Sugar Scrub

Sugar scrub is one of the first bath and body products I made. It's really easy. I don't like oily sugar scrubs that clog the tub and make it scary slippery. I prefer an emulsifying scrub that rinses fairly clean and washes away, no additional mess. You can use lots of different oil/butter/emulsifier combos to make a good scrub. Here is a general lay out of what I use.

Some examples: Liquid oil, any unsaturated fluid oil. Anything from argan to Canola would work. Saturated Oil, this would be an oil with a low melting point that is solid at room temp, such as coconut, babassu or palm kernel oil. Emulsifier, any that you like; e-wax or something fancier like Natramulse or BTMS all work. Thickener, stearic acid, cetyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, or any combination. Hard butter, kokum, sal or cocoa butter. Softer butter, shea or mango. Preservative is NOT OPTIONAL in this product. Yes it is all oils, yes you will be putting it in the shower and sticking wet hands in it. Even if you use a spoon, that is contamination. I use about 80% sugar, but you could go 100% for a denser scrubby effect.

This only has two phases, an oil phase and a cool down phase. Meaning everything but the sugar and preservative are heated together in a double boiler. I find it speeds things up if you chill a mixing bowl in the freezer while you melt your oils. Once my oils are thoroughly melted and heated through I take them off the heat and let them 'chill out' for a while. When they are a little cooler but still fluid, I pour them in the frozen bowl.

Have your sugar weighed out and ready to go.

The oils will start to solidify. I blend with an electric mixer periodically. When the oils start to be smoothly thick like batter I add the sugar. This is a little earlier than some people add it, but I feel it's easier to mix it in sooner rather than later.

Then whip-whip-whip. Fluff that sucker up to a luscious thick cream! Since it will be cool at this point, add the preservative. You never want to add it too early and over heat it.

When it has seemingly doubled in size and you can achieve the bakers 'stiff peaks', it's ready to jar and use!

For a really edible 'natural' smell, use unrefined cocoa butter and just a very small amount (>1%) of peppermint oil added at the cool down whip. It smells like mint chocolate. YUM. Enjoy!