When you hit a rough patch (literally) with your skin, a body scrub can be just what you need to revive any dullness. Body scrubs contain exfoliating ingredients that have a texture you can feel, such as sugar or salt. By clearing away the dead cells that make skin look rough and textured, body scrubs help soften and brighten your skin.
“When you exfoliate your skin, first of all, you’re going to make it softer,” says Ava Shamban, MD, board-certified dermatologist and author of Heal Your Skin. Some of the roughness of your skin is due to uneven exfoliation, so when you use a body scrub, you clear away that texture and pave the way for deep hydration.
“If you’re exfoliating with a nice scrub, then you have the opportunity to really get an even moisturizing penetration afterward,” Dr. Shamban explains.
One of the great things about body scrubs is that they’re easy to make at home, says Tsippora Shainhouse, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Santa Monica, California. That means you can tailor your scrub to your skin, using ingredients that don’t cause sensitivity issues for you.
Even so, Dr. Shainhouse warns that not every ingredient you find in your home should go on your skin. “Kitchen ingredients sound natural, and natural is fine in some cases, but sometimes they can actually cause skin irritation,” she explains. For example, she recommends avoiding fresh lemon or highly concentrated apple cider vinegar. If an ingredient causes stinging or burning, it’s not worth putting in your scrub.
To keep your skin looking “shiny and refreshed,” Dr. Shainhouse suggests using a body scrub once or twice weekly. Don’t overdo it, or your skin won’t be happy. “The goal is not pain,” she says. “You don’t want to irritate your skin. You don’t want to remove all the natural oils that protect the skin barrier.”
Here, we share 10 DIY body scrubs with dermatologist-recommended ingredients.
Himalayan Salt Body Scrub
Himalayan salt has naturally-occurring minerals that make it a great choice for a scrub, says Doris Day, MD, board-certified dermatologist and director of Day Dermatology & Aesthetics. “The nice thing about a salt scrub is that the salt dissolves by just scrubbing,” she adds. “You don’t have to worry you’re going to overdo it in order to exfoliate.”
Combining the salt with a natural oil—such as olive oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, almond oil, or jojoba oil—makes the scrub moisturizing. But oil will make your bathtub slippery, Dr. Day warns, so take care getting out of the tub.
How to make it: Place 1 cup of fine Himalayan salt in a bowl. Measure out 1/2 cup of olive oil, or your favorite natural oil. Add oil by the spoonful until you achieve a consistency you like. You can also add a few drops of essential oil for scent. Dr. Day recommends lavender or calendula, which are both soothing.
Coconut Sugar Oatmeal Body Scrub
This scrub will slough away dry flakes and encourage skin renewal, according to Dr. Shainhouse. Oatmeal is a natural moisturizer, she explains. “It softens the skin and brings moisture to the skin surface.”
Coconut oil is anti-inflammatory, Dr. Shainhouse adds, but it can clog pores, especially if used on your face. For those prone to acne, she recommends swapping it for an oil like argan, sunflower, or safflower.
When a scrub includes ingredients that don’t dissolve, such as bits of oatmeal, Dr. Shainhouse suggests taking care to prevent drain clogs. You can use a screen or strainer to catch the small bits before they go down the drain.
How to make it: Melt 2 to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil in a pot or bowl, or use your favorite oil at room temperature. Combine with 1/2 cup of white or brown sugar. Stir in one quarter cup of raw oats. Use the scrub within a day before the oats become too soft.
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Avocado Honey Body Scrub
Avocado contains vitamins and antioxidants that nourish the skin, says Dr. Shamban. Avocado oil is also naturally soothing, while honey has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, she adds.
Dr. Shamban designed scrubs that are gentle enough to use on your face, but can also benefit your whole body. She shared this scrub from her book, Heal Your Skin, and we sized up the recipe to make enough for a body scrub.
How to make it: Mash 1/2 whole avocado, 3 teaspoons of honey, and 2 tablespoons of cornmeal in a bowl. Gently massage the scrub onto damp skin. Rinse off with warm water.
Clay Milk Almond Body Scrub
If you’re prone to acne or oily areas on your body, this clay-based scrub could be calming, says Dr. Shainhouse. “Bentonite clay sucks up the oil,” she says.
Whole milk powder is moisturizing, while almond meal provides exfoliation that is gentle enough for most people. Dr. Shainhouse suggests avoiding scrubs that contain actual nutshells or bits of stone, since these can cause skin micro-tears and scarring. Almond meal is gentler, she says, so this scrub is safe to use on your face, neck, and whole body.
How to make it: In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup of bentonite clay, 1/2 cup of almond meal, and 2 tablespoons of whole powdered milk. Stir in 2 tablespoons of water, and enough almond oil to form a paste. Spread over skin and allow to dry before rinsing off with warm water.
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Coconut Brown Sugar Body Scrub
You don’t always need to exfoliate your whole body. To focus in on those rough patches of skin on the elbows, knees, and heels, this simple DIY scrub is recommended by Whitney Bowe, MD, board-certified dermatologist and author of The Beauty of Dirty Skin.
How to make it: Combine 1 cup of brown sugar with 1/2 cup of melted coconut oil. Massage onto rough patches of skin and then rinse with warm water. As with all body scrubs, apply moisturizer after. (Check out our favorite body lotions for dry, itchy skin.)
Matcha Green Tea Body Scrub
Matcha is a potent form of green tea. It’s high in antioxidants, Dr. Shainhouse explains, and antioxidants are helpful for undoing UV damage from the sun.
Green tea also contains caffeine, which has an anti-redness effect, Dr. Shainhouse adds. “Green tea can actually temporarily close the blood vessels.” This helps calm redness, so it’s especially beneficial for those with acne or rosacea, she says.
How to make it: Combine 1 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of matcha green tea powder, and 1 teaspoon of plain green tea leaves. Stir in jojoba oil (or your favorite natural oil) one spoonful at a time until the scrub has the consistency you like.
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Oatmeal Honey Yogurt Body Scrub
This gentle scrub designed by Dr. Shamban combines the soothing properties of oatmeal and honey with yogurt’s skin-smoothing powers. Yogurt is a natural source of lactic acid, a type of alpha-hydroxy acid that gently exfoliates the skin.
Make the scrub: In a blender, combine 2 tablespoons of oats and 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds. Grind until smooth. In a bowl, stir together the oat seed blend with 4 tablespoons of yogurt and 2 teaspoons of warm honey. Massage over face, neck, and body. Leave the scrub on for three minutes before rinsing off.
Sugar Apple Green Tea Body Scrub
To try a milder dose of green tea, mix together this scrub from Dr. Shamban. It’s great for acne-prone skin and gentle enough that you can use it up to three times per week. Originally designed for the face, we sized up this recipe to make a full-body version.
How to make it: Combine 3/4 cup of applesauce with 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Mix in 3 tablespoons of green tea leaves and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Continue mixing until the ingredients form a fluffy paste. Massage onto damp skin and then rinse off.
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Rosehip Oil Body Scrub
Rosehip oil is often used for its anti-aging benefits because it’s a source of vitamins A and E, says Dr. Shainhouse. “They can help to bring new skin cells to the surface for increased cell turnover.”
How to make it: Combine 1 cup of ultra-fine sugar with 1/4 cup olive oil (or natural oil of your choice) and 1 tablespoon of rosehip oil. Massage into skin and rinse with warm water.
Cream and Almond Body Scrub
For deeply moisturizing exfoliation, this scrub designed by Dr. Shamban combines the soothing hydration of cream and oatmeal with the texture of almond meal. The cream may also have exfoliating properties, since it contains lactic acid.
How to make it: Blend 1/4 cup of oats until fine. Mix with 2 tablespoons of almond meal, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, and 1 tablespoon of honey. This scrub is gentle enough for face and body. Leave on for three minutes, and then rinse with warm water.
Jenna Flannigan
Jenna Flannigan is a senior editor at Healthline Media and a freelance writer with experience covering health, policy, and lifestyle topics.
