Listen: I’ll be the first person to tell you that you should stay the eff away from homemade face scrubs (like, why use something that creates literal micro-tears in your skin when there’s a whole world of gentler alternatives?!), but when it comes to DIY body scrubs, I’m one hundred per cent game. That’s because the skin on your legs, arms, and back are way thicker than the skin on your face, so as long as you use them sparingly (read: once a week, max), body exfoliators are a great way to slough off your dead skin cells for softer, brighter-looking skin.
And since you probs have nothing else going on rn (just me?), you have no excuse but to spend your weekend making these easy recipes. Ahead, the best DIY body scrubs for dry patches, dull texture, and muuuch more.
This DIY body scrub from vlogger WholeElise is the perfect lightweight exfoliator for folks with sensitive skin. Instead of harsh and abrasive exfoliants like sugar or coffee, this one relies on three incredibly simple (and gentle!) ingredients to hydrate, soothe, and soften. This is what you’ll need:
The hero ingredient in this recipe is oatmeal, which has soothing, anti-inflammatory properties that help minimize dead skin cells and hydrate dry patches. And when combined with a little bit of water and a dash of moisture-locking glycerin, you’ve got yourself a super-solid scrub.
If you’re looking for a DIY body scrub that’ll help make your blah, dull texture look super glowy, you’ll love this tutorial from vlogger Recipes by Carina. It’s incredibly easy to make (like, you need only four ingredients and you definitely already have them in your kitchen), and it leaves your skin looking bright and dewy every time you use it. Here’s the drill:
The combo of white and raw sugars gives this body scrub its exfoliating abilities (shout-out to that natural glycolic acid), while the coconut and olive oils help deliver tons of moisture. Mix all your ingredients into a bowl, and gently rub the formula on clean, dry skin to lift your dead skin cells. After you rinse it off, slather on a thick layer of moisturizer to rehydrate skin.
There’s a reason you keep seeing DIY coffee scrubs all over your social feeds. When gently scrubbed on your body (reminder: not your face), ground coffee helps minimize the appearance of dark spots, sun damage, and cellulite in a couple of ways. Massaging the grinds along your skin can stimulate lymphatic drainage, and the caffeine can actually temporarily tighten and plump. This recipe from YouTuber Lindsey Melville is a great place to start:
This tutorial is pretty much as intuitive as it gets—all you’ve gotta do is combine everything in a small bowl and mix until you get a medium-consistency paste. If your mixture looks a little watery, just add more brown sugar as needed. And before you mix anything: Keep in mind that coffee grounds can do a number on your drain, so to be on the safe side, you’ll want to apply this one outside of your shower.
Looking for a body scrub that’ll help soothe your skin and chill you the hell out? Yeah, you need to try this DIY recipe from YouTuber Christine Kobzeff, which is spiked with lime essential oil for an ultra-relaxing experience. Draw yourself a bath and make sure you have these ingredients on hand:
The prime exfoliant in this scrub is sea salt (it’s not as gentle as sugar, but if you’ve got “tough” skin, it’s great for sloughing off dead skin cells), which you’ll combine in a bowl with hydrating coconut oil, essential oil, and dried lime zest. Psst: You can even mix this scrub into a cute little mason jar to make a fun gift.
K, it might sound a little weird, but turmeric powder is kinda an epic ingredient for a DIY body scrub, thanks to the fact that it’s an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that helps gently brighten discolouration. In this tutorial, vlogger Shundara Castion combines turmeric with a bunch of hydrating ingredients (see: glycerin and vitamin E oil). This is what you’ll need:
Real quick: Even though Castion puts this mixture on her face, I suggest using it only on your body (the essential oils will likely be too irritating for most faces). Got it? Cool. Once you’ve secured all your ingredients, carefully mix them in a bowl, adding more vitamin E and glycerin if the consistency is off. Slather the finished product on clean, dry skin, let it sit for a few minutes, rinse it off (while rubbing it in to get the exfoliating properties), then follow with moisturizer.
Wanna feel like you’re at a spa without, you know, going to a spa? Prepare to master this DIY body scrub from beauty vlogger Wamika Beauty, which not only smells really effing good but also feels next-level relaxing. Here are the deets:
Kick things off by combining all your ingredients—minus the sugar—in a blender. After you’ve blended the mixture into a thin paste, add in your white sugar and blend once more (no more than five seconds because you’ll want to maintain some texture). Pour it into a jar or bowl, smooth it over clean skin, and the exfoliating sugar granules and cooling cucumber will help leave your skin noticeably softer when you rinse it all off.
Trust: If you’re dealing with dry skin and rough patches, you definitely want to stay away from gritty-ass body scrubs (unless you want to make your skin drier, which, uh, no thanks). Instead, go for this gentle DIY body scrub from YouTuber Abetweene, which combines melted sugar and hydrating butters and oils. Here’s what you’ll need:
FYI, the key to nailing this DIY body scrub is using a hand mixer to whip your butters and oils into a creamy, fluffy texture—sry, a blender won’t really cut it here, but you can def find an affordable hand mixer on Amazon if you’re willing to commit. Once you’ve melted and mixed your base, combine your white granulated sugar (which, btw, is loaded with glycolic acid to help exfoliate and brighten your skin) with a spoon. And since the end result is more like a cream (think: it’s basically an exfoliator without the grit), you can smooth it over clean, dry skin and let it soak in overnight for maximum hydration.