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.
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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.
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 Olive Oil or Coconut Oil (or oil of your choice)
White Granulated Sugar
Shredded Bar of Soap or Soap Base
An Essential Oil (I used DoTerra’s Citrus Bliss Essential Oil)
a few drops of Vitamin E oil (optional)
Mixing Bowl
Spoon
Microwave and possibly a double boiler
A square silicon 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 here. 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)
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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
Did you use a whole bar of soap to the ingredients you listed?
Did your soap melt? I tried ivory and its chunky!
sorry i just read that youre the original poster. my ivory soap wont melt, how long should it take?
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.
You are very welcome. I should have said thank you for sharing!
I used the sugar scrub cubes last night and this morning. They work wonderfully!
They dissolved nicely in my hand AS I showered. My favorite size was the snow flake shaped or possibly a flower shaped one ( not really sure on the design it is supposed to be) but is is the same size as yours, uncut. It did from head to toe. The little hearts, I’ll have to grab 2 or 3 as I like long hot showers.
Basically I was just really excited that they stayed intact at room temp. The reason being is I made so many at once without testing them Ha!!!!
I even made a sinus infection batch one with lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint. Vicks makes something similar that you drop into the shower and just dissolve.
My husband of 20 years actually asked me if I was feeling ok because this is so not typical of me to make beauty products. I usually go to the high end counters and buy them. Thus said, these will make a great gift for anyone. I mean anyone to make or receive.
Well done Amy, well done!
And…. Thank you.
haha! You are so sweet! I am so glad ;)
Silly question? Did you use liquid coconut oil?
Yes, but you can melt solid coconut oil as well. Thanks.
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!!
Great recipe!! I didn’t have any almond oil so I used canola oil with almond extract. It turned out great!
Thanks Pam for sharing that. I am sure it will be helpful to others who want to use other ingredients. Thanks so much for taking the time to stop back over and share it. Hope you have a great day!
hello,
thank you for sharing!!!! I was wondering where do you get the jars from?
YB
I just picked up that particular jar at my local craft store. They usually have several to choose from. You can also find some fun ones sometimes at thrift stores.
Thank you for responding!!!
I noticed that in your recipe you used 1 cup of sugar, yet when giving proportions you said 3 parts sugar, which would actually be 3/4 cup sugar. Which amount is correct? I used 1 cup of sugar. The soap and oil mixture took a long time to melt and the soap never really seemed to totally mix into the oil. I used it anyway and it seemed to mix well with the sugar. I also wonder why you gave directions to freeze the mixture after putting it into the mold you are using. Was this direction for those who would have to cut the cubes in half? I used old candy molds and don’t intend to cut them in half. Will these harden at room temperature?
Thanks for any tips.
Is it safe to use eucalyptus oil instead of almond oil
Eucalyptus oil is an essential oil, whereas Almond oil is not – it’s a carrier oil, therefore Eucalyptus cannot take the place of Almond oil. You could however substitute Coconut, Olive, etc. Hope this helps you to understand :)
I’m very new to making sugar scrubs and I see you suggest using either Almond or Coconut oils to make your scrubs and these cute sugar cube scrubs. Other scrub recipes I’ve seen, before finding your wonderful site, suggested using Olive Oil. Will this work as well for the cubes?
Yes! Olive oil is another great oil for your skin. It will work great. But I sometimes choose the other oils I mentioned because Olive Oil can have a yellow or green tint that can color your sugar scrub!
i cannot get the bar soap shavings to melt! It has been in a double boiler for at least a half hour now; will it melt ever?
Oh no! It is probably the soap base you are using. I used Ivory soap and it melted pretty well for me. I bet there are some soap that are harder to melt. I didn’t think about that since the one I used had no problems!
this recipe does not make cubes; they just fall apart when u take them out of the ice cube tray unfortunately!
Some soap bases are not great for this. You will need to be sure to find one that will melt easily so that you have a good base to start with.
Also, the soap doesnt melt; i had it on the stove for an hour and nothing
Hello there, I was wondering if you could also make these without the essential oil. I have none currently and don’t have the money to buy any anytime soon. If not, are there any substitutes that you could use in place of the essential oils? I would love to know as soon as you can.
