With spring quickly approaching, it’s time to get skin in tip-top shape. This Shimmering Sea Salt Scrub is created with exfoliating dead sea salt and moisturizing shea butter and coconut oil. The sea salt removes dead skin, while the oils leave skin feeling hydrated and smooth. The end result is moisturized, extra soft skin! Because this scrub is made with hard oils that become liquid when heated, the texture of the scrub will depend on the temperature of your room. When using this scrub in the shower be cautious as the oils will create a slippery surface.
Inspired by mermaids, Gold (light) Mica is added to give skin a subtle shimmer. A combination of LabColors give this scrub a light aqua color, reminiscent of the ocean. Crisp Cotton Fragrance Oil gives this scrub a fresh, slightly sweet scent that’s great for spring.
What You’ll Need:
15 oz. Fine Grained Dead Sea Salt
5 oz. Coconut Oil
3 oz. Shea Butter
8 mL Crisp Cotton Fragrance Oil
12 mL Blue Mix LabColor
5 mL Emerald LabColor
2 1/4 tsp. Gold (light) Mica
3.5 mL Optiphen
Two 8 oz. Plastic Bail Jars
Optional: Droppers
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DILUTING LABCOLOR: You’ll need to premix your LabColors in order to use them in this project. We like diluting the small bottle of LabColor in 4 oz. of distilled water. For more on diluting LabColors, check out this blog post.
ONE: Melt the coconut oil in the heat resistant plastic pouch and pour it into a heat-safe container.
TWO: Add the shea butter and stir well. If the warm coconut oil doesn’t melt the shea butter fully, put the container into the microwave on 10-second bursts. This ensures that the shea butter doesn’t get too hot, which can cause graininess.
THREE: Add 8 mL of the Crisp Cotton Fragrance Oil and stir well.
FOUR: Check the temperature of the oil mixture. If it’s below 176 °F, add 3.5 mL of Optiphen. If your scrub is warmer than 176° F, the preservative may not be effective.
Note: Although this scrub doesn’t contain water, it will likely get water splashed in it during use. The extra water may cause bacteria and mold to grow. We added a preservative to be extra careful. You can read more in the Talk It Out Tuesday: Preservatives post.
FIVE: In a separate container, measure out the Fine Grained Dead Sea Salt. Add 12 mL of diluted Blue Mix LabColor and 5 mL of diluted Emerald Mix LabColor. It may be difficult to mix in the LabColor at first. We found the best strategy was to put gloves on and hand mix the colorant into the salts. It’s very important to mix the LabColor into the salt first because the water-based LabColors will not mix into the oil-based scrub otherwise.
SIX: Add 2 1/4 tsp. of the Gold (light) Mica and mix well.
SEVEN: Pour the oil mixture into the salt and stir well. Be sure the salts are completely enveloped in oil and no salt chunks are present.
EIGHT: Once the scrub is fully incorporated, pour into two 8 oz. Glass Bail Jar. Let it fully cool and it’s ready to use and enjoy! If using in the shower, be careful! The oils will make the bottom of the tub very slippery.
What is your favorite way to prep skin for the warmer months?
- 15 oz. Fine Grained Dead Sea Salt
- 5 oz. Coconut Oil
- 3 oz. Shea Butter
- 8 mL Crisp Cotton Fragrance Oil
- 12 mL Blue Mix LabColor
- 5 mL Emerald LabColor
- 2¼ tsp. Gold (light) Mica
- 3.5 mL Optiphen
- Two 8 oz. Bail Jars
- Optional: Droppers
- DILUTING LABCOLOR: You’ll need to premix your LabColors in order to use them in this project. We like diluting the small bottle of LabColor in 4 oz. of distilled water.
- Melt the coconut oil in the heat resistant plastic pouch and pour it into a heat-safe container.
- Add the shea butter and stir well. If the warm coconut oil doesn't melt the shea butter fully, put the container into the microwave on 10-second bursts. This ensures that the shea butter doesn't get too hot, which can cause graininess.
- Add 8 mL of the Crisp Cotton Fragrance Oil and stir well.
- Check the temperature of the oil mixture. If it's below 176F, add 3.5 mL of Optiphen. If your scrub is warmer than 176 F, the preservative may not be effective. Note: Although this scrub doesn’t contain water, it will likely get water splashed in it during use. The extra water may cause bacteria and mold to grow. We added a preservative to be extra careful.
- In a separate container, measure out the Fine Grained Dead Sea Salt. Add 12 mL of diluted Blue Mix LabColor and 5 mL of diluted Emerald Mix LabColor. It may be difficult to mix in the LabColor at first. We found the best strategy was to put gloves on and hand mix the colorant into the salts. It’s very important to mix the LabColor into the salt first because the water-based LabColors will not mix into the oil-based scrub otherwise.
