If you’re looking for a good DIY hand scrub recipe, then you might be looking for soft hands, right? Me too! I’ve often heard that nothing gives away your age more than your hands.
Expensive hand creams aren’t the answer. They can be loaded with chemical fillers and they always ignore a vital step in getting soft hands: exfoliation.
Instead, fight dry, cracked winter hands with a food-based hand exfoliator formulated especially for your hands!
How to Make Homemade Hand Scrub
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp raw honey
- 1/4 cup sea salt
- 1/4 cup organic sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
This is my favorite coconut oil.
Directions:
- Stir together the honey and coconut oil in a medium bowl.
- In another small bowl, blend the salt, sugar and lemon juice until it becomes crumbly.
- Pour the salt mixture over the honey mixture and stir until smooth.
- Store in a small glass storage container.
How to use your homemade hand scrub:
- Gently massage a marble-sized amount of homemade hand scrub into your hands for 30-60 seconds. (Don’t forget to exfoliate between your fingers!)
- Rinse with warm water and pat dry. The coconut oil provides enough moisture so you probably won’t need to follow up with anything else. If your hands are extra dry, you might want to apply some homemade whipped coconut oil.
- Repeat 1-2 times per week.
Why These DIY Hand Scrub Ingredients?
- Coconut oil: provides quality moisture and antibacterial/antiviral/antifungal properties. Helps soften skin so it’s ready for exfoliation. (Get high quality coconut oil online here.)
- Honey: heals and softens the skin. It’s mother nature’s best kept beauty secret!
- Salt and sugar: both are excellent for exfoliating and can also be healing for the skin.
- Lemon juice: brightens, softens, and helps remove odors from your hands (like onion!).
Hello Hand Exfoliator – Good-Bye Dry, Cracked Winter Hands!
I always wondered how to get soft hands (especially in the dry winter months), and it turns out I was missing the important step of exfoliation.
Since I started using this hand scrub, my hands look and feel fantastic!
They also absorb moisturizer so much better now, I hardly need to use any at all.
A good hand exfoliator is the key after all!
You might also enjoy our best DIY posts:
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- 20+ Gorgeous Sugar Scrub Recipes
- DIY Whipped Coconut Oil Body Butter
- How to Use Coconut Oil for Acne
- Homemade Mouthwash for Remineralizing/Whitening Teeth
- DIY Hand Scrub Recipe
- How to Make Calendula Oil at Home + 12 Uses and Remedies
Angela says
Just made this! It is wonderful. I did not have any lemons, so I used fresh grapefruit juice instead.
Elizabeth Walling says
Glad you liked it! Grapefruit juice is a good idea for a substitute. I bet lime juice would be another great alternative.
Chelle says
Cool I love too make my hand soft nice
sharon says
Did you make this with course salt granules?
Elizabeth Walling says
No, I used fine. I’m worried that coarse would be a little too rough.
Sandy says
It probably is a little rough. I used it thinking it would exfoliate better. Love this recipe and the information about why we use the ingredients.
robin says
Does this need to kept in the fridge? Just made it and my hands feel softer already.
Elizabeth Walling says
I’m not totally sure, but my gut says probably not. All the ingredients are pretty shelf stable. I’d also guess it might become pretty hard if you refrigerate it.
If you want to be on the super safe side, you might not want to make more than you’d use in a 3-month period.
Haley says
OMG! I am 12 and I love making things like ths! I went in the kitchen right away and made a mess until I had it. We used organic coconut sugar instead off regular, and it smells and feels amazing! Thank you! My mom and I just did it and are making some for our family for Christmas! I am obsessing over my soft hands! Thanks!
Elizabeth Walling says
Awesome, Haley, glad you enjoyed this recipe! 😀
nazar says
do you think this would be alright to use on my feet
they get really dry but not cracked
Elizabeth Walling says
Definitely! It’s also good for elbows and knees, or anywhere else that you might get dry skin patches.
LeAnn says
Would this also work for a full body scrub?
Elizabeth Walling says
Absolutely! I used it that way before and my skin was super soft afterward.
Kristi says
Just made up several batches of this to give my kids’ teachers as end-of-the-year gifts! I put some in small glass jars with a swatch of cute fabric on the tops. Perfect!
Elizabeth Walling says
That’s a great idea, Kristi!
Andreea says
My hands feel so soft after using this scrub! And they smell wonderful too. Thanks for sharing this great recipe and for promoting natural homemade cosmetics. I am going to share this with as many people as I can.
Elizabeth Walling says
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Kristi Minter says
How long does this last? Does it expire?
Elizabeth Walling says
I’m not sure–I always use it up long before it would be in danger of expiring. A good rule of thumb would be to refrigerate it if you want to keep it for more than a couple of weeks.
Frisky says
Wonderful piece. Can I use table salt in place of sea salt?
Elizabeth Walling says
Yes, you can (I prefer sea salt, but table salt will technically work for exfoliation).
Isabel says
I am loving your DIY everything and it’s saving me so much money. Thank you. Also, wondering if I can add use an Essential oil. Or would the scent just disappear in this mix. But if I can, which one would you suggest??
Elizabeth W. says
You would definitely be able to get the benefits from essential oils in this recipe. I’d recommend lemon and lavender. Lemon is cleansing and lavender is soothing, so it’s a good combo for a hand scrub.
kristy says
Thank you for this!! Making up a big batch for the holidays to give to family and friends!!
Elizabeth Walling says
Awesome! Hope you all enjoy it! 😀
angie says
What would the measurements be for a 8oz jar
Elizabeth Walling says
I’m not sure, I haven’t done the math on that yet.
Pam says
Just made the hand scrub, wow it is fantastic. Thank you for sharing.
Elizabeth Walling says
Glad you enjoyed it! 😀
natalie says
I LOVE this!! 🙂 I’m going to use essential oils instead of the fresh lemon juice, just because I’ve got a large stash of oils and no fresh lemons. But I do have everything else. I’m adding this recipe to my “Homemade Spa” Christmas collection that co-workers are getting this year!
Elizabeth Walling says
Awesome! Glad you like it! 😀
Rose says
I was reading a site on how to make soap with coconut oil, and it said that coconut oil is only to be used up to 1/3 of the amount b/c it will DRY your skin!?? How can that be, if we are all using it to soften our skin?
Also, I whipped this up with my mixer, but melted cocoa butter and mixed with coconut oil. Had to refrigerate for ten minutes to start cooling; mixed again then cooled; It finally whipped up great once it started cooling. Only problem is, it’s hardened in the jar. Doesn’t stay soft. I still love it, though!
Rose says
Oops, this comment is in regard to the whipped body butter, not hand scrub. But I want to try this too!
Adina says
Love this!!!
Hye-Yung says
Could this also be used as a face scrub?
Elizabeth Walling says
Yes, but the salt might be a little rough on the face–you can use all sugar instead if you want something a little more gentle.
Haksa says
wow, I’ll try it
I live in very warm place, coconut oil is always liquid here
It will melt or just keep like a cream/butter?
Elizabeth Walling says
Liquid coconut oil will still work with this recipe. It won’t be quite as creamy but it will work just fine. 🙂
Haksa says
I’ve made it. my skin was very smooth after used it. I don’t know whats wrong with mine, the sugar granules feels too rough for me.
How did you blend them? I mean the sugar, salt, and lemon juice…
Elizabeth Walling says
The salt can be a little rough, so maybe you can omit that and use only sugar instead?
Alison says
I have been trying this for a week now and it has become my new favorite hand scrub! My hands have never felt this soft before. This has been a great find 🙂
Elizabeth Walling says
Awesome! Glad you like it, Alison.
Lucy says
How much does this hand scrub make? 2 oz? 4 oz? 8 oz? Because I plan to make 8oz jars for my cousin’s birthday tomorrow afternoon and it would be appreciated for a speedy response.Thanks for sharing this easy recipe!
Elizabeth Walling says
I’d estimate it makes about 6 fl oz, but I admit I’ve never measured the end product before.
Alisha says
I just made a similar recipe off another blog to test as a Christmas gift, but all of the ingredients separated in the jar after only a couple of hours. Does your recipe separate also?
Cheryl Lovell says
This happened to me, too! I may stir again and put one in fridge for awhile. Fon’t know what else to do!
Theraisa K says
I think that may happen if you have too much moisture in the end product (like water or if you live in a humid environment). I’ve also had this happen with some of my test sugar scrubs.