This DIY exfoliating body scrub is a very easy-to-make beauty recipe and one of my favorites. In winter I use it mainly for my dry hands, in spring and summer, I use it to make my feet sandal-ready. It leaves your skin super smooth and soft and once you tried it, you will definitely come back to it!
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Disclosure: Some of the links below are so-called provision links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I can earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
What is a salt scrub good for?
A salt scrub is perfect to exfoliate and get rid of old, dead skin cells. So if you are struggling with dry feet or hands, or even hard skin on your feet, a regular salt scrub will help you with that.
Regular exfoliation can also help in dealing with razor bumps, as it removes the outermost layer of your skin, freeing up ingrown hair in the process.
So to summarize: Salt scrubs are awesome if you plan on getting super soft and smooth skin. Or if you just plan on pampering yourself a little bit.
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What you need for the DIY exfoliating body scrub
To mix your very own DIY exfoliating body scrub, you only need
- Salt
- Olive oil and
- a small bowl to mix both in
Yep, that’s already it!
Put about a tablespoonful of salt into the bowl. Then pour olive oil on top till the salt is properly wet, but not swimming in oil. Mix it and you are already good to go. Incredibly easy, isn’t it? Almost too easy to be called a recipe, but the effect is really worth it!
How to use the DIY exfoliating body scrub
Apply the scrub generously wherever you want to use it and massage it into your skin for 2-5 minutes. As the salt can be a little sharp on broken skin (think dry winter hands), don’t put too much pressure. Be gentle!
To wash it off, simply use pure water and pat dry with a soft cloth. This way the protective oil layer you just created on your skin stays intact and leaves a very smooth and soft feeling.
How often should I use the salt scrub?
I recommend using this scrub 1-2 times per week to maintain your skin. When my hands are extremely dry during fall and winter times, I do use it up to every two days though.
Generally, I would rather use it less often, as exfoliating your skin too much can have negative effects. If you use it once per week, you should definitely be on the safe side.
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A tip for even smoother skin
To enhance the effect even more, I recommend using this homemade salt scrub in the evening before going to bed. After washing it off, put 2-3 fresh drops of oil on the skin (minus the salt this time). Distribute it evenly and put on some cotton gloves (or socks, if we are talking about feet). Leave them on overnight.
This “cotton wrap” serves 2 purposes:
- Your bed sheets and general environment stay safe and you don’t put oil everywhere.
- The developing warmth opens your pores. This way the oil manages to really penetrate the skin on a deeper level.
In the morning you will wake up with super-soft skin and even more elastic and strengthened nails!
One word of warning though: This homemade peeling is not recommended for using on your face, as the salt particles might be too sharp for the sensitive skin there. Moreover, most skin types don’t deal very well with oily treatments. If you are looking for a homemade facial peeling, you could try oatmeal.
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Variations of the DIY exfoliating body scrub
Depending on what you have in your kitchen cabinet, you can replace the ingredients of this recipe with other things. Instead of salt, you could use sugar. The peeling effect will be even stronger.
But again: be careful if you have very sensitive or broken skin. I have even heard of people using baking soda for this purpose, so just see what you have around.
What is the best oil for my DIY salt scrub?
I personally think that olive oil is the best oil for this scrub. For that, I have three reasons:
- Olive oil is perfect for moisturizing skin, thanks to the squalene it contains.
- As olive oil is a very “rich” oil, you don’t need much of it to achieve the skin softening effect.
- Most of us have high-quality olive oil in the kitchen, so we always have our ingredients handy. (
Otherwise get some organic olive oil here*!)
Of course, you can still replace the olive oil with any other oil, like rapeseed oil or sunflower oil. Just make sure that your oil fits your purpose.
Light oils if your skin doesn’t need too much moisture and heavy oils if you are fighting dry and damaged skin. You can find some examples for both here. (Don’t worry, what applies to hair can also apply to skin!)
Finish your treatment with a scented body spray
So now that you’ve peeled and exfoliated your skin, why not top it off with a nicely scented body spray?
Ideally, you keep perfume away from your skin for a while after a peeling. But with a super easy DIY body spray recipe like this one, you can smell good without any harsh chemicals. Give it a try!
*These links are so-called provision links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I can earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