- Add 2¼ tsp. of the Gold (light) Mica and mix well.
- Pour the oil mixture into the salt and stir well. Be sure the salts are completely enveloped in oil and no salt chunks are present.
- Once the scrub is fully incorporated, pour into two 8 oz. Glass Bail Jar. Let it fully cool and it's ready to use and enjoy!
I made this recipe a few days ago and the only thing I changed was the fragrance & the color (used a liquid lake instead). Today, I checked the jars & I found that all of the solid oils rose to the top and formed a solid white layer of oils. Why did this happen? Can I still salvage this recipe? When I first made it, it looked like it had a little too much liquid, but I thought it would set a few days & then firm up but not quite like this. Ideas anyone? Thanks
If it’s fairly hot in your home, the coconut oil and butter can melt and settle on top. I would recommend adding more salt! That will make the scrub a bit more dry and prevent some of the oil pooling to the top. It will also make the recipe a bit more exfoliating. You can start with another 1-2 ounces of salt and add more from there. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I have been wanting to make a sea salt scrub as party favors for my island themed bridal shower coming up in a couple weeks…after finding your recipe and reading the reviews I think this is the best choice! Just a couple questions, I saw a few comments about how this scrub tends to leave an oily feel on their skin as well as how the salt dissolves quickly leaving the “scrub” not very scrub-like and more of an oil-rub. I was wanting to make more of scrub-like “scrub” and less of an liquid/oil based “scrub”.
1) I saw you shared this recipe: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cleansing-orange-spice-salt-scrub/ in one of your replies and I was wondering how I might be able to make this shimmering sea salt recipe look/feel more like the cleansing salt scrub? (keeping the aqua color/scent which is perfect for my shower theme but making it more of an exfoliating scrub and less oily)
2) How can I increase the recipe in order to fill 20 4oz jars?
Thank you so much for your help! I can’t wait to get started and see how much my family/friends love it 🙂
Hi Michelle!
If you’re in the market for a more cleansing scrub, potassium cocoate is the way to go. It’s similar to liquid soap. That helps prevent some of that “oily” feeling and also adds some lather to the scrub. I would recommend starting with a 1:1 ratio of potassium cocoate and the oil and butter. Then, test it on your skin. If you want it more cleansing, you can add more potassium cocoate. More moisturizing, add more oil and butter. 🙂
Potassium cocoate: https://www.brambleberry.com/Potassium-Cocoate-P5902.aspx
To increase this recipe, you can first figure out the percentages of each item. To do that, find the total weight and then divide each ingredient by that weight. That will give you the percentage. Then, multiply those percentages by 80 ounces (how much scrub you need for twenty 8 ounce jars) to find the weight of each ingredient. This soapy math post has more on finding percentages: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/math-soapers/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Do you need an emulsifier? I am wondering if the potassium cocoate and oils will separate?
We have found potassium cocoate and oil mix together just fine! We use that combination often in our scrubs. The key is to mix the liquids together really well, then add the salt or sugar and stir until everything is fully combined. 🙂
We used that combination in this Orange Poppy Seed Salt Scrub: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/orange-poppy-seed-salt-scrub-diy/
And this Blueberry Jam Sugar Scrub: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/blueberry-jam-sugar-scrub/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Can I add vitamin E to this recipe to prevent rancidity? If so, how much? Also for the preservative how was it measured? should it be measured total weight of all the oils or total weight of the whole product? Thank you! 🙂
You can add vitamin E! That is thought to prolong the shelf life of the oils in this recipe. We recommend that at 1% of the total weight of this recipe. That would be about 7 mL. The preservative is .5% of the total weight of the recipe, which is why it’s 3.5 mL. 🙂
Read more about vitamin E and preservatives here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/talk-it-out-tuesday-preservatives/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Vitamin E oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Vitamin-E-Oil-P3200.aspx
Hi !
Is the preservative absolutely necessary or just recommended?
Also, is there anything that would be a suitable replacement for the shea butter?
Thanks!!
Hi Janessa!
The preservative is optional! We added it to be extra careful because scrubs are often stored in the shower and get water splashed in during use. If you store the scrub in a cool, dry place in between uses and are careful about not splashing water in it should be just fine. 🙂
Read more about preservatives here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/talk-it-out-tuesday-preservatives/
Also, mango butter is a good substitute for shea butter! They do have a similar texture, with mango butter being slightly more firm. You can also add cocoa butter, which is more firm than shea and mango. It will give the scrub a slightly different consistency, but should still feel really nice!
Mango butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Mango-Butter-P3221.aspx
Cocoa butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Cocoa-Butter-Pastilles–P3218.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Would using 8 mL of peppermint essential oil rather than fragrance oil be too much peppermint and cause a strong reaction or icy-hot feel? I wouldn’t mind having a slight cooling effect I just don’t want it to be too strong.
