Difficulty: Beginner
Time: 15 minutes
Yields: 3 jars of scrub
This Fresh Rain Sugar Scrub is so easy to make and a really nice alternative to traditional oil & sugar scrubs that can be greasy and slippery in the shower. Potassium Cocoate is one of the key ingredients in this scrub. It’s a soap concentrate made from coconut oil that contains glycerin resulting in a lovely, moisture-rich scrub. Plus, jojoba beads add a pretty sprinkle of color, and, as highlighted in this Sunday Night Spotlight, they are an ideal alternative to plastic micro-beads.
What You’ll Need:
10.5 oz Sugar
1.5 oz Shea Butter
1 oz Potassium Cocoate
0.6 oz Ocean Blue Jojoba Beads
6 mL Optiphen
6 mL Mallow Extract
6 mL Rain fragrance oil
ThreeΒ 4 oz. Plastic Bail Jars
Β Click here to get everything you need to make this scrub!
hi i see she takes the temp. the only thermometer i have is a candy one will that do?
That will work just fine! Any thermometer will work for this recipe. If you do use it for scrubs and other handmade cosmetics, we don’t recommend using it for food again. Fragrance can get trapped in the microcracks of the thermometer, even with through washing. A dedicated set of tools is best for handmade scrubs. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
sorry forgot to ask i don’t i have any shea. what other butter can i use.i have mango,, avocado & deodorize coco butter will one of these do?
Mango butter is a good substitute! It is a bit more firm than shea butter, so the scrub will be more firm overall. I would recommend making a small test batch to check the consistency with the mango. π
Mango butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Mango-Butter-P3221.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
hi could i use green tea extract in place of mallow?
You can! Green tea extract is thought to be soothing on the skin. You can use it at the same amount as the mallow (6 mL). π
Read more about extracts here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotligh-extracts/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Green tea extract: https://www.brambleberry.com/Green-Tea-Extract-P4929.aspx
hi I wanted to know if it is possible to substitute optiphen for phenonip
Hi Krishelle!
Absolutely! Phenonip is a great all-purpose preservative that works great for scrubs. You can use it at .5-1% in your recipe. π
Read more about preservatives here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/talk-it-out-tuesday-preservatives/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Phenonip: https://www.brambleberry.com/Phenonip-P4038.aspx
Hy!
Potassium Cocoate can be replaced with another surfactant? There I have it. Thank you!
Hi Estelle!
We didn’t try this recipe with another surfactant, but I believe that would be OK as long as it’s skin safe! You may want to make a small test batch just to be sure. π
You can also use a liquid soap in place of the potassium cocoate. Liquid soap will give this scrub cleansing and lathering properties like the potassium cocoate does!
Liquid soap bases: https://www.brambleberry.com/Liquid-Bases-C15.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
can i use sea salt instead of sugar ?
Hi Zena!
You can use sea salt if you like! I would recommend using the same amount of sea salt as sugar. It will give a slightly different feeling to the scrub, so make sure to test it to see if you like the texture. π
Learn more in the All About Exfoliants post: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/all-about-exfoliants/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Is there a way to re moisten it once it’s been made and put in jars?
Hi A.j.!
Absolutely! You can pour in a bit more potassium cocoate (or another liquid oil) and mix it right in the jars. I would recommend starting off with just a splash, then adding more if you want the scrub more wet. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I made this scrub and enjoy it, but was wondering how to make it less hard or dry? I am not sure if I should add more or less of something or maybe make a different scrub instead.
Hi Judi!
Adding more potassium cocoate will make the scrub a little more moist. I would recommend starting out with .5 ounces more, then adding more if you want it more liquidy. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Is the mallow extract essential? I’m assuming it’s to help with keepng the skin moisturized? Can it be substituted with something else? Thanks!
Hi Addy!
We added the mallow extract because of its soothing properties. You can use another extract though! We have a lot of great extracts like avocado extract, which has great moisturization properties. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Avocado extract: https://www.brambleberry.com/Avocado-Extract-P4931.aspx
Extracts: https://www.brambleberry.com/Extracts-C28.aspx
I made these for the holidays, but I didn’t have blue jojoba beads. I used red and scented it with peppermint FO, and green with Fresh Bamboo FO. Everyone loved them, and it was easy to change the beads and FO. Thank you for such a great recipe!
