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Solid Bath Sugar Cubes Tutorial

Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap, Soaks & Scrubs

4th of July bath sugar cubes – single use body scrubs
By Erin Pikor owner of Naiad Soap Arts
These easy to make, festive scrubs combine cleansing glycerin soap with exfoliating sugar to make perfect single use solid sugar scrubs! Erin was generous enough to share it with SoapQueen.com readers. It can be done in all sorts of colors, not just patriotic seasonal ones.
This recipe makes approximately 24 ounce-ounce single use sugar scrubs.
What you’ll need:
4 oz. by weight clear glycerin soap (for the red and blue scrubs)
2 oz. by weight white glycerin soap (for the white scrubs)
6 oz. by weight grape seed oil (jojoba, sweet almond or olive oil may be substituted)
18 oz. by weight white sugar
Red Apple Fragrance for your red scrubs
White Tea & Ginger Fragrance for your white scrubs
Blunt edge soap cutter or knife
2-cup glass measuring cup or melting soap
Spoons
Cutting surface
Wide mouth jars or plastic food containers for storage
These ingredients will be split into three batches – one each of red, white and blue!
Step one: Melt 2 oz. of clear soap in the microwave using your 2-cup glass measuring cup. This should take about 30 seconds.
Step two: Mix 2 oz. of your oil with the melted soap and stir until blended. The mix should still be liquid at this point. If it starts to thicken pop back in the microwave for a few seconds until your soap/oil mix is liquid.
Step three: Add color, pinkberry sherbet lab color to your liking and mix thoroughly. For this project I diluted the 10ml bottle of lab color in 2 oz. of water and used 4 drops. (skip this step for the white scrubs)
Step four: Add 20 drops of fragrance oil and mix thoroughly.
Step five: Add 6 oz. of the sugar and stir rigorously until completely blended.

Step six: Pour or spoon into you mold cavities. You should have a thick yet pourable mixture at this point. If it is too thick to spoon or pour into your mold you may heat for a few seconds in the microwave, but don’t heat it for too long as the sugar will begin to dissolve.
Each color will make enough to fill 2 of the 4 cavities of the mold. Let harden to room temp and pop out of the mold! Note you may have to pat down the mixture with your fingers as it may thicken quickly.
Repeat steps one through six for your blue and white scrubs, making sure to use the white glycerin soap for the white scrubs.
Step seven: After you have all of the scrubs unmolded, cut them into quarters using a knife or soap cutter.

Store in an airtight container such as a wide mouth jar until you are ready to use them. The glycerin soap in the recipe makes for a creamy emulsified scrub when mixed with water. To use, just take one scrub into the shower, knead with a little water in the palm of your hand and scrub over your skin! These will stay fresh for 3 months and be sure to keep them away from moisture so they don’t melt. Enjoy!
Big thanks to Erin from Naiad Soap Arts You can always buy her pre-made sugar scrubs at her Etsy shop if you don’t have the time or inclination to make them yourself. Happy Fourth of July! Have a safe and happy holiday celebration with your families.https://www.brambleberry.com/Basic-Square-Mold-P3158.aspx
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.

 

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145 Comments

  1. So very happy I found this! Super easy to make and a big hit. Had a little extra time and read thru all the comments first…was good read the trial and error of others and finding the 2 oz = 1/4 cup comment helped a ton as I do not have a scale. Worked like a charm! Thank you!!

  2. I would love to make these, but where can I find the mold!?!?!? Answers please!!!!!!

  3. Hi can’t wait to get this recipe made for teachers gifts for Christmas. I was wondering what your thoughts would be re using lemon myrtle eo as I love this fragrance and with anti bacterial qualities I thought it might work well with soapy scrubs as a good hand wash for the kids (a bit of fun novelty). Any suggestions on quantities. Thanks

    • It would be great in this recipe! I would use a lessor amount (.25 oz. per pound of sugar/MP mixture) because it’s going to be used on little (delicate) hands. For an adult hand soap, I’d go up to .5 oz. per pound of the mixture. The gifts will be a hit! =)

  5. Thanks so much Anne-Marie, I’ll try it again with less oil or to stir the oil in a bit longer and see if it works. Unfortunately, I’m not using the Bramble Berry base, which I would love to, but international shipping is really too expensive! *sad*

    Thanks again!

    • Totally understand; try to find the closest base with the closest ingredients then. Anything different with less “real” oils and more synthetic detergents will probably hold less oil and additives. And that’s probably why you’re having some trouble keeping that oil in so lessen the oil and let’s see how that goes for you. Good luck!