Peppermint essential oil is quite strong, so I would recommend starting with a couple drops and going from there! That way you can smell the scrub and add more from there if you like. 🙂
Peppermint essential oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Peppermint-Essential-Oil-1st-Distill-P3828.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I made the product but its so oily my husband is so skeptic about the product…he wants it to be soapy because they salt grains don’t stick on the face and leaves a bit of oil on the face. Anything I could do to make it a bit to his liking
Hi there!
Because this scrub contains oils like coconut and shea butter, it will feel a bit more oily. Those oils do help moisturize the skin though!
If you’re wanting a more cleansing scrub, I think you’ll love the Orange Spice Salt Scrub. It’s made with liquid soap concentrate base, so it leaves your skin feeling fresh and clean. You can find that recipe here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cleansing-orange-spice-salt-scrub/
That recipe does contain a bit of olive oil to help moisturize your skin. If you like, you can leave that out. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
could i use mica or ultramarine to create color for this scrub?
Hi there!
You can use micas to color your scrub! There are lots of colors to choose from, and they give the scrub great shimmer. You can add those to the salt, like we did in this tutorial. How much you add will depend on how much color you want to transfer to your skin! I would recommend starting off with 2 teaspoons and adding more from there if you like. 🙂
Learn more about working with micas here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/sunday-night-spotlight-mica-colorants/
Micas: https://www.brambleberry.com/Micas-C46.aspx
Ultramarines (pigments) may be a bit more tricky. They are heavier, so they may cause streaking on your skin. I would recommend making a small test batch with the pigments to see what you think!
Pigments: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pigments-C45.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Can you substitute sugar for the salt in this recipe?
Hi Beth!
Absolutely! Sugar is a gentle exfoliant and would feel awesome in this scrub. I would recommend using the same amount as the salt (15 ounces) and trying a bit on your skin. If you want it a bit more scrubby, you can add more sugar. 🙂
Read more about exfoliants and some other fun options for your scrubs in this post: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/all-about-exfoliants/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
This is my favorite sugar scrub recipe! I wanted to change up the scent for the fall and mixed pumpkin souffle and clove bud. After further reading, I am little nervous about the clove bud. I used 4 ml of the pumpkin souffle and .5 ml of clove bud. Is this a safe amount for this particular recipe?
So glad you like this recipe! I love the idea of adding fall scents to it, I bet it smells amazing. 🙂
Also, I think your recipe should be just fine. Clove Leaf Essential Oil can cause irritation if too much is used. However, our Fragrance Calculator suggests up to 10 mL for a strong scent, and your usage rate is way under that. Because of that it shouldn’t cause any irritation!
Fragrance Calculator: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx
Just to be extra cautious, I would recommend trying a small amount on your skin. If you notice any irritation, you can add more salt, coconut oil and shea butter to dilute the clove. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Pumpkin Souffle Fragrance Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pumpkin-Souffle-Fragrance-Oil-P5935.aspx
Clove Leaf Essential Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Clove-Leaf-Essential-Oil-P3640.aspx
Hi, I’m curious the shelf life of this scrub. I’m looking to make it for holiday gifts and I’d like to start working on some of my projects (lotions, soaps and scrubs) now prior to when the holiday season gets busy. My biggest concern is what will happen to the product if I make it now and then put it on the shelf in storage for the next three months?
Hi Kimberly!
This scrub has a fairly long shelf life, because it contains very little water (from the LabColor). The shelf life will be similar to the ingredient with the lowest shelf life. In this case, both coconut oil and shea butter have a shelf life of over a year. The shelf life for this scrub will be about a year, so they will be perfect for holiday gifts. Way to think ahead! 🙂
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
Hi, I’m curious the shelf life of this scrub. I’m looking to make it for holiday gifts and I’d like to start working on some of my projects (lotions, soaps and scrubs) now prior to when the holiday season gets busy. My biggest concern is what will happen to the product if I make it now and then put it on the shelf in storage for the next three months?
Hi Kimberly!
This scrub has a fairly long shelf life, because it contains very little water (from the LabColor). The shelf life will be similar to the ingredient with the lowest shelf life. In this case, both coconut oil and shea butter have a shelf life of over a year. The shelf life for this scrub will be about a year, so they will be perfect for holiday gifts. Way to think ahead! 🙂
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
I was wondering for all of your scrub/bath salt recipes, do you weigh out the ingredients? I am so used to weighing everything for soap so I thought I would ask! I can’t wait to try some of these great recipes!
Hi Rachel!
