How to Make Candy Cane Peppermint Sugar Scrub

If you want to learn how to make sugar scrub, you're in the right place! This peppermint sugar scrub recipe combines vanilla and peppermint essential oils to get a yummy smelling scrub that you layer to get a pretty candy cane effect - perfect for gift giving!

I love giving healthy personal care products for quick and easy Christmas gifts. Using staples that you already have in your kitchen and some yummy essential oils, you can create a great peppermint sugar scrub that will exfoliate dead skin and smell delicious at the same time! One of the best parts about this project is that you do not have to be crafty to pull it off.

To make a delightful peppermint scrub, start with an organic peppermint oil and combine it with sugar and coconut oil to make an awesome sugar scrub. I love using mine to exfoliate my whole body in the shower or to scrub dirt off my hands after I have been in the garden.

Update: This recipe was originally created by using Rocky Mountain Oils' "Blend of Vanilla" and "candy cane" oils. Due to shortages in the worldwide vanilla crop, vanilla essential oil is in short supply and RMO is no longer carrying it. This recipe was updated in 2018 to reflect oils that are currently available on the market.

How to Make Sugar Scrub

Supplies

• 2 cups white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• Color Kitchen "Beet Red" coloring powder
• 2 glass bowls
• 2 mixing spoons
• Candy Cane seasonal blend from Rocky Mountain Oils
• Vanilla essential oil from Plant Therapy (one of the few companies still selling natural vanilla essential oil!)
• Glass jar (12-16 ounce)
• Long narrow spoon (such as an iced tea spoon)
• Optional: label, ribbon, sprig of rosemary, tiny spoon for gifting

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Directions

DIY Peppermint Sugar Scrub Recipe

How to make sugar scrub step 1: Mix

In a glass bowl, mix together sugar and coconut oil. Assess texture and add more oil (for a wetter scrub) or sugar (for a drier scrub) as desired.

How to make sugar scrub step 2: Split

Move half of the sugar mixture to a separate bowl. Add coloring powder, a little at a time to one bowl, mixing well before adding more--until desired color is reached.

How to make sugar scrub step 3: Add oil

Add 15 drops of vanilla essential oil to the white scrub and mix well to incorporate. Add 10 drops of candycane essential oil blend to the red scrub and mix well to incorporate.

How to make sugar scrub step 4: Layer it

Using a long, narrow spoon, scoop some of the white scrub into the jar and smooth it out to make a white layer. Next, scoop some of the red mix into the jar and smooth it out to make a red layer. Continue alternating colors like this until the jar is full.

How to make sugar scrub step 5: Wrap It

If desired, add a pretty label to the jar so your gift recipient knows what it is and tie it up with a ribbon and a sprig of rosemary or small Christmas tree bough. You may also want to give a tiny spoon with the scrub to help the recipient to better get it out of the jar when it's time to use it!

How to use sugar scrub:

To use the scrub, scoop some out into your hands while in the shower. Allow a little warm water to run into your hands to activate it and scrub on skin that needs extra exfoliation. It also makes a great gardener's or mechanic's hand scrub to help get deep dirt off of your hands.

Warning: The coconut oil in the scrub can make your shower floor slippery so use caution.

Happy Gifting!

Love DIY Sugar Scrub Recipes?

Check out my list of the best DIY body scrub recipes to make at home.

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About the Author:

Carissa is an award-winning green lifestyle writer and mom of two active boys. The owner and lead writer for Creative Green Living, she most recently won the "Best Green Lifestyle Blogger" award at ShiftCon 2019 in Atlanta.

Her goal is to empower families to make healthier, more sustainable choices that are beautiful and delicious! 

She is also the author of Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017), Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018) and The Little Green Book of Mothers' Wisdom (Skyhorse, 2020). 

Follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or join the Creative Green Living Tribe on Facebook.

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