  6. Hi Anne-Marie, I tried making these solid soap scrubs today but with 3oz of melt and pour soap base because I found that with 2oz the mixture hardened too fast. Now the funny thing is, when I came to check on the soap about half an hour later (the soap hardens really fast!) there was oil seeping out of the mould! And the soap was really oily! Is it supposed to “leak” oil?

    Also, I’ve read some of the comments above and I’m confused as to whether the cubes should remain solid or crumble when used. I tried a cube, which didn’t lather very well, and it felt well, like I was just rubbing a hard little block over my skin. Considering that sugar cubes do dissolve in water, maybe it should crumble? I’ve only used scrubs in little jars that weren’t solid in any way so I hope you can explain a bit more about how the texture should be!

    Thanks so much!

    • The most common mistake to make with these is to not use the right type of soap base. If you’re not using the exact Bramble Berry base that Erin used, the mixture doesn’t work nearly as well so check your brand and type of soap base.

      If the oil is seeping out, you could decrease the oil or you needed to stir longer. It’s a fine line between the heat staying hot enough to mix the oil in and the entire thing cooling so fast that it sets up too quickly.

      Have you seen the video? It would probably help: http://youtu.be/awISdSEsBbE

      Also, they stay solid’ish – crumbling isn’t what mine did but they weren’t quite the hard little nubbins you’re describing either. But they’re very different than jar scrubs for sure.

      I hope this helps!

  7. Thank you so much for your tutorials. You have been my inspiration to start off making my own bath & body products. Lots of love for sharing.

    Laetisha

    • Thank you Laetisha. You are so kind to let me know. I’m so glad that you are finding value in the tutorials. YAY! =)

  8. I want to try this recipe and I have everything for it (I think). It calls for grapeseed oil…can I use the stuff I have that I use for cooking? It is grapeseed oil that I bought at the grocery store.

    Thanks!

    • Completely – yes, Grapeseed Oil in the store is the same oil as you would want to use for cosmetic products =) Enjoy the recipe!

      • Thank you! I guess I will see how it turns out! If it turns out good then guess what my mother will be getting for Mother’s Day! (And I will need to order more sopa from you guys….love your stuff 🙂

  9. Thank you so much! I know you are a busy lady, and I really appreciate you taking the time to reply.

    Lisa

  10. Here is more information about challenge testing:

    http://www.naturalingredient.org/Articles/cindy_jones.html

    I would use Cindy Jones, Sagescript Institute for challenge testing any of your products. She is affordable and knows our industry

    In this particular product, yes, I would skip the preservative if it were me for two reasons: 1. It's a solid. Not that solids can't grow mold (they can) but it's rare to see a bar of soap that is just soap and oil grow mold (I've never seen it in 16+ years of soaping). 2. The soap doesn't sit in fetid water. It's not like a scrub where someone with wet hands dunks their hand in the scrub and then closes the container, leaving the water to fester in a moist, closed off environment. It's a bar of soap that dries in between uses.

    But that's just me. If you are more conservative than I am (and some are), definitely use a preservative for your peace of mind. =)

  11. Thanks for the reply. So you would say to just skip the preservative altogether? I just want to make the best decisions for myself and my customers.

    Also, regarding the challange testing, can you share a little more information about that/how to go about it?

    I apologize for so many questions, but I appreciate your help. 🙂

    Thanks, Lisa

  12. The way you figure out the perfect range is by either challenge testing or by doing small test batches, labeling and letting sit for 1 year. A good rule of thumb is for lotions to use 1% and in this case, you don't probably need the preservative so I would go with the lower amount, the .5%. And it's based on the total weight of the product – so soap+oil+fragrance. But, challenge testing or making your own mini challenge test is the best way to go.

  13. First of all, this is a great recipe and I appreciate you and Erin sharing. The scrubs are awesome! I am interested in adding Optiphen (for the possible introduction of water after it leaves my hands), but I'm a little confused about the amount. I understand that the suggested usage rate for Optiphen is 0.5% to 1.5%. My question is how do you determine which percentage (0.5%, 1%, or 1.5%) and then that percentage of what? The oil? The oil and soap together? I'm a little confused by this.

    Thanks so much! Lisa

  14. We don't have a Passionfruit Pineapple scent (but it sounds luscious). Where soapmakers get their fragrances from is often a closely held secret but I'm guessing that you could buy a straight Passionfruit and a straight Pineapple and blend them together. http://www.Sweetcakes.com is generally where I shop for fragrances on the rare occasion that Bramble Berry doesn't have them. =)

  15. I just love making these bath sugar cubes! When my friend and I were first learning to make them, we ordered a jar of the real thing from Naiad so we could see how they were supposed to turn out. I loved the Passionfruit Pineapple scented-cubes that we got from Naiad. They smelled scrumptious!

    Ann Marie, do you carry Passionfruit Pineapple fragrance at Bramble Berry? I didn't see it on your site when I looked. Or does Naiad get this particular fragrance from a different source?

    Thanks again to everyone involved in sharing and posting this great project!

    Linda

  16. I personally have not. I suspect it will set up faster than the normal base so keep that in mind when working with it. You may end up having to decrease your sugar a bit?

  18. Thanks Anne-Marie, I gave it a whirl and they turned out pretty good, the test will be in the shower tomorrow! Thanks a lot!

  19. It's a lot softer and more oily than the regular base so if you try it, just do a smaller test batch =) I have not tried it so can't say either way. While it may technically work, it may not perform as well as you want it to.

  22. Great, thank you so much! I can't wait to make some of these and send them to my sister for Christmas – she's going to love them! Thanks again! 🙂

  24. Hi there! I have a question for Erin (or anyone else who can answer this for me): Where do you get those cute little "fishbowl" type jars that you sell your sugar cube scrubs in? I have searched all over and can't find anything like that. I was hoping to find some in time for the holidays, so that I can make some of these scrubs to give away as gifts to my family. If you could point me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks!

  25. As always, thank you for answering my questions. You must be a very busy lady, yet you always take time to answer questions. As a complete beginner at soapmaking, I feel very fortunate to have found your site. I will try your suggestions and will probably get some soap base from BB the next time I buy some.

    Linda

  26. The brand of base will make a difference because craft store base tends to be a slightly lesser quality compared to the house base at Bramble Berry which is made with real oils (as opposed to SLS plus some hardeners). The bulk base that Bramble Berry carries is similar to the craft store quality though better. =)

    If you want the product to crumble more, then you should cut the soap by 5% at a time, or add more oil at about 5% at a time until you get the consistency you wants. Also, you can try using brown sugar which will make the product crumble better. =))

  27. If I have trouble holding on to these little cubes, is there a way to adjust the recipe so that they DO crumble instead of staying solid?

    Thanks!

  28. Are you sure I didn't do anything wrong? Most of the sugar cubes on Etsy say they should sort of crumble when you add water to them in your palm. Mine made quite a mess and I had to clean all the waxy lumps out of the tub afterward.

    I DID use a soap base from a local craft store though because my very first BB order hadn't arrived yet. Is there really that big of a difference in soap bases? Why are yours different than the ones at Michael's or AC Moore?

    I'll really look forward to seeing this project on Soap TV. Maybe you could show how the texture of the finished sugar cube project should be. What colors/scents will you be using? Maybe I'll order those exact colors/scents so I can follow your instructions EXACTLY to see if I can get better results the second time around. I now have the grapeseed oil so maybe that will increase my chances of success 😉

    Cngrats on your baby news! I'm very happy for you!!

  29. Hi Linda,

    Not to worry, you didn't do anything wrong. They're designed to be hard and not to crumble. =) They're a solid (as in "solid, can hold in your hand") scrub.

    Were you using the Bramble Berry soap base? Yes, subbing oil can make a difference. But the soap base you use definitely can make a big difference.

    Temperature probably isn't a huge factor. I'll tackle this project on SoapQueen.TV in the next month so you'll be able to see me making them in action and that might help. I know I always do better when I can see something in action rather than reading it.

  30. I tried these sugar scrub cubes and mine came out kind of waxy. They looked pretty but the texture was not good all all. They were hard and they definitely didn't crumble. They also left large waxy pieces in the tub when I used them. The pieces didn't dissolve in water and I had to clean up the tub afterward to get all these piece out.

    I would like to try these project again if I can figure out what I did wrong. I substituted Jojaba or Avocado oil (can't remember which). Do you think that made any difference? I have since found the grapeseed oil for my next try.

    Could the temperature of the soap have been a factor? Or the amount of time it took me to put in the color and scent?

    Thanks again for always checking this boards and posting answers.

    Linda

  31. Everyone has to start somewhere so welcome! Yes, all of the soaps on this page:

    https://www.brambleberry.com/Bramble-Berry-Bases-C11.aspx

    are melt and pour "glycerin" soaps. So any of them will work but I prefer to work with the plain clear soap for this project but it's definitely a personal preference. =)

    Have fun with the Rebatching Base. It is a very different process than melt and pour soap so it will be fun to watch you explore the different types of soapmaking. =)

  32. Wow! Thank you so much for the quick response.

    When I clicked on your first link to the various bases, I was sent to a page with all the soap bases. I thought the instructions said I need to use a glycerin soap base. Are all those glycerin bases on the link you sent?

    I told you I'm a real beginner :-\

    I HAVE seen the rebatch video on YouTube and I have it bookmarked. I'm just waiting on my first Bramble Berry order to arrive so I can try my first batch of soap!

  34. Hi Linda,

    I'll go backwards on your questions. Yes, there are one pound sizes of all of our bases or 10 pound sizes as well. You can get them here:

    https://www.brambleberry.com/Bramble-Berry-Bases-C11.aspx

    Rebatching Soap works out great in Milky Way Molds. https://www.brambleberry.com/Basic-Rectangle-Mold-P3148.aspx or the Heavy Duty Molds https://www.brambleberry.com/Guest-Rectangle-Heavy-Duty-P4409.aspx Have you seen the SoapQueen.TV video on making rebatching soap? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YcCV0AWutw If you haven't seen it, that will definitely help. =)

  35. Yes, it's me again :-\ I have yet another question. When I click on the Bramble Berry Recipe Ingredient links above, I see a Clear Melt and Pour Soap Base but it is 50lbs! Does Brambleberry not carry a smaller amount? Or am I just not seeing it?

    Thanks,
    Linda

  36. Oops! I forgot to ask this question:

    I want to attempt some rebatch soap projects in the future and, from what I've read, I know I can't use just any molds for rebatch as it gets very hot. Since I am on a tight budget, can anyone suggest a rebatch mold from Bramble Berry that could also be used for this sugar cube recipe? That way I could buy one mold instead of two.

    Thanks again!

  37. I am brand new to soap making and I've just placed my first Bramble Berry order. While anxiously awaiting the arrival of my order, I came across this tutorial for the sugar scrubs and I have decided I MUST try them!

    Are these suitable for a beginner?

    I think I would like to make a batch of only the red ones since Christmas is coming up. This would help cut down costs too since I don't have all the scents, molds and coloring mentioned above and I will have to place another Bramble Berry order right away($$).

    If I wanted to sell a few of these to friends to recoup some of my starting costs (and to help support my new-found habit), does anyone have a suggestion on a price range to ask for the cubes?

    Does anyone have the recipe for the pumpkin sugar cubes that I saw mentioned?

    Thanks for your help.

  38. Hi! This is so great!
    Just made pumpkin-style scrub 🙂 And few squares. Will see what is this 🙂

    And I made it with your wonderful goat BrumbleBerty base!

  39. Hi there,

    Thanks for the suggestions, I will definitely try out another soap base and heat it up a little to make stirring easier. Thanks for your help. 🙂

  40. Hayley,
    I think the problem is the stirring. If it was hard to stir, the oil/soap mixture should be hotter so it doesn't set up as fast when you add the sugar. The oil/soap should be about 150 degrees when you add the sugar. Also, make sure that the oils and soap are well mixed before you add the sugar as those can separate as well. If you still have a problem stirring you can pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time to make it more fluid. Hope that helps!

  41. Hi Hayley,

    I've never had that happen. Did you use oil in the recipe? I notice that when I don't use the right amount of oil that the sugar tends to sink to the bottom.

    Also, I've only made this with BrambleBerry.com bases so the brand of base might have something to do with it as well?

    Just some thoughts …

  42. Hi there, I tried this recipe but for some reason, the sugar all sank to the bottom, so I have a half sugary, half soapy cube. How can I ensure it becomes sugary all the way through? I'm sure I used plenty sugar, I could barely stir it when it was still hot.

  43. I m talking about these little scrubs.. instead of sugar… using salt? Not sure if it would work.. I have been trying with NO success…

  44. Maybe give me more information – what do you mean by 'solid salt scrub' – like what LUSH sells as a "Buffy the Backside Slayer" or something else?

    I generally just make a lotion bar and dump a bunch of salt into it to make a Buffy the Backside Slayer type bar …

  45. I am looking for a recipe for solid SALT scrubs… so far I have had no luck and I have gone through 1 lb of dead sea salts!! eek! If you have a recipe… that would be GREAT! thanks! = ]

  46. @ Medow Creek…

    Were you looking for a Dead Sea salt scrub or a soak? I have a lovely soak recipe but no recipe for a salt scrub… let me know! (I would just post it here but I'm at the office and can't memorize a recipe to save my life.) =)

  47. YOu are welcome! Now, If someone could share a recipe using Dead Sea salts.. I would be happy.. I have tried 5 batches.. but they all come out tooo soft.. every time.. No matter how much I adjust. I think there must be something with the chemistry.. that the salt just DOES NOT WORK… if someone can prove me wrong.. PLEASE DO! haha. = ]

  50. ALLRIGHTY!!!! I GOT IT!

    Here are the direction's for Meadow Creek's Solid Sugar scrub in " Morning JAVA"

    2 oz. clear MP soap
    2 oz. Olive Oil
    6 oz. BROWN sugar
    2 1/2 T ORGANIC Coffee
    18 drops of Honey Almond EO blend

    1. Melt clear MP soap in Microwave for 30 seconds
    2. Stir in olive oil
    3. add EO blend
    4. Add brown sugar and coffee

    MIX WELL!!!

    I used the silicone Brownie Bites mold ( i got it on amazon) and then once the scrubs have set up, I cut it each "bite" into 4 which makes a sugar cube sized scrub.

    Hope you all enjoy it! = ] Jill

  51. ooh! Thanks! I hadn't thought of this! I haven't been able to test another batch yet ( that is what nursing school and 3 kids will do to ya!). However, I did try heating it up again, but it didn't help at all!

    My husband is going to use this batch for scrubbing his hands after work. ( he works construction and plays in red clay all day!).

    I will for sure let you all know how it turns out and will post proportions as well! = ]

  52. Oh, if it was too thick then the mixture was probably too cool when you poured it. At that point you can just pop it in the microwave a few seconds at a time until it gets to a pourable consistency again.

    You can try remelting it and adding it to another batch if the scent was to strong – that way you won't have to waste it! 🙂

  53. I added more soap because it was tooo thick.. like what coffee grounds look like after they have brewed. It didn't even look like there was any kind of oil or soap in the mixture at all!

    Needless to say, the scent was VERY strong! Way too strong! Plus I used Organic coffee grounds which made it worse. I am going to make another small batch tonight and only add a small amount as you suggested. I'll let you know how it turned out! = ]

  54. @ Medow Creek Bath Co.

    The coffee and scent sounds lovely! I might try using less coffee. The sugar dissolves as you use it for a mild scrub and since the coffee is very abrasive and doesn't dissolve, I would use about a tablespoon or less for this amount of scrub. With 4 oz you could use it as a foot scrub but definitely test it before using on more delicate skin.

    I have not tried the recipe with coffee ground and am not sure what effect it would have on the soap.

    Did you add soap because they did not set up? If your scrub was soft or separating I would check to make sure the soap oil mixture is not too hot when you add the sugar. Of course you can add more as a matter of preference if you prefer the scrub to be harder and more like soap. With the recipe above, the scrub should hold together but be easy to crumble in your hand.

    Hope that helps!
    🙂

  55. Can I make these with coffee gounds. I have tried it mixing 4 oz coffee and the rest sugar. Waiting to see if they are going to firm up. I had to add a little more mp when I was mixing.. about another 1.4oz. Does this sound right? I used a honey almond EO blend for a " morning java" scent.

  56. Thank you SO much:0) I really wanted to make these for my mother and sisters for an Easter gift, so I am so glad that I have done them right,yay!! Thank you so much again

  57. I am happy to answer your questions!
    It sounds like the sugar cubes are perfect! They are not supposed to feel like a real sugar cube. They will have an oily feel and a slight springiness to them but should not be dripping or oozing oil (oh, that sounds yicky), and should not fall apart.

    🙂

  58. Thanks again! They are actually hard, but do squish with some pressure. The are also damp to the touch, so not completely dry? I am not too sure on what the consistancy is supposed to feel or look like. Are they actually supposed to be bone dry and feel like an actual sugar cube, like you would use in your cofee,lol. Sorry to ask so many questions, but thank you so much for your time in answering them:0)

  59. Hmmm. If the scrubs are soft it could be too much oil (or too little soap base). I would add a little bit of glycerin soap, about .1 oz at a time to see if that works.

    Also, the sugar will start to melt if the soap/oil combo is too hot. Be sure your soap and oils are about 110-120 degrees when you add the sugar, as melted sugar will change the consistency.

    Also, if the scrubs seem a bit soft they may not be up to room temp yet. You can pop them in the fridge for 10 minutes or so to see if that hardens them. As long as the scrubs are not crumbly they should hold together.

    Hope that helps!
    🙂

  60. Hi, thank you so much for your fast response. I am not too sure if oily is the right word…just soft, not hard like regular sugar cubes,lol. Is this what they are supposed to be like? Thank you so much again

  61. I package the scrubs immediately. These do not need to cure or dry and the linger they sit out the more likely they are to collect contaminates. For personal use I have left some out in my bathroom and have not had trouble with them getting oily. Were you using a different oil combination?

  62. I tried these earlier today, but wasnt too sre whether I had to dry them out or not? I know some forums say to leave them dry out for up to 48 hours, but my cubes are actually becoming really oily over time. Should they og directly into the airtight containers following being cut? Thank you

  63. Hi Jeaneane,
    The ratios measure up or down proportionately so you can just cut the recipe in half and it should make 12 scrubs!
    🙂

  64. Hello,
    Do you have a recipe where i can make this smaller batch, 12 instead of 24.
    Thanks

  65. Hello Jeaneane!
    The base you used is not a natural soap base and the chemicals in it may be having a reaction to the oils we are using. I have used that soap base before and it seems to have a higher melt point as well, which could be causing problems. Anne-Marie may be able to help better with that question.

    I would suggest purchasing a small amount of the natural soap base to try with the project and see if that works for you. Brambleberry has a Shea Butter base:
    https://www.brambleberry.com/Shea-Butter-Melt-Pour-P3192.aspx

    Shea oil should be fine. I would start with the same amount in the recipe and adjust as needed if you notice the finished product seems too hard or too soft.

    Hope that helps!
    🙂

  66. Hey the soap base i had used was a shea butter melt n pour soap base from the chemistry store. I also want to use the Milky Way Guest Tray Square Soap Mold that has 16 cavity. I really want to make it successful, also would it be okay to use shea oil.

    Thanks

  68. Hello Jeaneane.
    When you say it did not work can you give any details? The white soap base I used for a natural soap base. I have not used suspension soap base but perhaps there is an ingredients in it that is having an adverse reaction? I may be able to help more one I get more info.
    Thanks!

  69. Yes, I am very interested in this . However I tried it with white soap base and it did not work, I am planning on using white soap base with suspension and use shea oil.Do you have any advice?

  70. I decided that the coconut oil doesn't work very well. The final product is pretty crumbly in the shower and doesn't seem to melt and emulsify like the ones I made with almond oil. They just kind of fall apart.

  71. Hi Erin. Honestly, I thought to use it because I used up what little sweet almond oil I had in my first batch and I had some coconut oil here at the house. I did heat it up pretty well before adding the sugar but it still seized up pretty good while trying to stir the sugar in. It seemed to turn out okay, a little more solid I think, than the first batch with sweet almond oil. That was the other reason why I was wanting to try it. My other batch felt a little oily but seemed to be okay once I blotted it with paper toweling. But it definitely took more work with the coconut oil than the sweet almond oil. I would not suggest using it as your first attempt.

  72. Thank you for sharing the coconut oil method treesy! Did you use/like coconut in this for any particular reason? Maybe you can heat it up a little more before adding the sugar so you don't have to reheat as much?

    A virgin coconut oil with pineapple scent would be awesome! Very tropical and great for the summer!

    Hope they turn out – happy soaping! 🙂

  73. So i tried the coconut oil this afternoon. Extremely tempermental and required a lot of stirring and reheating. The soap and oil really wanted to stay separated. I used a little bit of yellow color, lemon fragrance, and a citrus slice mold. I used lemon, just in case the coconut scent from the oil came through but I don't think I smell it. Pineapple might be another good one to pair with the coconut. Even after adding the sugar, I had to reheat so it would be soft enough to put into the molds. But even with all the reheating, I'm pretty sure the sugar stayed intact. They're unmolded and air drying as we speak. I think they'll work. 🙂

  74. Has anyone tried to make this with Coconut Oil? The kind that is solid up to 75 degrees and then liquefies? I may have to try it…

  75. Hi Aislyn,
    I have not tried these with another base so am not sure about the outcomes. If you think they are rubbery it may be too much glycerin soap to oil and sugar ratio. I would either reduce the soap base a bit or add more sugar and oil a few grams at a time. The consistence should be firm and they should stay together when handled but crumble easily when pressure is applied – if that makes sense. I hope that helps!

  76. so i made this recipe using all the ingredients mentioned except i used two different soap bases-a mp bright white base and a sweetend honey mp soap base. is there any difference in the outcome between these bases and the glycerine soap? also, how is it supposed to feel after they have dried?cuz mine feel hard when dry, and rubbery while they are drying

  77. regarding preservative I think 1% is fine as long as it falls within the range of the suggested usage rate for the preservative. 🙂

  78. Just wondering about the question that was asked "…regarding preservative – how much would you incorporate into the recipe – 1%?"

  79. 2 oz soap by weight equals 1/4 c. melted soap

    6 oz oil by weight equals about 1 c. oil

    🙂

  81. I need to buy a scale for weight measurement I guess. Can anyone recommend an economically priced quality scale. In the meantime is there anyway to convert these amounts to teaspoon/tablespoon or some other measurement so I can try it out?

  82. Thanks for the tweet on this…I somehow missed this post. Just may give it a try this weekend.

  83. Anne-Marie/Erin

    I haven't made the scrubs as of yet – but regarding preservative – how much would you incorporate into the recipe – 1%?
    I'm actually thinking of the perfect color and fragrance for this now 🙂

    thanks!

  84. I am so happy that you are getting good use out of the scrubs and thank you for the lovely words!

    I love them for my hands too! I also do a once over on my feet every day and I have seen a wonderful improvement in the dryness on my feet.

    If you don't have the scrubs around you can also just take one Tablespoon of fine white sugar, mix it with some lemon juice and olive oil to form a paste, and use that as a hand scrub in a pinch! The lemon helps to even out skin tone!

    happy scrubbing!

  85. Thanks so much! I'll research the shelf life of my sweet almond oil.
    I can't thank you enough for this recipe. As a mom I wash my hands often during the day. I am not only going to use these in the shower twice a week but also keeping a cube by the sink. I think that using it on my hands once a day or every other day will really help with the water damage. It has already made my hands look much younger! Plus it is much faster than lotion! I think that these cubes are going to be a real life saver come winter! Thank you again!

  86. Hi Anonymous! 🙂
    Not a silly question at all!
    They do not break down and the color scent stays if stored in a cool, dark, dry place in proper air tight packaging. I say three months because this recipe does not contain an antioxidant or preservative for the oils. The shelf life is dependent on the shelf life of the oil you use.

  87. I have kind of a silly question…Your instructions say that these will "stay fresh for three months". What happens after the three months? Do they start to break down or seperate? Or will they just loose some of their scent?

    I made a batch of these for myself last night and just LOVE them! Especially since there is no oil slick on my shower floor after! Thank you oh so much!!

  88. Thanks so much, Erin! I know sea salt can be problematic in making bar soap, hence my trepidation… but I will experiment this weekend & report back 🙂

  89. I have used the Merlot Sparkle Mica that Brambleberry carries and have not had a problem. It contains mica and iron oxides – I have not tried ultramarines yet.

  90. would using oxides and ultramarines be ok for coloring these? i could have sworn i read somewhere that they would make sugar scrubs (?) have a stinky sulphur smell to them…is this true? wouldn't want that 🙂

  91. Hi tartchef!

    I have not tried a larger grain. The fine grain sea salt might give the same binding action with the proportions of glycerin soap and salt that the recipe calls for. I would say try a small batch and if it does not work just increase the proportion of glycerin soap in small increments until it all sticks together!

    You may want to convert to grams for this and you can just multiply the ounces by 28.35 to get the gram weights.

    Have fun and let us know how it turns out!

  92. Oh humminahummina… this will be tried, and soon! Any thoughts on using salt instead? I have 5 pounds of fine sea salt that could be put to use…

  93. They're fine to ship but package in a bail jar or mason jar. They need a hard shipping case =)

  94. are these ok to ship, since there might be some moisture? also, how should i package them to ship?

  95. Yes, you can use regular mica in the recipe. Just mix it in with the melted soap base and stir well.

  98. For labeling, if you are talking about the ingredients, the main ingredient is glycerin soap so you would list that with all of the ingredients of the glycerin soap in parentheses behind it, and then list all of your other ingredients in descending order.
    It is just like on food labels.

    Does that clarify or was there another labeling question?
    Thanks!

  100. Caty L,
    Good question! Yes, you do have to use glycerin soap base because of how it melts and the solid consistency when at room temp. You need that property to make the scrubs stick together.

    I don't think one would not be able to melt CP for rebatch to the right consistency without adding water which might also dissolve the sugar a bit and make for a mushy scrub that would also have a cure time.
    🙂

  101. Im wondering why you HAVE to use glycerin base…..Why not any soap base?

    Because of the way glycerin melts?

    Thanks:)

  102. Yes, you can use goat milk soap as long as it is a glycerin soap base. Note if you are using it for colored scrubs they will come out pastel due to the off white color of goat milk soap base.

    Any glycerin soap base will work! 🙂

  105. Thanks so much for your responses! I actually tried the fresh cut grass in the shower today just as a scrub and I loved it. Now that the kids are in bed I'm going to attempt it again because I am in love with this scent. And this time I'll be doing it with grapeseed oil. Picked some up today. Thanks again!

  106. Thanks for the photo compliments Kat! – and thank everyone for their wonderful posts!

    Hi Crystal,
    For the fresh cut grass, like Anne-Marie said, it sounds like there may have been too much sugar or not enough glycerine soap. Also, I have found that if the soap/oil is too hot it will cause this same effect. I am not sure why but it may have to do with the mixture separating after pour.

    It won't set up but you can try as Anne-Marie suggested and add more soap. It will remelt but the sugar will start to dissolve so the scrub won't be as scrubby.

    The temperature of the oil/soap mixture when you add the sugar will determine how easy it is to pour so you can always give the soap/oil an extra buzz in the microwave before adding the sugar to make it easier to pour. Like I said, I suspect that if soap/oil is too hot, like boiling, that it will result in a crumbly scrub.

