How To Create Homemade Body Scrub Cubes

In my opinion, the winter season sucks. It's bitter cold and if you suffer from dry skin, you know how heartbreaking it can be to constantly splurge on tub after tub of body scrub. After all, the effective ones aren't always cheap, and there are many other beauty products (ones that I can use all year round) that I'd rather splash out on. That’s why I decided to try and make my own body scrub cubes — and it's not as hard as you might think.

I turned to YouTube to help me. Unsurprisingly, there are heaps of tutorials available - all of which cater to different skin types and offer their own unique take on body scrub. YouTuber Frida Dolk shows you how to make a homemade vibrant-pink scrub in her LUSH-inspired video, and NovaBeautyCo reveals a simple recipe for a DIY coffee scrub that's ideal for those who want to push the boundaries of their caffeine addiction.

The one that really stuck with me, though, was POPSUGAR Beauty's video for body scrub cubes. They're quick, easy and cost next to nothing to make. Not to mention, they're also a clutter-free way of storing scrub in your bathroom as they can be neatly stack in a masonry jar. Multiple YouTubers have tried the DIY since it was posted and I decided to give it a go and put my own spin on the tutorial. Here's how it went.

What You’ll Need

To make your own body scrub cubes you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Soap
• Coconut Oil
• Sugar
• Ice Cube Tray
• Seeds (Optional)
• Soap Coloring (Optional)
• Fragrance Oils (Optional)

1. Grate Soap Into A Bowl

Start by grating soap into a large mixing bowl. The easiest way to do this is with a cheese grater. If you don’t have one, you can also use a knife like I’m doing in the GIF. Just watch out for your fingers!

2. Spoon In Coconut Oil

Next, spoon in coconut oil. I’d recommend adding two to three large tablespoons; depending on how much scrub you plan on making.

3. Pop In Microwave And Stir

Pop the mixing bowl into a microwave for 30 seconds. Then carefully remove it and stir the mixture thoroughly. Admittedly it won't look too appealing at this stage, but try and get rid of as many lumps and bumps as possible.

4. Pour In Sugar

Now it’s time to add the most important ingredient to the scrub, sugar. This is what's going to help exfoliate your skin. You can use whatever sugar you like. I personally prefer cane sugar, but you may want to pick one with a finer grain if you have sensitive skin.

5. Stir The Mixture

Again, give the mixture a quick stir. You don't want it to be runny, otherwise it will take longer to set. If this is the case for you, then simply add more sugar until the texture of the scrub looks and feels like damp sand.

6. Add Seeds/Coloring/Oil

The mixture's now ready and it's time to get creative. I decided to keep it simply and just add seeds to the scrub I was making. I wanted something that would really help exfoliate my skin and wasn't too concerned about how it looked. But, if you do want to give it more of a real-deal finish, add some soap dye or fragrance oils.

7. Stir, Stir, Stir

Once again, give the mixture a quick stir. If you've used any soap dye, make sure the color has spread out evenly, otherwise your cubes will come out patchy.

8. Mold Into Ice Cube Tray

Next, use a small spoon and scoop the mixture into the ice cube tray. As you spoon it in, press it down into the mold. This will help create a better shape.

9. Freeze And Remove

Place the tray in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. Once the cubes are set, carefully remove them from the tray.

10. Store In Bathroom

And there we have it, your body scrub cubes are finished. Mine are currently stored in a jar in my bathroom. It's a lot nicer than having half-used tubs and jars accumulating on the sides of units. It's more organized, too. Now, I know exactly where my body scrub is and it's always on hand to help me exfoliate.

Bye, bye, dry winter skin. See you again never, hopefully!

Images: Emma Matthews