Orange & Vanilla Exfoliating DIY Body Scrub

It’s easy to make this Orange and Vanilla Exfoliating DIY Body Scrub to help give your skin an extra boost and keep it soft and smooth!

If there’s ever a time when our skin needs a little TLC, it’s December (and January and February and in Michigan, March too). This Orange & Vanilla Exfoliating DIY Body Scrub is one of my favorite ways to help do away with dead, dry skin and keep it soft and smooth.

And the best part? Sugar scrubs are non-toxic, eco friendly and this one is made of natural ingredients. The more homemade products I can use with things that are good for my body and good for the planet, the better.

This year I’ve made this Orange & Vanilla Exfoliating DIY Body Scrub not only for me, but also as a gift. I think this will make a great gift for not only friends and family but also for my children’s teachers. (In addition to this Vanilla & Peppermint Foot Scrub!)

How can orange juice benefit the skin?

Winter is citrus season in the Northern Hemisphere so adding in orange felt appropriate adding it as a component and a scent in this exfoliating DIY body scrub.

Plus, there’s so many benefits to using a bit of 100 percent orange juice on your skin. It not only can help to hydrate your skin but also contains naturally occurring vitamins, minerals and naturally occurring plant compounds (phytonutrients) that help keep your skin healthy, according to flordiacitrus.org.

The Vitamin C in 100 percent fresh orange juice can actually collagen productions and carotenoids can help neutralize free radicals that can damage your skin.

Also, the fresh citrus scent can be a mood booster- something I personally always need in the winter.

What else is in the exfoliating DIY body scrub?

My Orange & Vanilla Exfoliating DIY Body Scrub is gentle on your skin too because it’s made from simple sugar. I prefer sugar when I’m making scrubs for my body because they can be less abrasive than sea salt scrubs, which I love for my feet.

Sugar body scrubs work perfectly for exfoliating your skin by removing dead skin cells and lifting away excess dirt. They also help stimulate circulation and the naturally occurring glycolic acid won’t strip your skin of important oils while it cleanses.

Carrier oils

When creating an exfoliating DIY body scrub, you also need a carrier oil to help moisturize. I used both coconut oil and olive oil in this scrub because I love the benefits that each one provides.

Coconut oil is moisturizing and has anti-viral and antibacterial properties. Use unrefined coconut oil or fractionated coconut oil since it can be less greasy and comes in a liquid form. Mine has unrefined coconut oil in it, which can be a bit more difficult to work into the sugar since it is a solid, but I had it at hand. I also just order {THIS} fractionated coconut oil.

Olive oil penetrates the skin deeply so it’s perfect for overly dry skin in the winter. It is also a humectant. This means olive oil draws moisture into your skin and is good for itchy, dry skin.

I prefer it over a lot of other oils because it’s cheaper and easier to have on-hand if I get the inkling to make something.

Other types of carrier oils include:

• Apricot oil
• Avocado oil
• Sweet almond oil
• Hazelnut oil
• Sesame oil
• Jojoba oil

A lot of these can be more expensive that coconut oil or olive oil too so when making large batches as gifts, I prefer to go with the ones that are readily available, proven to work well and not overly expensive.

Additional ingredients

In my Orange and Vanilla Exfoliating DIY Body Scrub I also use the following:

Fresh squeezed orange juice – Not the kind in the container in the refrigerator. I squeeze an actually orange to get a little bit of it straight from the course. Oranges have a little bit of citric acid in them so it makes them work in a similar fashion to lemons and lime when it comes to acting as a natural preservative.

Orange zest – The zest is another way in include some actual orange in this exfoliating DIY body scrub and the peel also has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Make sure to wash and dry the orange really well before zesting.

Castile Soap – This is an actual soap that is made from plant-based fats and oils. It is gentle but it actually works well as a cleanser. It also helps with acne or harmful bacteria. This is the one I use {HERE}.

Sweet Orange and Vanilla Essential Oils – These will give the scrub it’s lovely scent! The vanilla is warm and comforting while the orange is light but bright and happy.

Mica Powder – Mica Powder is one of the most important ingredients in colored cosmetics, including in the natural and organic space. It is made from naturally occurring minerals mined from rock. It is often used in lipstick, eye shadow, blush, mascara, body glitter, etc. It can be used on all skin types according to thedermreview.com unless you have an identified allergy to it. It’s often referred to as “nature’s glitter”. I have this set of Mica powder {HERE}.

Packaging and storage of exfoliating DIY body scrub

The Orange & Vanilla Sugar Scrub will last a few weeks in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. I don’t recommend just leaving it in the shower after use. In fact, the refrigerator might be the best place for it and will even extend the life of the product a few more weeks.

When it comes to packaging, I use these 8 oz. storage jars with the lids {HERE}. I love the way these close and they help to keep the product fresher, longer. I also attached a wooden spoon to help scoop the product out. I wasn’t going to but my daughter begged me because she thought they made the packaging look so cute. 🙂 You can find those {HERE}.

Lastly, I made a label for the tops of the jars as a free printable. You can download them here: Orange and Vanilla Sugar Scrub

To print them, use the Avery labels found {HERE}.

Thank you so much for visiting today, friends! You can find the full recipe for the Orange & Vanilla Exfoliating DIY Body Scrub below. If you have any questions you can leave them below or contact me on Instagram @rachelquenzer or @sugarmaplefarmhouse.

Orange & Vanilla Exfoliating DIY Body Scrub

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Keyword: exfoliating diy body scrub, orange and vanilla body scrub, orange and vanilla sugar scrub, sugar scrub

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 4 8 oz jars

Author: Rachel

Ingredients

• 4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. Castile soap
• Zest of 2-3 oranges
• 2 tsp. orange juice
• 30 drops sweet orange oil essential oil
• 15 drops vanilla essential oil

Instructions

• Combine half the sugar and coconut oil and work together. If you're using unrefined coconut oil this might take a little longer than if you're using fractionated coconut oil.
• Add in olive oil, orange juice, orange zest and Castile soap. Mix well.
• Add the other half of the sugar and mix well to combine.
• Combine the essential oils and mix well.
• Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.