. Rinse with warm water.

Follow with your favorite body lotion or oil to seal in the moisture.

Use once or twice a week. Store leftovers in a jar at room temperature.

Whether you DIY or prefer more sophisticated storebought formulas, brown sugar scrubs are a real treat for soft, smooth skin from head to toe.