Guest Post:
I love special soaps and toiletries and sugar scrubs
are on the top of my list. There are all kinds. Some require special attention,
and others are downright easy. I don’t recommend the traditional oil and sugar,
unless you want to slip and slide, then spend the day cleaning your tub. I
think this one is much better, and the ingredients are easy to find. They make
great gifts too.
Homemade
Glycerin Soap Sugar Scrub Cubes
Once you have all your ingredients together prepare
to work fast.
The first thing you need is a glycerin melt and pour
soap base. Most craft stores carry it. Michael’s now carries some great
detergent-free bases
You’ll also need a skin friendly oil. Fractionated
coconut oil is a great choice and can be found in your supermarket. Sweet
almond oil, avocado or olive oil will work well too. Macadamia is wonderful,
but not as easy to find.
A SKIN SAFE scent and colorant if you want them.
They will be available in the area you find the glycerin soap. Read the label,
they MUST be skin safe. Don’t use candle colorant. Choose a nice fragrance for
the season. Peppermint, pumpkin, cookies, or gingerbread.
Sugar – Sugar can have large or small grains. For
this recipe, I use regular white granulated sugar. For a face soap, I would
probably use brown sugar. For a foot soap, I’d use demerara sugar, because the
granules are larger.
You will also need a mold. No need to run out and
buy one for this recipe however. You can use a silicon mold or ice tray, or a
sanitized milk carton cut to size; the box quarts are pretty perfect. Line it
with saran wrap. You want the mold to give, so you can push the scrub out once
it’s set. If you use the milk carton, you can carefully rip the paper off.
To
make your Sugar Scrub
½
Cup Oil
1
Cup Melt and Pour base
2
Cups plus Sugar
Use
drops or a half teaspoon to get the fragrance you want. Be cautious not to use
more than necessary because even skin safe fragrance can be harsh on your skin.
1 teaspoon per pound of soap base is the limit.
Instructions:
Have your mold ready before you start and remember to work fast.
Melt your soap base on very low heat. A double
boiler is good, or you can microwave it in 30 second pulses. I use 30 seconds to
start and stir. If I need more time, I do 15 second pulses. You don’t want it
to get too hot, because soap can burn.
When the base is completely melted, pour into a
large bowl, add your oil. Mix well.
Add your colorant one drop at a time until you get
the shade you want but use as little as possible; too much colorant can stain
washcloths. Mix well
Add up to a half teaspoon of fragrance. Mix well.
Add your sugar and mix fast; You don’t want it to
harden on you. You want to pour it as
soon as possible. When it’s incorporated pour it into your mold. If it’s too
thick, spoon it in and press it down.
Once the soap is set. (I’d give it at least a couple
of hours. I leave mine overnight). Carefully remove it from the mold, placing
it onto a plate, or anything oil can’t seep through, because there is always
some oil that seeps out of the soap. Work gently because the scrub will be
crumbly.
Carefully cut it into 1-1 ½ inch squares.
If there is a lot of leftover oil, I cover and leave
it, so it can soak some of that up. There will usually be seeping oil.
Your sugar scrub soap is finished and ready to
package. You can use cellophane wraps or jars, label it, and add trinkets or
bows to the top. Be creative. Just remember to use something the oil can’t seep
through. I also place a note on the label telling people to be careful in the
shower or tub, because oils can make it slippery.
Instructions: Break off a piece from the cube. Scrub
an area until the sugar is gone. Rinse well, and pat dry. It usually takes one
or two cubes per shower.
Have fun with it. Once you’ve tried these, I think
you’ll be addicted.
WARNING:
If someone is allergic to a food product, (Like nuts, avocados, etc.) they will
be allergic to the oils produced by that item as well.
