Please critique my first sugar scrub!

[AshleyR]

I decided to make a sugar scrub tonight. I was watching some videos on youtube and got a few recipe ideas.... in the end I just kind of "winged it", and I'm pretty happy with it! I just used it in the shower and my skin feels awesome!

I used:

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tbsp. white kaolin clay
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tsp. chocolate truffle FO

Mixed it all together and wa-la! I know coconut oil is considered to be drying (in soap, anyway), but my skin is actually feeling awesome and moisturized.

What do you more experienced people think of this recipe? I hadn't seen any recipes with the clay in it, but I just got some in the mail the other day and wanted to use it... so why not.

Anyway, I'm thinking that I may make some more of this and give it to some of my family members (along with some soap and other handmade goodies!!) for Christmas. I'd like another opinion on the recipe before I start having other people use it.

Thanks a lot!

 

[carebear]

I'm sorry, but I have trouble seeing the recipe in cups and stuff - if you post it as %s (or even in grams) I'd do better.

Anyway, keep your eye on it over the next couple of days or even weeks - sometimes a scrub seems delightful at first but turns into cement over time (with oil floating on top).

I find your choice of ingredients interesting, but I'm not sure about having oils and a water-based item (lemon juice) without an emulsifier - I suspect they will separate. And sugar dissolves in water...

(BTW - coconut oil is only drying when it's soaped, as oil it's - well oily LOL).

Curious to hear how it holds up. Sounds yummy.

 

[AshleyR]

I'm sorry, but I have trouble seeing the recipe in cups and stuff - if you post it as %s (or even in grams) I'd do better.

Anyway, keep your eye on it over the next couple of days or even weeks - sometimes a scrub seems delightful at first but turns into cement over time (with oil floating on top).

I find your choice of ingredients interesting, but I'm not sure about having oils and a water-based item (lemon juice) without an emulsifier - I suspect they will separate. And sugar dissolves in water...

(BTW - coconut oil is only drying when it's soaped, as oil it's - well oily LOL).

Curious to hear how it holds up. Sounds yummy.

I know the ingredients sound strange! I thought the lemon juice was a little weird too... not really sure what it "adds" to the scrub? I saw another person use it in a video on youtube though.

I did notice that it kind of separated. There is a bit of oil on top that didn't mix in. I guess I do need an emulsifier. Next time I won't use the lemon juice. Will that help?

 

[Deda]

The experiment is half the fun!

Maybe try a bit of ewax? That gives good results in sugar scrubs.

 

[carebear]

cutting out the lemon juice might help, but still what is likely to happen (happened to me) is that the sugars sink and kinda turn into a brick and the oil sits on top. I'll look for a recipe I like, but it's more complex.

 

[carebear]

Here ya go - my favorite scrub recipe.

Sugar 61.7%
Shea Butter 11.4%
Stearic Acid 5.4%
Peach or Apricot Kernel Oil 8.0%
Castor Oil 5.1%
Jojoba Oil 5.1%
E-Wax (emulsifying wax) 1.4%
Preservative 0.6%
Cetyl Alcohol 0.6%
FO 0.6%

The e-wax and cetyl alcohol not only help with the consistency of the stuff, but they also help it rinse off you leaving a lotiony feel on your skin.

And a preservative is MANDATORY since water will get into the container when you use it, and sugar + water = food fest for microbes

Edited to Add: the amount of preservative will vary with your selection!!! Don't depend on 0.6% as the right amount for yours!!

 

[AshleyR]

Here ya go - my favorite scrub recipe.

Sugar 61.7%
Shea Butter 11.4%
Stearic Acid 5.4%
Peach or Apricot Kernel Oil 8.0%
Castor Oil 5.1%
Jojoba Oil 5.1%
E-Wax (emulsifying wax) 1.4%
Preservative 0.6%
Cetyl Alcohol 0.6%
FO 0.6%

The e-wax and cetyl alcohol not only help with the consistency of the stuff, but they also help it rinse off you leaving a lotiony feel on your skin.

And a preservative is MANDATORY since water will get into the container when you use it, and sugar + water = food fest for microbes

Thank you very much! I'll need to get some of those ingredients, but I'll give it a try!

I didn't realize that I needed a preservative either (didn't really research this - I just kind hopped in and experimented - I was bored!)