    I have tried many types of oils in different combinations and the resulting scrub consistency has always been the same, though I have not tried canola oil. The mango sound like it came out perfectly!
    I hope this helps!
    🙂

  107. Hi Crystal –

    I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to write back yesterday. I was going to try and make the recipe and see how it turned out but haven't had time yet.

    It sounds like the Fresh Cut grass got a bit more sugar than the Mango. Typically, when I can't keep them together, it's because there's not enough binding agent – in this case the oil/soap mixture.

    You can remelt the whole thing and add some more melt and pour soap into there to (and probably more sugar because the sugar might melt in the microwave) OR just package the crumbles into jars and use it more like a traditional scrub. =)

  108. Love this! Thanks for sharing. I made two mini batches using sunflower oil. I poured them in the six cavity clamshells. Perfect to unmold and breakaway one cube at time for each use. Two ounces of oil, two ounces of MP base and six ounces of sugar filled two clamshells.

  109. Thanks so much to both of you for sharing this great recipe! I have some questions though…I tried making some of these today using BB's fresh cut grass and a combination of two BB mango scents (I think fresh mango and mango mango but I'd have to run downstairs to check).

    I did freshcut grass first. It was really sugary and a little hard to pour but still pourable. I used olive oil since I didn't have any of the others on hand. This one has been sitting on the counter for hours and every time I try to take it out of the mold it falls apart and crumbles. I keep smushing it back in hoping there's still hope.

    When I did the mango blend I was a tad short on olive oil so I just reached in the cabinet and came out with some canola oil and added half an ounce. This one was not nearly as sugary but it poured smoother, set up rather quickly and I was able to unmold and slice it just fine. The cubes are really smooth and I almost couldn't even feel the sugar until I used one.

    So what went wrong with my freshcut grass? Will it ever get hard enough to cut? And are these supposed to be really sugary or more smooth like my mango ones? Thanks in advance!

  110. These look great. I've been making something similar for a few years and put them in clamshell containers. Mine melt when it gets too hot outside though, so I think I'll try Erin's recipe and see if does any better at outdoor shows.

  111. Beautiful pictures, really makes you want to go and make them RIGHT NOW!!! Which I just may do, as soon as the littlies are in bed!! Thanks!!!!!

  113. Many thanks to Erin for sharing this scrumptious looking recipe, and to Anne-Marie for posting it! It's actually making me hungry… 😉

  114. I'm getting back into my soapmaking – I only do it for home right now, but there's nothing stopping me from selling it, too! LOL Like I don't have enough to do right now.

  117. Thanks AM & Erin for this great tutorial. Very cute idea! I will definitely play with this one 🙂

  119. oh these are really really nice 🙂
    I'm actually down to a tiny batch of white MP soap base so I'm going to go ahead and do them!
    Thanks Erin & Anne!

  120. Update: I just came out of the shower with my sugar cubes I made this morning…fabulous!!! These were a snap to make. Erin and Anne-Marie thank you:D

    happy 4th of July

  121. This is so neat! I love new ways to use glycerin soap and this is really different!

    I have used Erin's sugar cubes before and they're so great – I highly recommend them!

  122. So I set aside some time this morning to work on a sugar cube scrub recipe…after pouring my third batch and waiting for it to cool, I thought, "I wonder what the Soap Queen has to say today?" 🙂

    The moral of the story is, always *start* your day with Soap Queen!

  123. Erin and Anne-Marie,

    You ladies are "Da Bombe's!

    Erin, your pictures look
    absolutely tantalizing. The product, along with the photography creates a truly visceral experience!

    Thank you so very much!

    I cannot wait to make these and the recipe has been Well Worth Waiting For!

    🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
    yippee hi ho cayee..!

    Let Freedom Ring!
    Happy 4th!

    I want to rush into my kitchen and make these, but alas,
    dinner guest are coming in a mere 3hours and I have to make my famous beans, ribs, stawberry shortcake, tea, and all the fixins! It will just have to wait!

  124. Glad you guys like this! These are so fun to make and once you get the basic proportions down you can really get creative with the oil blend! Have fun!

  125. Joanna,

    It's the Milky Way Basic Square mold.

    Patrice,

    I am so thrilled that the recipe is the tipping point for you to perfect your recipe. Yippee!

  126. Loves it! I've been trying to perfect this technique forever. Can't wait to play around now!

  128. Can't wait to try these! I've been meaning to and this looks like such a simple recipe. Thank you!

  129. OMG!!! Thank you Erin and Soapqueen for sharing this recipe with us! I have been playing with this idea for a little while now with less than optimal results. You are so generous for sharing your ideas, thank you:D

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