2013 is not getting off to a very good start around here. When it rains…it pours…right? So not only am I in the midst of a huge elimination diet due to some newly discovered food allergies/intolerances, but my sweet Mom suffered a stroke on Tuesday morning. She spent two days at the hospital and we found that she has had some past strokes from her MRI. She is just fine now with just a few lingering effects and hopefully she should recover fully in time.
Unfortunately, we have been down this road before with my Dad who has also suffered several strokes. After one particularly large stroke, we discovered my Dad had a hole in his heart. He had heart surgery to repair the hole about 8 years ago.
Anyways, needless to say I wasn’t around much last week. Things are getting back to normal and I am trying to get caught up with my life. I have had this post sitting here half finished, but there were plenty of more important things I needed to attend too.
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With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I wanted to come up with a gift idea you can give to your girlfriends or yourself. The sugar scrubs I have shared recently have been a big hit. So I decided to switch things up and go with a Sugar Scrub Cube.
Sugar Scrub Cubes are fun because they are single serving cubes that have all the same qualities of an awesome sugar scrub in a fun this square.
I looked all over to see if I could find a great recipe, but I couldn’t find anything that didn’t require some special soap base, which I didn’t have. So I did a little experimenting and came up with a little recipe that I really like.
Here is what you will need:
Almond Oil or Coconut Oil (or oil of your choice)
White Granulated Sugar
Shredded Bar of Soap
An Essential Oil (I used DoTerra’s Citrus Bliss)
Mixing Bowl
Spoon
Microwave and possibly a double boiler
A mold or a scoop
This recipe calls for 1 part oil, 2 parts shredded soap, and 3 parts sugar.
Sugar Scrub Cubes:
1/4 cup Almond Oil
1/2 cup Shredded Soap
3-4 drops of Essential Oil
1 cup Sugar
1. Pour the oil into a bowl and add the shredded soap of your choice. Microwave this on high for 10 second intervals stirring in between each. If this does not work to slowly melt your soap into your oil you may have to melt the soap shaving in a double boiler. (If you don’t have a double boiler like me, simply place a small bowl over a saucepan filled with boiling water).
2. When the mixture is melted and and stirred together, add several drops of your Essential Oil. I used DoTerra’s Citrus Bliss. {If you have not used DoTerra’s oils, you are missing out! I love them. I get mine from my friend Julie Crowell. You can find more information by clicking on the link. I will be sharing a bit more about my love for doTerra oils in an upcoming post}.
3. Get your mold ready to go before adding the sugar. This is important because once the sugar is added the scrub will harden VERY quickly.
4. Pour in sugar and stir quickly. Take mixture and place it into your molds with your fingers. Or…if you don’t have a mold you can take a scoop and make rounded sugar “cubes”.
5. Let cubes harden by popping them into the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Then pop them out of the mold and cut them into fourths depending on the size you would like them to be.
Then simply throw them into a fun air tight container and add a cute label.
Sugar scrubs smell amazing and gently exfoliate your skin for a smooth feeling. The fun thing about these sugar scrub cubes is that they also have a fun “cleaning” element with the addition of the soap. And the citrus bliss smells amazing and has some relaxation and calming benefits which you can learn more about here.
And…you know I am going to be sharing the fun labels if you would like to make some for yourself. Click on the link below to gain access to the labels and to the use-age tag so that the gift recipient knows just how to use their fun and personal gift!
Citrus Sugar Scrub Cubes Labels
{click on previous downloads once you are taken to The Idea Room FB page}
What do you think? Have you ever tried Sugar Scrub Cubes?
Interested in some of our past Sugar Scrub Recipes? Check these out:
Peppermint Candy Cane Sugar Scrub (featured on the Ellen Show)
I LOVE this! Pinning, definitely going to have to give these a try! And I just love your photography!
I love sugar scrubs! Making them into cute little cubes is a wonderful idea, I will have to try this with some Dove soap and peppermint essence. I particular love your photo arrangements, very artistic :)
So sorry to hear about your mother. I hope she gets better soon. I’m definitely going to make these. Thanks for sharing.
I have been looking for something for favors for a baby shower. These would be sweet. I don’t have molds. Do you think I could spread it on a sheet cake pan and then cut into squares after it hardens?
try using ice cube trays
So sorry to hear about your mom’s health issues. Prayers going up that she makes a fully recovery.
thanks! these seem really easy to make. and with ingredients I already have!
Great post! Can’t wait to try….
Hugs and prayers for your family…..I know all too well what it is like…my husband suffered 2 major strokes in October, at age 35….
And we came out of it with no answers…..which is very hard to accept…. But we’ve talked to the best….even been to mayo……
Anyhow praying for you…
What soap did you use?
I used a bar or ivory soap
Please never feel that you are neglecting your blog when it comes to caring for your family. I know on top of all the other wonderful blessings of poor health that everyone in Utah is trying to deal with the worst winter in decades. That ice storm last week sent many older and younger people to the hospital emergency rooms due to falls and accidents . Just do the best you can do and hang in there with all you have got because this too shall pass!! Hugs!!
This is such a great idea! And I LOVE Citrus Bliss! Especially in these blah winter days.
Praying for your mom! I had a stroke at the age of 39 but I recovered. Just take care of your family now and don’t worry about the blog. We aren’t going anywhere and we understand how life can throw major curve balls at you.
I’ve never used sugar scrubs or cubes. My skin is really sensitive so I’m always hesitant to use them. I love all your pics though!!
Oh no!!! What a rough week! Please know we all expect your family to come first!!!! They are your first priority!!! So sorry to hear about your mom! And elimination diets can be so hard!!! I’m in the middle of one myself, so let me know if you need help! All 3 of my babies have had food issues so I have to do special diets when nursing! It’s tough, but worth it! Hang in there! Super cute soap scrubs too!
Sorry to hear about you mom~ Glad she’s doing okay. Hope you have a fantastic week! I think you deserve one!!! :)
I am so sorry to hear about your mother, and hope she continues to a full recovery.
Your sugar scrub cubes look wonderful, and I plan to try them soon.
sorry to hear about your mom! I’m glad she is doing better. Sure love your parents!
Im so sorry to hear about your mom! Praying for her to have a quick recovery! You are such a blessing to everyone :)
So sorry to hear about your mom. I had a stroke five years ago and spent 8 weeks in Salt Lake Regional. Thanks to the fantastic staff, I walked out on my own. Some are not that lucky. I still have problems with my right hand…but crafts have proven to be great rehab. I am very close to my mom as my daughters are with me, so I knowyour pain, FAMILY FIRST!!!!
People understand that things happen….Just remember that those of us out here following you, are thankful to have someone to help with extended rehab! :-)
What soap did you use?
Reading about your Dad and the large stroke/ whole in his heart…. My Dad had the exact same thing about a year ago! Hope all is well with your family!
Oh no! I have heard of a lot of people with the same condition since my Dad had his surgery! Glad they caught your Dad’s too. Scary stuff!
I made these yesturday, and put them in a patterned ice cube tray. I froze them and when I tried to take them out 1 hour later they started to crumble, so I left them in the freezer overnight and that worked!
BUT, when they warm up again they start to crumble when you reach for one in the jar, Did I do something wrong when making them?
Please help, THANKS!
Depending on the soap base you used, you may need to add a bit more oil next time to keep them from crumbling.
Thanks for posting these crafts! Can’t wait to try my hand at the pom poms & the citrus cubes!
I just tried doing this because I’ve been making my own sugar scrubs for awhile now and I love the sugar cube idea! Unfortunately I didn’t have great luck. First off I used an unscented bar of dove and I could not get the shavings to melt with the oil for a looonngg time. For the mold I used a plastic ice cube tray. When I went to take the cubes out after an hour in the freezer they wouldn’t come out and they just crumbled up! Any advice welcome!
Any ideas on what to do if its crumbling? And what bar of soap was originally used?
You may need to add more of a liquid oil to hold it together. I originally used a bar of ivory soap.
How do you use the cubes? Do you just drop them in the tub, or do you scrub your body directly with the cube?
They are best used just crumbling in your hand and scrubbing your skin with them!
These look absolutely divine! Thank you for taking the time to share these even thoughyyou had so much else going on :) These will make gorgeous gifts for friends & save me plenty of pennies! A few of my girlfriends are allergic to soap, is there an alternative you can think of to get around this? xx
Sorry to hear about your Mom
will try the cubes so cute thanks for sharing
Do you have to refrigerate this and how long is it good for?
You should not have to refrigerate this one.
I am so excited to try this! But I do have a question, my cocconut oil is a solid at room temperature, them turns liquid when warmed -body temperature– What kind are you using for this, I get the picture yours is already a liquid that is pured in… Are you using fractionated oil? Thanks for the help!
These look so great. I found this last week and want to make them for teacher appreciation week. Where did you get the ice cube tray? Thank you :)
I bought it off of Amazon. I just searched for square silicon cube tray.
Could you use a plastic mold? I have a Jello-bean mold that would be the perfect size, but the mold comes with a caution to grease it first so it won’t stick. Does that only apply to the jello jigglers mix, as the soap sugar scrub cubes has coconut oil in it, or should I still oil the pan before using?
Otherwise I will use my silicon ice sticks tray. They’re narrow, so I’d just have to cut the length I want the cubes to be. How big are your cubes?
I think I can ‘grease’ the mold with coconut oil, that’s also in the mix and good for your skin. I’ll try that now.
That sounds like a great solution. Sorry I was not on the computer earlier to answer your question earlier.
Thank you:)
You said the recipe is 1 part oil, 2 parts soap, and 3 parts sugar. But your recipe says 1/4 cup oil, 1/2 cup soap, and 1 cup of sugar. Shouldn’t it be 3/4 cup of sugar?
Made these sugar cubes today and they turned out perfect!!! I used clear glycerin soap from hobby lobby and coconut oil. I put them in rosé shaped candy molds! Can’t wait to use them. And yes they are holding there shape
Yay! I am so happy to hear that. Thank you so much for coming back and sharing that with me.
Hiya
Could you make these in one big flat block and then cut them to size or is it essential you make individual smaller moulds as I notice you say about cutting the cubes into quarters so I wondered if you could cut a bigger sheet into the right size?
Thanks
You could. The only thing I would worry about was it being crumbly. But if you have a great base, then it should be absolutely fine!!