A coconut oil sugar scrub can be an excellent way to exfoliate and moisturize the skin, remove makeup, eliminate wrinkles and prevent oxidative stress on the face, leaving you feeling and looking younger than ever before. The gentle properties of sugar granules and the healthy benefits of coconut oil combine to form a wonderful tonic for the face and other parts of the body that may be experiencing inflammation, irritation, dryness, or potentially high levels of acidity.
Uses of Coconut Oil Sugar Scrub
May Aid in Skin Care
As per the USDA, coconut oil contains nutrients such as vitamin E that improve the health of the skin. So, the most common use of a coconut oil sugar scrub is to exfoliate the skin. It can be important not to melt the sugar, so the coconut oil should be kept relatively softened, but not liquefied. This way, those granules can help to scrape away dead skin cells, unclog the pores, and remove any dirt and grime coating your face. However, sugar granules are far less abrasive than salt, which can cause micro-tears in your skin. After the sugar does its work and clears out the dirt, the coconut oil is able to penetrate the skin and moisturize deep, stimulating blood flow for the growth of new cells. [1] [2]
Can Act As Eye Makeup Remover
For anyone who has ever had to remove makeup, you know that the process can be annoying and painful. Not only that, the harsh chemicals in many of those makeup removers are terrible for your skin and can leave your face looking irritated and blotchy, not to mention the risk of getting it in your eyes! A coconut oil sugar scrub can quickly and painlessly remove makeup from your face, while simultaneously cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing, as mentioned above. [3]
May Have Anti-aging Effects
The face often takes the brunt of the environment, pollutants, irritants, and physical contact; it is, after all, the area of skin that is almost always exposed to the world. This can speed the process of cellular breakdown and oxidative stress, which can result in wrinkles, age spots, and a number of other unwanted effects. A coconut oil sugar scrub used 1-2 times per week can improve your appearance through its antioxidant effects, boost the elasticity of the skin to cut down on wrinkles, and leave your skin feeling and looking youthful. [4]
Coconut oil sugar scrub is used for skin exfoliation. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
How Do You Make a Coconut Oil Sugar Scrub?
You can make a coconut oil sugar scrub with 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of softened coconut oil; simply blend the two together at room temperature to form a gritty paste, which you can then apply anywhere on your skin.
Some people choose to use a larger amount of sugar, as this can give the scrub a more coarse feel, and thus help with exfoliation a bit more, in addition to the moisturizing and cleansing power of the coconut oil. [5]
Additionally, you can spice up your coconut oil sugar scrub with other ingredients, such as essential oils or citrus zest. You can add the citrus zest from a grapefruit, lemon, orange or lime to add.
You should use carefully controlled amounts of essential oils, such as orange or lemon, as they can be far more potent than the other base ingredients. No more than 1/2 teaspoon of essential oils should be used, which will be plenty in terms of their pleasant aroma and the concentrated health benefits they can deliver.
A coconut oil scrub like this can last for more than a year, although the more extra ingredients you add, such as citrus zest, the shorter the shelf life will be. Also, if you use citrus essential oils in the mixture, it is not suggested to use on the face, as the essential oils can be very irritating to the eyes.
How Do You Use a Coconut Oil Sugar Scrub?
Using a coconut oil sugar scrub for your face may consist of gently massaging the scrub into your face in slow circular motions. The coconut oil should dissolve within 30 seconds to 1 minute, leaving your face feeling a bit grainy, but also stimulated and rosy in the cheeks. You can then rinse the area and pat the skin dry, which will allow any excess oil to continue soaking into the skin. You can even use this sugar scrub on the hair, as many people find success with this method as well! [6]
For your hands or feet, massage the coconut oil scrub firmly into the skin, particularly the fingertips, between your toes and any other areas that may fee dry or are commonly neglected by your lotion regimen. The effects are quite quick, and you can typically rinse off the mixture within a minute or two without compromising the benefits.