You can just use lemon juice or an extract but keep in mind that there will be a very short shelf life and it could discolor or become sour quickly. You could keep it in the fridge for it to last longer.
How long can you keep the scrubs and the cubes before they go bad?
Hi Amy:)) Thank you so much for taking your time to give us all a wonderful recipe!:))! and I am very sorry about your family going through some health issues but God has took care of them very well and they are getting better. Amy my question to you is can I use a homemade liquid soap base for these awesome sugar cubes? Just thought I would ask Thank you and have a blessed weekend:))
Thank you! She is doing well now! I would not use a liquid soap as a base. I don’t think it would hold together the same way. But…you could always experiment. I could be wrong!
Hello! I love this idea! I make homemade soap and I’m going to try shredding some of that. I have one question- do you mind sharing how you make your cute labels? I love love love them and would love to be able to label some of my soaps.
I just made them in my photoshop program and then printed them out!
Is it alright to use olive oil instead of almond oil?
Hi love this recipe but having real problems :(
Used extra virgin olive oil coz that’s what I had and Nivea soap to start the soap wouldn’t melt fully so looks bit like carrot cake lol , but now they just won’t set :( I made them around 14.00 yesterday it’s now 9.00 and they are still soft to touch I can’t pick them up or they will fall apart , I used the 123 method, and froze for 30 minutes they looked great when they came out of mould but but now …. Not so much
Any advice would be great please xxx
The only thing I can think of is your original soap base. You need to start with one that will melt easily. If it didn’t melt easily, it will not work very well. If you want one that will melt well and are having a hard time finding one you may have to go with a soap base from a craft store…those are made to melt easily! Hope that helps.
Hi thanx for your help :) have just come home and still not set so may have to stick to soap scrubs for now :(
I have made 6 batches of these and absolutely LOVE them! I used leftover scented wax cube containers. They were crumbly when I made the first batch…even after freezing overnight, so I just stuck them in my dehydrator for a couple of hours and they are perfect. I also have found that if you use coconut oil (solid…not fractionated) they hold together better. I keep a jar on my sink to use as hand scrubs and a jar in the bathroom for shower use. Love this recipe…thanks for sharing!
Great tips! Thanks so much for sharing! I am sure that will help some of those who are having trouble with crumbly cubes!!
Awesome idea! Do you happen to have the labels available in a format I can personalize? I’m going to make these with different scents!
I used olive oil in place of almond oil. I also used dove soap. Dove melted down easily. Into the freezer.
30 min crumble.
1 hr crumble…. I give up on that batch.
Off to try a batch with coconut oil to see if they will set.
I just reviewed my previous post. I don’t know why I typed olive oil. I used grape seed oil. Regardless it didn’t work – at all.
Well since I grated 2 bars of soap, I couldn’t stop with one try.
Instead of grasped oil which is liquid, I used coconut oil, a solid. I’m on my 4th batch. I picked up some silicone molds from Hobby Lobby. Then little glass half pint canning jars from good ol’ WalMart.
I must say, I’m impressed. I only wish I could post pictures on here for everyone to see how cute they really are.
I would LOVE to see it Beth! You can share it on my FB page if you want! xo
Ha! I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. I posted some pics on FB today while taking a break from making sugar scrubs and getting gifts ready to mail up north. I had to cover my gigantic bag of sugar with a towel. I have already given some of these as gifts. They were a hit! I hope others will have such nice results as well.
I just discovered your page the other day and I LOVE it! I made sugar scrubs and bath salts for my mom and sister last year for Christmas and they loved it. Not to mention my nieces went crazy for it as well. This year, my daughter and daughter in law are getting them as well as the others. I love all of your recipes for different “flavors” and can’t wait to try them all out! Thank you!!!
I am so glad! I hope you enjoy them all! Thanks for commenting. I love to hear from my readers! So happy to have you joining with us! xo
Im so confused on what type of soap to buy i have read all the other posts and they contradict one another in what type to use. I wanted to use the soap base from joanne fabrics but its really expensive does the Ivory really work? or do the glycerin bars work help me please just a little confused I want to add these to my business :)
I eneded up using the Honey soap glycerin base from Joannes fabrics, it was a 5 pound block using your recipe I changed things up a little and it worked .First the soap base 1/2 cup it melted real easy then I added 1/4 cup of coconut oil the solid kind then added vanilla after all was melted together then added 3/4 cup brown sugar and omg what a awesome smell it held together real well ive used these and they are awesome thank you so much for the recipe
Came across your website the other day while looking for sugar scrub recipes to make as Christmas gifts. After reading this post, and the comments, I decided to try my hand at this recipe. I “tweaked” it a bit to make sure that the cubes wouldn’t crumble after they were frozen.
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil (the organic type that comes hardened in a jar)
Orange essential oil
1/2 cup Dove Sensitive Skin Soap
Ice tray
I found the soap fairly easy to melt in the microwave with the coconut oil. Once melted, I mixed all ingredients, froze for 3-4 hours, and voila’! It really turned out great, smelled wonderful (as in good enough to eat), and looked terrific with their light orange tint.
Thought I’d share my tweaked concoction for anyone having trouble getting these to not crumble. And by the way, I LOVE your site. Thanks for sharing your wonderful ideas with the world!
I just made the’ tweaked’ recipe for the sugar cube scrubs. I mostly do use the coconut oil, and the soap I used was “grandma’s lye soap”. I didn’t have any trouble melting with the oil. When adding the sugar, I also have started adding some colored decorating sugar instead of any food coloring and I love it. e.g. pink sugar with my grapefruit citrus scrubs, or yellow for lemon oils, pink or red with peppermint.
I just removed 2 sample cubes. I ran the bottom of the mold under warm water and they popped right out!. Still hoping to avoid the crumbling when I go to use them, but I am sure that it would be a ratio issue as the coconut should be solid at room temp. More oil if crumbly. I just never seem to be able to gauge how many drops of essential oil to use.
Thanks for all the great ideas, and I really love the comments section. Good to hear other peoples creative ideas or problems that they run into.
I’m allergic to coconut oil AND almond oil, but this looks so fun, is there a substatute for thoes oils
Olive oil is a good alternative.
Thanks, i make my own bath salts using DoTerra too, but there so expensive so I only have lemon and I look forward to making the cubes!
Oh , I forgot to ask, if you use a normal extract approximately how long is the shelf life? thanks!
It is a shorter shelf life. I would say a couple of weeks at the longest.
Hi, i used ivory soap and plastic heart trays! Worked perfect!! The ivory soap scrnt is strong tho so i used extra lavendar oil. Still smells like ivory .. Any suggestion s?
What is it that makes yours that pretty light pink color? i love it
I added one drop of red food coloring. Not enough to stain the skin but to give it a light pink tint!
What was your tactic for getting the labels to stick? Did you print your labels on sticker paper? Thank you for sharing such a great idea.
No. No printable sticker paper needed unless of course you want to go that route. I just print on white cardstock and then cut them out and glue them with a glue stick. It works so well and goes on nice and smooth. You actually have to scrub the labels off when finished!! Cheaper way to do it for me.
Thank you! I had no idea. I would like to create a label for the brown sugar scrub as well, what program did you use to create these labels?
I just use my photoshop program.
Dial is definitely not a soap that will work for this. :( Bummer.
I’ve now made 3 batches – 2 of them with Ivory soap – and none of them set. None of them melted properly. :( I give up!
Stuff like ivory is full of chemicals and crap so no, it won’t set. You need a melt and pour soap base from a soap supply shop. I bought one for 14.50 and it’s easily enough to make 10 batches.
I made two batches this evening. One batch, I used grapeseed oil, but it didn’t set. The second batch I made, I used coconut oil, and it didn’t set either. In both batches, I used a different soap, and both times, the soap didn’t really melt despite using the microwave and then the double boiler method. Because I didn’t read ALL the posts after the origional recipe, I didn’t see which soaps melted best. I’m really disappointed that I had to read all of these other comments to know which soap I should have used. As it stands right now, I have spent $38 on this DIY recipe and am planning to go out tomorrow to buy sugar scrubs for my gift baskets. I’m very disappointed. I was really looking forward to making something homemade for the girls in the family. After the holidays, I’ll try it one more time with coconut oil and ivory soap and cross my fingers.
I used coconut oil and Dr. Bronner’s castile soap and it worked, kind of. I used the double boiler method. The soap shreds didn’t fully melt, but I was able to get it sort of consistent enough that I could add sugar and then put it in the silicone ice cube tray. My problem is that I actually tried it in the shower and it left this, almost sticky, film on my skin. I’m going to try another soap, but because I have sensitive skin it can’t be a typical bar soap like Dial. I went to Michael’s to investigate the soap base and they have it, but it has sulfates and other stuff. I’m on the hunt for a sensitive skin soap base.
What works the best is to buy a melt and pour soap base. I spent about 30 dollars from a soap supply store for a base, almost oil, body product safe coloring, and fragrance oils. I have enough product for about 10 – 15 batches of these (16 per batch), and will easily have the fragrance and colorant necessary for probably a few hundred batches if I wanted to. Try getting a real soap base meant for projects like this and you will find it is so much easier.
I made these for gifts this past Christmas and they turned out great. Thank you for posting!
Anyone looking for molds, try the dollar section at Target. They usually have cute ones. I saw some with shapes that were for candy molding that would work and the ones I used were for small, sort of rounded, ice cubes. They popped out perfectly.
I used vanilla essential oil and a bar of lavender soap from The Honest Co. and it didn’t melt very well. I added more oil and no real change. I was getting frustrated BUT I figured I’d still try to use the mixture since I was sort of experimenting anyhow and it was just sugar that needed added, no other extra pricey ingredients or anything like that. To my surprise, it worked perfectly still. I mean the soap and oil mixture just blended right in with the sugar, even though the soap hadn’t fully melted. So, maybe just try it if you’re having the same issue! You might get lucky like me! :)
These were a hit among my sisters and friends for Christmas. I picked up some small Ball jars from the canning section at Walmart and they looked so cute all together with tags and ribbon. :)
Thanks again!
Great idea! So glad yours turned out and thank you for sharing as it seems that others are having trouble with the melting soap too!
Love this! I want to make these as favors for a Birthday party. In total I need 40 favors. How should I go about increasing this recipe and making the cubes? I don’t know how many cubes this recipe yields. Based on the pictures I’d package 2-3 cubes per party favor. Please help! Thanks!
I wouldn’t double the recipe as I think it will not turn out as good. I would just make a couple different batches and you should have enough depending on how big you make the actual cubes.
Thanks!!
I am terribly sorry about your mother. I really hope she is better now.
I wanted to ask you if you think I could use glicerine instead of almond oil. I want to make many of these as favours for a party but here in Mexico, almond oil can be a bit expensive and glicerine not as much…
I absolutely love this idea!!
I am going to definitely try making these. I think any glycerin soap base, along with the coconut oil, would work the best. Will try it and see how it goes. Thank you for this lovely recipe.
Thanks for sharing. Was looking for recipes using regular soap. I used the ivory soap- which does not really shred, it just crumbles into a powder, which is fine. It also does not melt easily like natural soaps so you have to grind up, or remove any large chunks before adding to the hot oil. Yes- the oil should be hot. I used coconut oil because it solidifies at room temp. I also cut back the sugar to 3/4 cup. Basically, I have found that the ratio of 1 part oil, 2 parts soap, and 3 parts sugar works best. The cubes set after 5 mins in the freezer and stayed firm in the shower. Perfect!
I am thinking if I could use a bar of Kirk’s Castile Soap. It has a coconut oil base. For the oil, I guess I would use something very light, like the Grapeseed Oil. Anyway, I will definitely have to try it and see how it turns out.
For those having trouble, I really recommend buying a melt and pour soap base, which is what I did. I paid 14.50 for a 2 kilo base from a soap supply shop.
can’t we use a liquid soap or body wash instead of the soap, in order to skip the shaving and melting?
You can certainly try it. I am not sure it will have the fats or substance to harden solid though.
Hi there,
My question is, what type of almond oil so you use. The one that can be purchased at the grocery store or essential almond oil?
Thank you!!
~Daria
I took them out of the freezer and popped one out of the mold and it didn’t have a crumbling problem. They were too hard to cut so letting them sit right now.
But a note to readers: DON’T use olive oil, and if you do decide to — use as LITTLE as possible! The bottom of my bars, surprisingly not on the sides, too, have some discoloration that makes these look like they’re food gone bad. I’d suggest a clear oil, like coconut.
FINAL UPDATE: The olive oil coloration, after letting the bars sit for a few hours, disappeared! So grease away if that’s what you have :)
Also, I had no problems with crumbling. I was able to cut up the bars without issue!
I made this using my own goat milk soap shavings and avocado oil. Mine did not set and were crumbly so they are repurposed into a scoop-able soap sugar scrub. I will try again as it looks like a great idea.
Wondering if you might be willing to share the printables for this project…so cute!
He, are the drops of the Essential Oil necessary for the recipe? Thanks.
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my sister is analyzing such things, thus I
am going to let know her.
Your original instructions stated 1 part oil, 2 parts soap, and 3 parts sugar. 1/4c to 1/2c to 1c? Would it not be 3/4c sugar? Math was never my strong point. I will try the recipe both ways and see what happens.
i love ur photography…. that’s make me to try your scrub recipe. but i wanna ask something…. white granulated sugar is a sugar that we use to make drink or cake, isn’t it? or sugar for scrub only…
Yes…the regular sugar you use in your baking is the sugar you can use!
I’m about ready to try this recipe. I see alot of difference feedback on the soap base. How many cubes would one of this recipe make, approx?
Do you need to do any prep to the silicon molds? And how far in advance of a shower can these be made and stores
Thanks! I’m a newbie!
Such a fun Project. I used my Young Living Oils, and used Citrus Fresh, and they turned out heavenly. I may try a batch of Peppermint, or Cinnamon Bark oil, for Christmas Gifts…..but will try a small batch first. Will let you know how they turn out
I’ve stalked this recipe for what seems like ages! I finally made it today!!
1/2 cup LouAna solid coconut oil (walmart, ~3.50 for 14 oz)
1/2 cup finely grated Kirk’s original coco Castile soap (fragrance free, 4 oz bar ~1.99 whole foods)
~10 drops Aura Cacia Spearmint 100%essential oil (~$6 on sale, whole foods)
1 cup sugar
Green gel food coloring
First, don’t mix your coloring into your oil. I know better, but ended up with an inconsistent color and too dark as I put too much in.
Second, watch how fast your scent comes out of the bottle. The 10 drops worked out ok, the actual cube was not overpowering, but the batch as a whole was!
My oil and soap gratings took about 1 min 45 sec total in microwave. It started to foam, so i worked with it starting at that point.
My mix was VERY oily. When I put it in my Ikea heart mold (each mold has 12 hearts, my mix made 21 hearts), the liquid oil (remember it is hot after mixing!), rose to the top. I put a plate underneath and stuck each mold in freezer. All frozen in about 20 mins!! I pulled out a cube to let it come to room temp, so far so good!! Smells awesome, and left my hands super soft, but i did need to rinse well and dry harder to get my hands nongreasy.
I think this will be awesome as a foot scrub especially!!
I LOVE this!!! I am going to try lemon tomorrow, also was on sale at Whole Foods today!! Thank you for an awesome idea and recipe!!
I am wondering where you get the cute containers thinking about making this for the women in my family :D
I’ve seen jars like that at walmart.
I used Kirk’s castile soap and coconut oil (solid type). It took a long time and did not fully melt the soap. While waiting, I read some comments, and added about 2T of liquid olive oil. They’re in the freezer now. I used jello molds and ice cube trays. I will try some old candy molds if this works. I feel like the scent isn’t strong enough. I intend to add a few more drops of oil. My recipe became: 1 bar of Kirks, 1/2 cup plus 2T EV coconut oil, 2T EV Olive oil, 9 drops essential oil, 2 drops red food color, 2 C white sugar. I used the excess that was left in the bowl, and my hands feel lovely. Fingers crossed that they set!
Hi!
The photos of the scrub are so beautiful! And the recipe is very, very clear. I just made some (smells delicious! I used some jasmine essential oil) and they’re in the freezer (I used little heart-shaped molds).
