Learn how to make lemon and honey sugar scrub bars at home using natural ingredients that gently exfoliates, cleanses, and moisturizes skin.

I’m someone who enjoys using sugar scrubs a few times a week, but I hate how messy (and slippery) they are. These homemade scrub bars really are a wonderful solution. Lemon and honey sugar scrub bars are an easy, natural way to exfoliate, cleanse, and moisturize your skin—all in one simple step. These DIY sugar scrub bars combine a melt-and-pour soap base with nourishing coconut oil, raw honey and sugar for gentle exfoliation and a fresh citrus scent. They work to gently buff away dry skin while cleansing and moisturizing at the same time. Best of all, they’re simple to make and look beautiful packaged as gifts or displayed in your bathroom.

What’s even better is these can easily be customized depending on your preferences. Not a huge fan of lemon? Simply swap out the lemon essential oil for something else like lavender or peppermint. Looking for more exfoliation? Try replacing the cane sugar with coconut sugar, coffee grounds or even some walnut husks. Enjoy goat’s milk soap or something a little different? Use a different melt-and-pour soap base. It’s really that easy to create sugar scrub bars that work best for you.

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FAQs

Why make homemade sugar scrub bars?

Homemade sugar scrub bars are a popular natural skincare alternative because they’re mess-free, customizable, and made with simple ingredients. Benefits of using these lemon and honey sugar scrub bars include:

Gentle exfoliation using natural sugar
Moisturizing properties from coconut oil and honey
A bright, refreshing lemon scent
Solid bars that are easy to store and use

How do you use sugar scrub bars?

Simply wet your skin and gently rub the bar in circular motions to cleanse and exfoliate the skin. Then rinse the soap off thoroughly and pat dry. Your skin will feel soft and nourished. Although no extra lotion is needed, you can top it off with some nourishing homemade lotion or moisturizing tallow body butter.

How can I customize my homemade sugar scrub bars?

There’s so many ways you can customize DIY sugar scrub bars. Here’s just a few ideas:

Add dried lemon or orange zest for a little touch of pretty.
Swap lemon for sweet orange or grapefruit essential oil for a bit of a different light scent
Add a bit of turmeric for color and added skin benefits
Use brown sugar or coffee grounds in place of white sugar for extra exfoliation.

Ingredients

Soap Base: The main ingredient for homemade sugar scrub bars is a melt-and-pour soap base. The soap base helps the bar to cleanse the skin while also holding all the ingredients together. I like to use a shea butter soap base that contains glycerine and is all natural, but there are other types of melt-and-pour soap bases like goat milk, coconut oil and honey.

Coconut Oil: Coconut oil deeply moisturizes the skin and helps prevent dryness after exfoliating, making it a great addition to this scrub bar. I prefer to use virgin unrefined coconut oil, but any coconut oil will do, with the exception of fractionated coconut oil.

Honey: Honey is a natural humectant, meaning it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s also soothing and ideal for dry or sensitive skin. That’s why I love adding it in to these DIY scrub bars.

Sugar: Sugar is a gentle, natural exfoliant that removes dead skin cells and leaves skin soft and smooth. I love using natural cane sugar, but you can use regular white sugar as well. For extra exfoliation, swap the cane sugar for coconut sugar, brown sugar or even coffee grounds.

Lemon Essential Oil: Lemon essential oil adds a fresh, clean scent and helps brighten dull skin. Just note that lemon essential oil is photosensitive. These bars are best used in the evening or on areas not exposed to direct sunlight afterward.

How to Make Lemon and Honey Sugar Scrub Bars

TOOLS YOU MAY NEED

Double boiler OR heatproof bowl and saucepan
Measuring cups
Kitchen scale (optional)
Silicone soap molds
Wooden spoon

INGREDIENTS

1 cup shea butter melt-and-pour soap base (about 6 oz)
1/2 cup shea butter (2.5 oz)
2 tbs honey (1.5 oz)
1 cup cane sugar (8.5 oz)
30 drops lemon essential oil

DIRECTIONS

Cut the soap base into small cubes, measure the correct amount, then add it, along with coconut oil to a heat-safe bowl.

Place the bowl over a saucepan filled with simmering water to create a double boiler. Heat the mixture gently and stir occasionally until the ingredients are fully melted and smooth.

Remove the bowl from the heat, then stir in the honey, sugar and lemon essential oil. Make sure to mix it thoroughly so the sugar is evenly distributed throughout.

Carefully pour the mixture into silicone soap molds. Tap the molds lightly on the counter to remove air bubbles.

Allow the sugar scrub bars to cool and harden at room temperature for about four hours, or place them in the refrigerator for 1–2 hours. Then, once fully set, remove the bars from the molds and store them in an airtight container.

Notes

This sugar scrub bar recipe makes 4 bars (approximately 4 oz per bar)
If bars are too soft, reduce honey slightly.
For extra firmness, allow bars to cure overnight.
Replace the cane sugar with coconut sugar, brown sugar or coffee grounds for extra exfoliation.

Sugar Scrub Bars

Yield: 4 bars

Active Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes

Estimated Cost: $8

Learn how to make lemon and honey sugar scrub bars at home using natural ingredients that gently exfoliates, cleanses, and moisturizes skin.

Materials

1 cup shea butter melt-and-pour soap base (about 6 oz)
1/2 cup shea butter (2.5 oz)
2 tbs honey (1.5 oz)
1 cup sugar (8.5 oz)
30 drops lemon essential oil

Tools

Double boiler OR heatproof bowl and saucepan
Measuring cups
Kitchen scale (optional)
Silicone soap molds

Instructions

Cut the soap base into small cubes, measure the correct amount, then add it, along with coconut oil to a heat-safe bowl.
Place the bowl over a saucepan filled with simmering water to create a double boiler. Heat the mixture gently and stir occasionally until the ingredients are fully melted and smooth.
Remove the bowl from the heat, then stir in the honey, sugar and lemon essential oil. Make sure to mix it thoroughly so the sugar is evenly distributed throughout.
Carefully pour the mixture into silicone soap molds. Tap the molds lightly on the counter to remove air bubbles.
Allow the sugar scrub bars to cool and harden at room temperature for about four hours, or place them in the refrigerator for 1–2 hours.
Once fully set, remove the bars from the molds and store them in an airtight container.

Notes

This sugar scrub bar recipe makes 4 bars (approximately 4 oz per bar)
If bars are too soft, reduce honey slightly.
For extra firmness, allow bars to cure overnight.
Replace the cane sugar with coconut sugar, brown sugar or coffee grounds for extra exfoliation.

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How to Make Lemon and Honey Sugar Scrub Bars (Easy DIY Recipe)

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