4 Valentine Inspired Sugar Scrub Recipes
Valentine’s Day is about showing your loved ones how much you care, and what better way to do that than with a homemade gift straight from your kitchen? Making sugar scrubs is fun, easy, and the perfect opportunity to get creative! In this post, we will share four fun Valentine-inspired sugar scrub recipes that can easily be created with ingredients around the kitchen. They are perfect for a unique Valentine’s Day gift or to simply pamper yourself!
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I used to spend a fortune on body scrubs and other beauty products, but then I learned that you can easily make them at home for a fraction of the cost! Not only that, homemade body scrubs don’t contain any of the nasty ingredients that some store-bought products do!
Many popular store-bought body scrubs include harsh chemicals that can leave your skin irritated, dry and stripped of its natural oils. They may also contain thousands of tiny microbeads that harm the environment and local wildlife!
So do yourself a favour and the environment, and start making your own body scrubs instead! I promise you won’t go back!
So, with that in mind, today I will share 4 of my favourite sugar scrubs that will leave you with beautiful, soft, silky skin; they are also perfect for giving as cute Valentine’s Day gifts!
I have included some free downloadable sugar scrub labels to use if you wish. You’ll find them at the bottom of the post.
Benefits of Using a Sugar Scrub
Sugar scrubs are an effective yet gentle way to exfoliate the skin while leaving it moisturised and nourished. They remove dead skin cells, help cleanse and unclog your pores, and reduce inflammation, leading to healthier, glowing skin. Plus, unlike other exfoliants that can be harsh on the skin, sugar scrubs are safe for even the most sensitive complexions and won’t strip away essential oils.
You will also find that skin care products will work much better on exfoliated skin as pores are unclogged and able to retain more moisture. Even your fake tan will look much better!
Materials Needed to make Sugar Scrubs:
Sugar – Raw, granulated or brown sugar will do perfectly for most body scrubs.
A Carrier oil – A carrier oil is a natural oil used to dilute essential oils to make them safer to be applied to the skin. Most carrier oils are unscented or lightly scented and don’t interfere with an essential oil’s therapeutic properties. The best types of carrier oil to use in homemade sugar scrubs are coconut oil, Jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, argan oil and olive oil.
For all my Valentine-inspired recipes, I have used fractionated Coconut oil. This oil may be one of the cheapest and readily available, but it’s also extremely hydrating and guaranteed to leave your skin with a healthy glow!
Essential oils – Essential oils provide beautiful natural fragrances and have a variety of therapeutic benefits depending on which oil is used.
Vitamin E oil – Vitamin E oil is an excellent addition to any body scrub! It will nourish and rejuvenate the skin and is also an antioxidant, helping protect the carrier oil from going rancid and prolonging its shelf life!
Botanicals – Some sugar scrub recipes use botanicals such as rose petals, lavender buds, coffee grounds, or lemon zest. These can help with exfoliation and double up as natural colourants.
Colourants – Although sugar scrubs are perfectly fine in their natural colour state if preferred, you can add extra colourants such as mica powders or specially made cosmetic-grade colourants to strengthen the colour!
How to Make Sugar Scrub
These Valentine-inspired sugar scrub recipes are easy to make and only take 5-10 minutes! So what are you waiting for? Let’s get cracking! This 4-step process is the same for whatever sugar scrub recipe you wish to make. Check out our Valentine-inspired recipes below for exact product quantities.
Step 1 – Mix the carrier oil, essential oils and vitamin E in a small jar or bowl.
Step 2 – In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, colourant and any other dry ingredients. (Botanicals or coffee grounds etc.)
Step 3 – Pour the oil mixture into the sugar mixture and combine.
Step 4 – Transfer the sugar scrub to glass jars or any other airtight container and store until ready to use.
Valentine Inspired Sugar Scrub Recipes:
Rose Sugar Scrub:
This luxurious rose-scented body scrub is a great skin exfoliator, guaranteed to leave you with smooth, silky, soft skin! Its sweet-smelling floral scent also makes it the perfect homemade Valentine’s Day gift!
Rose essential oil is renowned for its calming and uplifting aroma and therapeutic properties. It supports cell and tissue regeneration, which helps maintain skin elasticity and reduce the appearance of fine lines. Its skin-calming and anti-inflammatory properties can also soothe dry and itchy skin.
The beautiful scent of rose oil is also known to help create a sense of well-being and increase feelings of vitality.
To make a rose-scented sugar scrub, you need the following ingredients, and you should make them according to my 4-step process above. This recipe is enough to fill one 200ml mason jar.
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 Cup of coconut oil
- 1/2 Teaspoon vitamin E oil
- 10 Drops of Rose essential oil
- Pink colourant (optional)
- 1 Tablespoon rose petals (optional)
Lavender Sugar Scrub:
This lavender sugar scrub is one of my favourites. It’s a great scrub that helps remove dead skin cells and leaves you feeling relaxed and calm.
Lavender is a versatile and popular essential oil. Its fragrance is particularly beneficial to those needing relaxation, helps reduce stress levels and promotes a great night’s sleep! Its rejuvenating and soothing properties also make lavender oil an effective skin treatment. It can help ease acne, eczema, rosacea and psoriasis and reduce scarring!