Thanks a lot! Your blog is lovely. <3
I got them out of the freezer and they’re lovely! :) Thank you so much.
If you use Ivory soap, just stick it on the glass turntable in your microwave oven for a minute or so. It will foam up all over inside the microwave. Wait until it cools and then you can crush the soap “meringue” into tiny crumbled flakes…
Do you think i could I add some cocoa butter to the mix?? I’m thinking shred and melt it with the soap. What do you think??
Where can I find a silicone mold like that?
I love your scrub recipies! I’ve been venturing into making my own scents and would like to make labels using the cuteness of yours that you provided! Do you know what don’t is used on the labels for this? It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for.
Will the cubes melt if they are left outside in 100 degree weather?
Hi, Can I use Virgin coconut oil?
Yes! Should be fine!
Hi! I love your recipe but I have a question. If I use a Shea Butter Glycerine Soap Base, would I still have to use oils?
The oils are for the smell ;)
I love your website and your spa recipes. I am having difficulty finding the printable downloads for many of the projects, especially the Frankincense and Myrrh Christmas set. Can you advise me to where I can locate these?
Thank you in advance.
Hi I tried making this ( sugar cubes)with two different bar soaps from the store (Dove and Store Brand) both batches turned out fine at first, they were very hard (left them overnight in freezer), but when I took them out of the molds, they did not hold their shape and just turned into a normal scrub. What soap did you use? And how do I keep the cube shape? Thank you!
I’m just now seeing this on Pinterest. I know the original post was some time ago. Hopefully your mom is much better these days.
I was just wondering if you have ever thought of making these and selling them on etsy? If so, I’d love to but some:-)
Sincerely,
Armenda
Thanks for this recipe. I made these tonight, using fractionated coconut oil. They turned out very crumbly, and then I noticed at the top, the proportions called for 1 part oil, 2 parts shredded soap, and 3 parts sugar, but the recipe says 1 cup sugar (which would be 4 parts sugar). They crumbled when I cut them up. I will try solid coconut oil next time, per previous posters’ comments. Fun project!
What is a good soap base? Is it have to be shreds or is there a liquid soap base too? Thanks
Sweet Almond Oil, Moisturizing Oil is a great soap base. I have a link to were to buy it on the recipe. Thanks.
Can another oil be used besides Almond oil? Like fractionated coconut oil, olive oil, or jajoba oil?
Dee De, you can use Olive Oil or Coconut Oil or any oil of your choice. Thank you!
I’m not even sure if you still have access to this awesome post!! I’m a late bloomer in the sugar scrub world, but already obsessed!! Question, how did you get the sugar pink? Would it be okay to add a dye?
Hi Amy,
I made the sugar cubes exactly as stated and they didn’t harden at all. I’m so disappointed. They can be used but are very soft. I can’t imagine what went wrong can you?
I used melt and pour soap to your exact weights.
Sue
Hmm…not sure what went wrong. Darn it!
Would have loved a printable version of your recipe and tags. Couldn’t find one any where.
Just emailed you.
How much does this recipe yield?
It makes about 2 cups worth. Thanks.
Is it possible to substitute Dove for the soap ingredient? I know some soaps can be a skin irritant to my family members and was curious if you ever tried this alternative.
Christine- I have never tried this. Not sure if it would work the same.
I followed your recipe exactly and I can’t smell my doTerra Citrus Bliss essential oil blend over the smell of the ivory bar soap that I used. Any suggestions on how many drops I should use so that it can be smelled over the soap?
Brittany- Darn it. I would suggest to try using a soap that is unscented and maybe adding a couple more drops of Citrus Bliss. Hope it work for you.
What brand of unscented soap would you suggest? I have to be careful with soaps due to having sensitive skin. I’ve only used the Ivory soap because I thought it was unscented.
Brittany-I love Ivory soap as well. If you are finding that you can’t smell the Essential Oils, I would just add some more drops. Hope this helps. Thanks.
What do you do with these? Do you rub them on your lips? Rub you arms or/and legs? I would really like to try them but I don’t know the uses.
Brianna- Arms and Legs are the best use for them. They exfoliate your dry skin. Hope you make some. They are wonderful!
Yep