10 Solid Scrub Recipes That Exfoliate + Hydrate at the Same Time (2024)

What's better than a homemade scrub? A homemade solid scrub bar! We love using these perfectly-portioned shower treats. They're packed with exfoliating ingredients in a creamy base so you can slough away your dry bits and moisturize at the same time.

We all love a good homemade scrub for soft, smooth skin—especially now that the cold weather is here to stay. Exfoliation is key to good skin, whether you want to wax, apply self-tanner, or just let it shine.

Hop in the shower with one of these bars and rub your skin all over so the butters can get in. You'll scrub off dead skin and leave your skin feeling moisturized and SO soft. You don't even need to lotion up afterwards because your skin will be silky smooth!

Pick Your Moisturizing Ingredient

You need a solid butter or wax to turn a sugar scrub into a solid sugar scrub. Some of the best moisturizing ingredients for solid scrub bars include:

Shea Butter: Shea butter is rich in fatty acids and vitamins that nourish the skin and provide deep hydration.

Cocoa Butter: Cocoa butter is also a great moisturizer, and it has a pleasant chocolate-like scent.

Coconut oil: Coconut oil is a popular choice for its excellent moisturizing properties and mild scent.

Beeswax: Beeswax adds a protective barrier to the skin and helps lock in moisture. If you use beeswax, you can incorporate other carrier oils like sweet almond or olive oil and your bar will still stay solid.

Pick Your Exfoliating Ingredient

Choose exfoliating ingredients based on your skin type and the level of exfoliation you desire. Some of the best exfoliating ingredients to use in solid scrub bars include:

Sugar: Sugar granules are gentle and effective exfoliants for most skin types.

Salt: Salt, such as sea salt or Epsom salt, provides a coarser exfoliation and can be invigorating.

Ground coffee: Ground coffee is an excellent choice for a natural, stimulating scrub.

Ground oats: Ground oatmeal is a mild exfoliant suitable for sensitive skin and can help soothe irritation.

Ground rice: Ground rice bran is a gentle exfoliant suitable for sensitive skin types.

Put Them Together in Solid Scrub Bar Recipes

All you have to do is combine your exfoliating and moisturizing ingredients in a solid, bar-like form. Read on for recipe inspiration!

1. Sugar + Shea Scrub Bars

Not only do these sugar bars smell amazing, but they’re also an anti-aging, wrinkle-fighting powerhouse. Exfoliating and moisturizing, they have the added benefit of being extra giftable: those rose petals make them look (and feel) luxurious.

2. Coffee + Coconut Scrub Cubes

We know you might not have the time to make (or even use) three different bath products. So how about a multipurpose power combo of coffee and coconut oil, that fights cellulite and stretch marks. Plus this can double as a face scrub to reduce weird face puffiness.

3. Brown Sugar + Cocoa Scrubee Bars

Dry skin is difficult to keep well moisturized but these copycat Lush Scrubee bars get the job done! And they do so in style. Made with a powerful combination of shea butter, coconut oil, cocoa butter and brown sugar, they're sure to leave your skin soft and hydrated.

4. Mocha Coffee + Cocoa Scrub Cubes

You only need four ingredients for this wake-me-up morning scrub: coffee grounds, cocoa butter, white sugar and cocoa powder.

• ½ cup cocoa butter
• ¼ cup coffee grounds
• 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
• ½ cup white sugar

Melt cocoa butter in a microwave-safe container. In a separate bowl, combine the coffee grounds, cocoa powder, and sugar.

Pour the melted cocoa butter into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Pour the mixture into silicone ice cube molds. Press down to compact the mixture in the molds.

Place the molds in the refrigerator or freezer for a few hours until the scrub cubes solidify. Then pop them out of the molds. Store them in an airtight container or a bag to prevent them from absorbing moisture.

5. Cucumber + Honey Cube Cleanser

The idea of a frozen facial scrub might not be on your radar yet but there are plenty of reasons for you to try it. The soothing and cooling effects of cucumber mixed with the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant benefits of honey turn these cubes into a rejuvenating at-home treatment.

6. Lip Scrub Stick

This reicpe turns your lip balm into an on-the-go lip scrub. Scrubbing with brown sugar gently exfoliates while cocoa butter and coconut oil lock in moisture.

• 1 teaspoon cocoa butter
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon shea butter
• ½ teaspoon brown sugar

Melt cocoa butter, shea butter, and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Cool slightly and stir in the brown sugar. Pour into empty lip balm container.

Solid Body Scrub Bars with Soap

If you want to create a scrub bar using melt and pour soap that foams and cleanses, you can try one of these recipe ideas:

7. Sugar + Coconut Scrub Cubes

Homemade cosmetics that go with the season are our weakness! For fall, we love these perfectly-portioned sugar scrub cubes with scents like vanilla coffee (amazing in the morning!), maple brown sugar (so indulging!) or pumpkin spice (an eternal favorite).

8. Oat Bran Scrubbing Soap Bars

These scrubbing soap bars will leave your skin feeling smooth and hydrated thanks to gentle oat bran, nourishing body butters and essential oils. They're especially helpful on dry, itchy skin that usually comes with the changing of the seasons.

9. Exfoliating Melt + Pour Soap Bars

Chia seeds, cornmeal, oatmeal and coffee are all excellent options to add to a plain soap to make it gently exfoliating. Another solution is to add natural loofah to a melt-and-pour soap base.

10. Foaming Face Scrub Bar

Make your own homemade facial soap bar with bentonite clay, almond oil and vanilla to soothe and cleanse. For gentle exfoliation, add 2 tablespoon of oat flour or almond meal before pouring the soap into a mold.

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