 

[Tabitha]

And a preservative is MANDATORY since water will get into the container when you use it, and sugar + water = food fest for microbes

I agree. preservative is a must!

Here is a very simple recipe from To Die For in Austin Texas:

2oz silica gel (powdered)
10oz oil
8oz sugar
fragrance
preservative

The silica turns your oil to gel and gel will not seperate from sugar so it stays mixed.

 

[SoapyScrubs]

I see fresh fruit used as a preservative in soap recipes. is this a good product to use in m&p soaps and salt & sugar scrubs?

 

[Tabitha]

I see fresh fruit used as a preservative in soap recipes.

Do you mean *fruit fresh*? I am not real familiar w/ fruit fresh but have heard it is citric acid. Citric acid may be a preservative, though it is not recognized as such by the FDA in relationship to soap/cosmetics. Like I said, I am not real familiar w/ it...

 

[carebear]

It's: Dextrose, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Citric Acid, Silicon Dioxide (Anti-Caking).

I've never heard of it being used in soap (don't use it in CP - it won't do squat to preserve a fruit in there - I'm POSITIVE), but I don't do much in the way of MP.

I think you would be better off formulating to control the pH with the acids yourself rather than buying this as you don't know exactly how much you are getting.

And keep in mind, this stuff is water soluble, not oil soluble...

(note on CP soaping with Fruit Fresh: lye is a BASE, the contents of Fruit Fresh are sugar and ACID. The high pH of the lye will certainly overwhelm the low pH of the acids. don't waste your $$)

 

[SoapyScrubs]

I haven't really tried it but I have found it in several recipes for melt and pour. In books magazines and whatnot but I have always been a little hesitant of using things I don't know too much about.
So what is the common preservative you would use for sugar & salt scrubs? Would it be be at grocery stores or would you have to get it from a supplier?

 

[carebear]

for MP it might be of some use (Fruit Frsh)

You will have to get a preservative from an online supplier

 

[puddin1970]

?

Is fruit fresh the exact same thing as citric acid? I have seen that in stores and ran out of citric acid for bath bombs and sink freshener - I could just run to the store and get it huh? Just curious.

 

[digit]

CareBear & Tab - Thank you very much for the formulas! You know I will have to try them.

Puddin1970 - LOVE the avatar!! Cracked me up.

Digit

 

[SoapyScrubs]

Thanks. I have a pretty nice recipe I use occasionally for myself and my sister. I will have to go dig it up and share. ....
Tada I got it!

3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup ground oatmeal (not instant)
1/4 cup pure honey
3/4 to 1 cup (or to total saturation)
Oil of choice - I use Jojoba, Grapeseed or Sweet Almond
1/4 tsp Essential or Fragrance oil of choice (optional) Vanilla works nicely. Though this smells great on it's own.

Mix the brown sugar & oatmeal together in a large bowl. Now add the honey. Drizzle the oil over the mix. Mix well. When all your mix is saturated and sinks to the bottom of the bowl and you have oil on top you're done. Add your essential oil or fragrance oil. A six or eight ounce wide-mouthed jar works nicely. Spoon mixture in.

I used sweet almond oil and it smelled wonderful. I didn't need to use a fo for it.

 

[puddin1970]

Thanks!

Thanks - I wanted something different and cute!

 

[digit]

Re: Thanks!

Thanks - I wanted something different and cute!

That it is. No kidding, even this morning I am actually smiling at it. I don't know what it is about it that entertains me so.

Digitr

 

[pepperi27]

Here ya go - my favorite scrub recipe.

Sugar 61.7%
Shea Butter 11.4%
Stearic Acid 5.4%
Peach or Apricot Kernel Oil 8.0%
Castor Oil 5.1%
Jojoba Oil 5.1%
E-Wax (emulsifying wax) 1.4%
Preservative 0.6%
Cetyl Alcohol 0.6%
FO 0.6%

The e-wax and cetyl alcohol not only help with the consistency of the stuff, but they also help it rinse off you leaving a lotiony feel on your skin.

And a preservative is MANDATORY since water will get into the container when you use it, and sugar + water = food fest for microbes

That looks like a great recipe thanks for sharing Carebear!

 

[carebear]

there are several recipes along these lines out there - some whip them but I somehow cannot quite hit the sweet spot where it its whipped enough but not so far that it loses the lift. so I just mix it well and spoon it into jars and everyone is happy!