When it comes to homemade gift ideas, it doesn't get much easier than body scrub. I love making homemade scrubs and this year I thought I'd experiment with something a bit more festive; bring out the candy canes! This Candy Cane Body Scrub is the perfect way to give the gift of pampering and cross any last minute gifts off your list.
Since making a homemade body scrub is really more of a method than an exact recipe, feel free to adjust the ingredients to your liking. Here is what you need to get started:
Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar, sea salt, or sugar in the raw.
*Use whichever exfoliant base you like best! For this recipe I used white granulated sugar to maintain the white and red candy cane colors.
⅓-1/2 cup almond or coconut oil.
*Again, use whichever oil you like best and add more or less until you reach a consistency you like. I used almond for a milder scent.
Peppermint essential oil- about 6 drops
Two candy canes broken into pieces
Other optional ingredients:
½ teaspoon vitamin E oil- good for healing skin
1 teaspoon cocoa or shea butter- for added moisture
Step 1: Break the candy canes into small pieces and melt them down in ¼ cup of water. Remove last bit of white candy once you have achieved a melted red, peppermint syrup. Allow to cool completely.
Step 2: In a large bowl mix sugar, oil, peppermint essential oil, and if desired, cocoa butter and vitamin E oil.
Step 3: Separate scrub into two equal parts adding cooled peppermint syrup to one of the bowls. *Start with half of the syrup, mixing until pink and the consistency of wet sand.
Step 3: Spoon pink and white scrub in alternating layers to fill a giftable jar.
Gift or Enjoy!
Makes about 2 ⅓ cups of scrub. Shelf life a couple of weeks or longer in the refrigerator. Not recommended for use on your face.
Carlene @ fig and fête says
Such a cute and easy DIY gift! I keep a jar of sugar scrub with whatever herb I'm feeling...right now it's thyme!
freutcake says
Ooh! Thyme sounds beautiful! I will have to give that one a try. Maybe thyme and lemon! 🙂
Chloe Moon says
I'm always amazed at these homemade scrubs...I've never tried it and never felt a homemade one...One of my new year's resolutions is to be more creative, so I think making my own scrub will be on the list! =) I love that you used the candy canes!
Ergo - Blog
freutcake says
Chloe, homemade scrubs are so much fun! You will love making them once you give them a try.
Anna Liesemeyer says
A-dorable idea! I am actually making your body scrubs for friends:)
Can't wait to share them.
Have a wonderful week!
Anna
freutcake says
Thank you Anna, and thanks for the Twitter love as well. 🙂 xo Merry Christmas to you.
Lauren Cooper says
I love how festive this is for a DIY holiday gift! Thanks for posting!
christmaskitty says
Perfect! I was just thinking that I need to find a good homemade scrub recipe to make for some friends this Christmas!
MamaToMany says
I'm so happy I found this!!! Having 7 kids, 3 to 11yrs old, my Christmas season never really ends- I'm always on the lookout for amazing finds and deals, esp if I can DIY! But- I've been neglecting my friends the past few years (ok- more like 10 yrs, yikes!!!). This is THE cutest Christmas DIY I've ever seen! I literally can picture the friends on my 'list' looooving this- and they range from young to older (lol), scraping pennies to well off, etc etc. You are such a talented gal, thank you for spreading the love. ...and lastly- the candy cane melting? Genius!!!!
debi crose says
this will be my first time making a scrub. so anxious I already make my own body cream as gifts
thank you
Debi
Boe Barrios says
I just made this was very simple. Curious though how long does it last? What kind of shelf life? Thanks!
Leah Bergman says
The shelf life is about 2-3 weeks! Enjoy.
sophie says
sooo cute, im making them for my friends this year- love the idea of actually having candy canes in them!