We typically measure our recipes by weight! We do sometimes use teaspoon or other volume measurements for color or extracts, but the salt and oils are measured by weight. We find that gives us the most accurate results. 🙂
Read more in this blog post: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/a-guide-to-weight-vs-volume/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I made this recently and I love the smell and color, however I have noticed two things: 1) when I use the scrub it leaves my hands very oily and almost slimy and 2) the salt dissolves almost immediately when I put it into my hands. Is there anything I can do to fix either of these?
Thanks!
Hi Ashley!
Because this scrub is oil based, it can feel oily on the skin. The great news is those oils help moisturize your hands!
If you like, you can decrease the amount of oil and butter in the recipe and increase the amount of salt. You can also use a larger grained salt, like Medium Grain Dead Sea Salt: https://www.brambleberry.com/Medium-Grain-Dead-Sea-Salt-P4084.aspx
Keep in mind the larger the exfoliant, the more scrubby it will be. You may want to make a small test batch to see if you like the way the medium grain salt feels. 🙂
Read more about exfoliant options here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/all-about-exfoliants/
We also have some great scrub options that feel a bit lighter on the skin. This Rainbow Jojoba Bead Sugar Scrub is lightweight and non-greasy: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/soaks-and-scrubs/rainbow-jojoba-bead-sugar-scrub/
The Pumpkin Spice Latte Sugar Scrub feels amazing as well. It uses Foaming Bath Butter, which is fluffy and non-greasy: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/soaks-and-scrubs/pumpkin-spice-latte-sugar-scrub/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Can I use fractionated coconut oil instead?
Hi there!
You can use fractionated coconut oil if you like! Keep in mind, coconut oil is solid at room temperature while fractionated coconut oil is always liquid. That will give the scrub a liquidy texture, rather than the semi-solid one pictured above. A small test batch may be helpful to see if you like the consistency. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Fractionated coconut oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/CaprylicCapric-Triglycerides-Fractionated-Coconut-Oil-P4957.aspx
Is it possible to use cocoa butter instead of shea butter in this recipe, or even just half of each? 🙂 I have both, but way more cocoa butter than shea.
Hi Marte!
We didn’t test this recipe with cocoa butter, but I believe that would be just fine! Cocoa butter is a bit more firm than shea butter, so you may want to do half shea half cocoa butter. A small test batch would be helpful as well, that way you could check the consistency of the scrub. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Cocoa butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Cocoa-Butter-P3218.aspx
Can I use Phenonip in place of the Optiphen? If so, what amount should I use?
Hi Candice!
You can! You can use the same amount of Phenonip as Optiphen in this recipe. Phenonip is typically used at 1%. However, we used the preservative at .5% in this recipe because the LabColors already have preservatives in them. That way the scrub isn’t overpreserved. 🙂
Learn more in the Talk It Out Tuesday: Preservatives post: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/talk-it-out-tuesday-preservatives/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
What is the recommended way to use this sea salt mixture?
Thank you I found the information!
Hi Pam!
To use this scrub, scoop out a bit and rub it on your skin. Then, rinse off the salt under running water. If you have any other questions, let me know! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Love this, the color is fab! Just wondering will the gold mica rinse off or stick to your skin because of the oils??
Hi KIm!
So glad you love the scrub! When we tested this scrub out, most of the mica rinsed off. However, there was a subtle little sparkle on your skin when the light hits it. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I will be making this for personal use, and this will be my first attempt at making a salt scrub/soap related item. Is it important to use the color or is the color used simply for aesthetic purposes.
Hi there!
That’s so exciting, I’m glad you’re giving the scrub a try! The colors are purely aesthetic, so adding them is optional. This scrub is a nice ivory color when it doesn’t have the LabColors added to it. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I am so falling in love with all these sea inspired projects. I love the colors and its really bad since I live on the East Coast lol My mind hasn’t stopped turning with ideas since this morning. Thanks for the great ideas 🙂
Hi Louise!
That’s awesome, so glad you love all the sea inspired projects! We had a ton of fun brainstorming tutorials and colors. Have fun creating! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Love the colors! I’ve been wondering what causes graininess in my lotion bars. I use cocoa butter and mango butter in them, and they only become grainy if they were made a few months before they were purchased. Could this be temperature related? Do you have a good resource for this information?
Try tempering your cocoa butter. https://www.brambleberry.com/Cocoa-Butter-P3218.aspx
Hi Alicia!
If cocoa and mango butter get too hot too quickly, they can get grainy. To prevent this, heat your oils and waxes and then remove them from the heat. Then, mix in the cocoa and mango butter. That allows them to heat gently.
Also, Charlotte is correct – tempering can help as well! To temper your butters, melt them fully then stick them in the freezer. When they’re fully cooled, remove from the freezer and store in a cool, dry place. That will prevent graininess. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry