I have seen sugar hand scrub recipes many times in the past in magazines and on tv and such. I finally got around to experimenting with a few myself and I was so pleased with the results. I really do recommend trying one of these scrubs out – I bet you are hooked!
I do crafts with the kiddos and DIY projects all the time so my fingers are quite regularly covered in paint or glue or glitter… Plus I get dry hands in winter from washing them so often and then there are always those cooking odors- onion and such that can stick to your hands even after washing.
So here are two recipes to try depending on what you preference is. These are both very easy and very inexpensive to make.
Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub
- ⅔ cup of sugar
- ¼ cup coconut oil or olive oil (fractionated coconut oil is best or use standard coconut oil that has been melted to a liquid state in the microwave.
- 15 drops of lemon essential oil or 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Your final consistency should be semi-dry- like sand that is just a little damp.
You will need to make adjustments at this point to get the right texture. This should be nice and creamy and not too dry but yet not runny. So continue to add more sugar and or more lemon juice/ oil until it looks like a thick hand cream. Hand sanitizers are important deals and they are also available on Walgreens sales ad regularly.
And that is it!
If you want to dress it up a bit more, you can zest a lemon and add that into your sugar scrub or try adding some drops of Rosemary or Lavender essential oils.
I liked this scrub a lot and I love the freshness of the lemon and the pretty color of the mixture.
Homemade Mary Kay Satin Hands
This next sugar scrub I really loved and it is even easier to make! We did this awhile back in MOPS and I wound up giving away the jar that I made. Now I wish I had kept it!
To make this recipe takes 2 ingredients and about 10 seconds. Just Dawn Hand Renewal Dish Soap and sugar.
The process is identical. Just dump about 2/3 of your container full of sugar. Next add the Dawn Dish Soap in slowly until you get the right texture. Approximately 1/3 of the final product is going to be Dawn.
Don’t get nervous about quantity because you really can’t mess this up. If you use more sugar the scrub will be grainier on your hands and if you use too little sugar it will just be a bit silkier. So really no matter what there will be a nice result.
Now the Dawn is great for many reasons- it is a soap so your hands are getting extra clean. It also has magical properties for softening hands (whatever stuff they add in is really nice), it comes out this pretty light pink color and it has a nice smell.
***Update: Unfortunately Dawn Hand Renewal was discontinued. Any soap will work fine but I would suggest trying Ivory, Dawn Gntle Cleaning, Method, Mrs Meyers etc…
I found it easier to stir with a knife instead of a spoon and again just add more sugar or add more Dawn until it gets to be the right consistency.
If you want to add a few drops of essential oils that is also really nice. I like Lime, Lemon, Lavender or Peppermint.
And that is it!! Add the lid and pop on a bow and you are good to go with a cheap and cheerful homemade gift!
To give you a very rough idea I used about 3 oz of Dawn when I made the container you see above. That container was from some farm stand jam we bought over the summer and I just repurposed the little jar it came in. I am guessing it is an 8oz jar.
Here is the final product- just use a spoon or your fingers to scoop a bit out, rub over your hands and wash! Please note the scrub will need a quick stir before each use as the contents can separate as pictured above. I prefer to use a smaller size jar to make this so I don’t need to stir. If you are packaging this in a large jar as a gift, I would suggest taping a little wooden spoon to the side with Washi or tying it on with ribbon.
Update: Prices can change at any time, but if you are looking for jars for your scrubs there is a great deal on Mason jars from Amazon here.
You can find some fun little wood spoons for your craft projects here.
And find some fun options for baker’s twine here.
And here are assorted sizes of mason jars that are perfect for this project.
I hope you will consider following me on Pinterest for more fun projects.
Here are some other things you might like:
Homemade Body Butter-– just like the Body Shop
Super simple Eucalyptus Vapor Bath Salts
As far as the separation issues everyone has been having, it’s most likey just that you’re mixing it all at once. I’ve seen this recipe a few times and you are supposed to mix it slowly, pull up the sugar a little at a time. Hope that helps! 🙂
Do you think you could use these hand scrubs for your face? (like a face scrub)
Wow! I made it with the coconut oil and lemon and it is amazing!
I love it and will be making it from here on out!
Thank you very much for this recipe.
A few years ago my mom and I went to a spa party one of my cousins had (really expensive brand, can’t remember the name right now). We bought some of their sugar scrubs, every one of them as part of the directions for use said stir first and every one separated after sitting for a while.
Thanks Tanya 🙂 I don’t think it is that unusual either to need to stir.
Thanks for the satin hands recipe. Works well.
Yeah so glad Kathy!
I must be doing something very different that everyone else. I’ve never had a separation issue with this scrub. I also add glycerin & vitamin E oil. Makes it divine! Especially working in the medical field where we constantly wash our hands. My nurses love it most during the winter along with my homemade healing lotion.
Oh I’d love that homemade healing lotion recipe 🙂 I wash my hands nonstop in fall and winter and they always get super dry.
I usually buy the One Minute Manicure products and/MK Satin Hands. The OMM always separates & we always just did in to get it all together. They give you a cute lil spoon but we lose it! Lol!!
Satin Hands doesn’t separate but I feel it’s a different consistency anyway.
I need to save money this year & this is going to be a saving grace for me!
Thank you!
If you add some polysorbate 80 to the dawn dish soap and sugar mixture it won’t separate as much. I added a teaspoon to a 3 ounce jar.
How long will the satin hands keep?
Hi Mai, It is not going to expire. Several months for sure will be fine.
that’s so cool
that is soooooooooooooooooooo cool
Were can you buy your containers for the scrub. Small ball jars . Etc.
Carolyn, I get them all over the place. Craft stores, Target, Dollar Stores, antique stores… 🙂
Are you serious about using dawn dish for a hand scrub?
research the ingredients in the dawn.
Hi Darren,
In the post I mention substituting that product for something else you might prefer. You can certainly use any product you like.
I love a good hand scrub to exfoliate my dry hands. Thanks for the recipe.
This looks so good! What a great gift to make for friends or to enjoy yourself!
Just want to let you know that Dawn Hand Renewal is discontinued. You might want to update that part of the blog with other Dawn (or other products) that will work in its place.
Ok thanks!