How to make DIY Vanilla Hand Scrub

I am a sucker for fancy beauty products. I love the smell, the texture, everything but the cost. I found several recipes for DIY hand scrubs, but most of them included ingredients I would have to purchase.  Did I mention it’s cold outside and I didn’t want to go to the store? I wanted a recipe using items I had around the house. I found this DIY Vanilla Hand Scrub Recipe over eight years ago. I’ve used it ever since and it works great. Did I mention it has only four common household ingredients? I’ve shared this recipe with friends in the past and it has been a hit with them as well. I’ve been told, “It smells like a sugar cookie. Yum!” Be sure to store the mixture in an airtight container after making it and use the mixture within a couple of weeks.
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How to Make DIY Vanilla Hand Scrub

To make the scrub, you’ll need sugar, olive oil, vanilla extract, and salt. No need to work about using fancy sugars or salt  The original recipe called for kosher salt, but one day I didn’t feel like hunting it in my cabinet and used regular salt. I discovered it works just as well as kosher. I used plain old granulated sugar from a four-pound bag.
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Once you’ve gotten your ingredients together, you’ve already completed most of the work. To make the scrub, mix all four ingredients together in a large bowl until the salt and sugar mixture is well blended. You’ll want it to feel like the salt and sugar are damp but not completely immersed in liquid. Once the mixture is blended, store it ins glass jar. I use either the four or the eight-ounce decorative mason jars to hold my scrub.
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Tip: If you don’t like the scent of vanilla or if you get tired of the scent of vanilla, you can still make the scrub! You can substitute extracts such as lemon, chocolate or orange to give your hand scrub an entirely new scent.  If you prefer, and have essential oils on hand, substitute them instead.  Use five to ten drops of essential oil in place of the one teaspoon extract. Obviously, the recipe can be adjusted to your personal “scent” preference. If you prefer a stronger scrub, use more extract or essential oil. If you don’t like a strong fragrance, use less extract or essential oil. If you don’t want any scent, eliminate the vanilla or essential oils.

Printable Recipe

How to make DIY Vanilla Hand Scrub
Ingredients
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup salt
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients together and store in a glass container. Be sure to keep the finished product in the fridge.

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Have you made your own hand scrub before? What is your favorite scent?

Like this DIY Hand Scrub? Try one of these DIY scrubs:

How to Make a DIY Facial Scrub 
Simple Green Tea Lotion Recipe 
How to Make Easy Gluten Free Lip Gloss 
Shamrock Peppermint Salt Foot Scrub 
DIY Valentine’s Bath Fizzies 
DIY Soothing Sinus Salt Scrub 

 

28 Comments

  1. Pingback: How To Make Easy Gluten Free Lip Gloss

  2. Your recipe sounds easy enough. I like recipes like this one with clear instructions. A good scrub would help my dry winter skin.

  3. I’ve made lip scrubs and face scrubs but never hand scrubs. This DIY Vanilla Hand Scrub Recipe looks easy and I will have to try it out. Thanks for sharing.

  4. I never tried making my own scrub but I would love to. I never thought that it would be this easy. Now I am excited to make my very own scrub. Thanks for this!

  5. Yes to simplicity. I’m snowed in but I have all of these ingredients so I will give it a try. I will try different scents next time.

  6. A homemade hand scrub is a quick, easy recipe that is perfect for the colder weather. I definitely want to try your version this weekend.

  7. Stephanie Parrell

    Love this! I have been looking or different scrubs to try out because they are so easy to make and a great winter craft. I am saving this one for later 🙂

  8. Oh this must smell amazing! I love the smell on vanilla and I’ve been wanting to make my own scrub!

  9. My daughter is into scrubs like this so I took a note of this and will try to make it for her. This must smells so good!

  10. This DIY hand scrub sounds easy to make and effective as well. The fact that you have been using it for the past 8 years is enough testimony to its efficacy.

  11. Homemade scrubs are the best. I am a big fan and I always make my own. I always use lemon or lavender though but I would love to try vanilla. That would smell so lovely and I am sure my hands would thank me for the pampering.

  12. I love the scent of vanilla. This sounds easy to make. I don’t use hand scrub personally but if I did I sure would be up for it smelling like vanilla.

  13. It’s nice to make a scrub you like. My teen daughter is big on fancy cosmetics, but she’s just as happy to make her own too!

  14. I feel like my hands need some extra care and it would be nice to make a hand scrub like this! I’m sure it smells amazing since it has vanilla!

  15. I love when I have everything on hand to make something I see! I’ll try this soon, thanks!

  16. In this super cold weather, I need this. I’ve always thought about making my own scrub, buy it always seemed so hard!

  17. Annemarie LeBlanc

    I recently made a small jar of brown sugar and coconut oil scrub. My goodness, it not only worked wonders for my skin, but it smelled so good I was so tempted to eat it. I will try your vanilla scrub too. We need all the pampering we can get to keep our skin from drying out this winter.

  18. Vanilla is one of my best scents. this stuff looks really great.

  19. My hands would thank me if I make this scrub. It sounds so luxurious and of course, I love the scent of vanilla! Can’t wait to make this.

  20. I was just saying how I wanted to find a good DIY hand scrub. I will give your vanilla option a try!

  21. I need this in my life! I love a good scrub, and vanilla is my favorite scent! It always makes me feel so relaxed. I can’t wait to make this!

  22. The vanilla scent is my favorite of this…I totally need it too, my hands are so dry and yucky.

  23. This is exactly what I need for my hands this winter. Everything is so dry!

  24. Looks pretty foolproof and my skin craves scrubs in the winter. Would be a pretty gift too!

  25. AHHH! That sounds so luxurious. I have to make this. I know it would be absolutely AH-mazing.

  26. I’m sure I’d love this. I need a hand scrub. My hands aren’t too happy being in this cold weather.

  27. Mmmm! I bet that smells SO good. I love homemade hand scrubs and I am looking forward to making a batch of this.

  28. Love finding something that I can make and use with all natural ingredients. Bonus when I have everything on hand already to put this together and use immediately.