To make lavender-scented sugar scrub, you need the following ingredients, and you should make them according to my 4-step process above. This recipe is enough to fill one 200ml mason jar.
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 Cup of coconut oil
- 1/2 Teaspoon vitamin E oil
- 10 Drops of Lavender essential oil
- Lilac colourant (optional)
- 1 Tablespoon lavender buds (optional)
Ylang-ylang Brown Sugar Scrub:
A ylang-ylang sugar scrub may not be the first essential oil that comes to mind when making sugar scrubs, but it’s a perfect Valentine’s scent!
With its exotic, highly floral aroma, ylang-ylang has an uplifting and arousing aroma, which can also ease anxiety. This oil is a popular aphrodisiac; in some places, it’s traditional to scatter ylang-ylang petals on the bed of newlyweds!
Ylang-ylang essential oil also has some great skin-nourishing properties. It can help balance the secretion of sebum, thus reducing its production, making it an ideal skin cleanser. Its stimulating effect can also improve skin structure and appearance, making it a particularly good choice for older, more mature skin.
To make ylang-ylang scented sugar scrub, you need the following ingredients, and you should make them according to my 4-step process above. This recipe is enough to fill one 200ml mason jar.
- 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 Brown sugar
- 1/3 Cup of coconut oil
- 1/2 Teaspoon vitamin E oil
- 1 Teaspoon real vanilla extract
Strawberry & Vanilla Sugar Scrub:
This strawberry and vanilla sugar scrub is a lovely, fun, fruity delight! It uses strawberry fragrance oil rather than essential oil, as it’s not available as an essential oil. Just like most other berry fruits, strawberries contain no essential oil that can be extracted. Although you will find many suppliers selling strawberry oil as an essential oil, it will probably be manufactured in a lab, similar to fragrance oils.
If you’re not happy to use fragrance oil, just substitute the strawberry oil or keep it simple and stick with the vanilla. It will still smell amazing!
Vanilla is well known as a flavour for desserts and other baked goods. However, its soothing and softening properties can help repair rough or damaged skin. It’s also rich in antioxidants that can help protect the skin from environmental pollutants and toxins.
To make strawberry & vanilla scented sugar scrub, you need the following ingredients: make them as per my 4-step process above. This recipe is enough to fill one 200ml mason jar.
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 Cup of coconut oil
- 1/2 Teaspoon vitamin E oil
- 10 Drops of strawberry oil
- 5 Drops of vanilla essential oil
- Pink colourant
- 1 Tablespoon heart sprinkles
How to Use a Sugar Scrub
You can use these homemade body scrubs in a variety of ways. You can use them in the bath or shower, as a hand or foot scrub, or even as lip scrubs! However, I don’t recommend using homemade sugar scrubs on the face as the sugar is far too harsh and could leave you with irritated skin.
Whichever way you wish to use them, start with warm water, then massage the sugar scrub into the skin with soft, circular movements. Rinse again with warm water and pat dry to reveal beautiful, smooth, silky skin!
Be careful – These homemade body scrubs can make the bath surface very slippery! A bath or shower mat will come in handy!
Things to Note:
- Be gentle, and don’t use it on broken or irritated skin.
- Always use a spoon to remove the sugar scrub from the jar. This will prevent water from entering the mixture and spoil the sugar scrub.
- Don’t overuse sugar scrub, as over-exfoliating can damage the skin or cause irritation. However, these DIY sugar scrubs are safe to use 2-3 times weekly.
How to Store Sugar Scrub
Homemade sugar scrub should be stored in airtight containers and kept in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. To prevent the sugar scrub from drying out, hardening or becoming wet, ensure the lid is always tightly closed.
These Valentine-inspired sugar scrub recipes should last 6-12 months if stored correctly. Most of the ingredients used within these recipes have a long shelf life; however, do pay attention to best-before dates, especially with essential oils, as these can have a much shorter shelf life.
Gifting Sugar Scrub
These homemade sugar scrubs also make great Valentine’s Day gifts. Just fill up some sealable glass jars, such as these lovely glass jars from Amazon, tie them with some ribbon and add a gift tag.
If you want to use my labels, you can download them for free here. You can either print them out on a card and cut them out or print them onto sticker paper and use them that way.
If you prefer to make your own gift tags, I recommend using Avery Design & Print. You can design all your gift tags or labels with their free templates and software and print them on your home printer.
Please note – When gifting homemade beauty products such as these Valentine’s inspired sugar scrubs, you should always be aware of food or skin allergies.
Final Thoughts
Give your skin some love this Valentine’s Day with a homemade sugar scrub. All four recipes use only natural ingredients, so you can feel good about what you’re putting on your skin. They also come together quickly and easily, so you can make them even if you’re short on time. Whether you want to treat yourself or someone else, one of these scrubs is sure to fit the bill.
Remember to check out our related resources. We have many other helpful tips, gift ideas, and delicious treats to make your Valentine’s Day celebrations extra special.
Thanks so much for stopping by; I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read and make it to the end! I have lots of exciting new content in the next few weeks, so make sure you pop back to catch up!