Hi Merryn!
That sounds fantastic! I bet it smells nice and fresh. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Red jojoba beads: https://www.brambleberry.com/Red-Jojoba-Beads-P4392.aspx
Peppermint Essential Oil, 1st Distill: https://www.brambleberry.com/Peppermint-Essential-Oil-1st-Distill-P3828.aspx
Fresh Bamboo Fragrance Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Fresh-Bamboo-Fragrance-Oil-P4651.aspx
It doesn’t appear as if you are using an emulsifier in this recipe to combine the liquid soap with the oils, however, as you are mixing it does appear to stay together. How is this so if the mixture is water and oil?
Hi Danielle!
You are correct, this recipe doesn’t use an emulsifier! The reason it stays together is because the soap and oils have a similar texture. While water is used to make the potassium cocoate, which has a similar texture to liquid soap, the end result is a liquid soapy texture. When making soap, the oils react with the lye and water to create soap. I’ll include a blog post with more information!
Where’s the Lye: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/wheres-the-lye-2/
Emulsifiers are only needed when you’re combining distilled water with oils and waxes, for instance, when you make lotion. I’ll include a video with more about that. π
How to Make Lotion From Scratch: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/make-lotion-scratch-soap-queen-tv/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Ah, got it. I didn’t realize that. Thanks for the info!
You’re very welcome! π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
can you make this and add the fregrance oil to the container and mix it up? or will it not work right? im wanting to make three different scents but dont wanna make them all separate if i can make it all at once then add the fragarance. (first time making)
Hi Bekah!
You can fragrance oil to the scrub after the sugar and jojoba beads have been added. It will definitely take a little elbow grease to get it all stirred in though!
If you’re making three separate batches, I would recommend making three different oil mixtures and adding your fragrance to those. Then, you can mix up one large batch of sugar and jojoba beads and add each oil and fragrance mixture to a separate bowl. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello
Does this make a bubbly scrub?
Hi Lisa!
Because this has potassium cocoate in it, it does have some bubbles. It’s a really fun scrub. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Potassium cocoate: https://www.brambleberry.com/Potassium-Cocoate-P5902.aspx
I am looking forward to making this, and I love Karen’s idea of using citrus EO. I am planning on giving this for a Christmas gift as part of a “Spa Pack”, and I think iw will be a winner.
I have been making my own potassium cocoate, and am thrilled to have another recipe to try it out on!
Hi Merryn!
That sounds like an awesome idea! A spa pack would be such a fun gift.
Also, I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I would like to use citrus essential oils (such as a mixture of Orange Valencia and Grapefruit) instead of the Rain fragrance oil. Would it work to use orange peel powder as an exfoliant instead of jojoba beads? If so, how much would you recommend adding?
Hi Karen!
Orange peel powder creates a great orange color and offers very gentle exfoliation. You may want to try adding the same amount as the jojoba beads and giving it a try to see if it’s scrubby enough for you.
If you want some more scrubbiness, you can add more powder or add an additional exfoliant, like walnut shells. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Walnut shells: https://www.brambleberry.com/Walnut-Shells-P4531.aspx
Is it safe for your face?
Hi Druann!
It is! Because it does contain oil, it may not be compatible with oily skin. You may want to try a small amount on your face to see if you like how it feels. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I want to make this to gift friends with but wanted to ask first, what’s the shelf life for this product?
Hi Valerie!
This scrub will last about a year. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Oh, thank you for this new recipe for a scrub! It’s so pretty and I am new to the Potassium Cocoate product. I cannot wait to make this…it sounds like it will smell lovely.
Hi Gwendolyn!
So glad you like it! It does smell great – very rainy and fresh. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Like this recipe with the soap…Yeah, I’d love to see this scrub in use too!
Hi Jen!
Thank you for that suggestion! Although you can’t see it, it does produce a nice gentle scrub on your hands. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Sounds like a great new product recipe. I would have loved to see this scrub in action as a demonstration of it’s use at the end of the video. The jojoba beads add that nice touch of color.
Hi Pam!
So glad you like it! I love the blue color of this scrub too. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry