Salt Scrub Cubes Project
This recipe is made with Epsom salt to scrub away dry skin and cocoa butter to leave it moisturized and comfortable.
The color and fragrance of these cubes are inspired by gemstones. The batch was split into 3 containers and scented with Dark Crystal Fragrance Oil, Rose Quartz Fragrance Oil, and Emerald Agave Fragrance Oil. A dash of coordinating mica was added to each container to complete the gemstone appearance. If you want to make one large batch you can – just add 6 mL of one fragrance oil and one mica to the entire batch.
These scrub cubes took plenty of testing to get a solid cube that was also soft enough to spread on the skin. Because they are on the softer side, they need to be stored in a dry and cool place. Once the mixture is poured into the 12 Bar Square Silicone Mold, we recommend popping them in the fridge for several hours to get very cold and firm. We found the cubes stuck to the mold when they weren’t extremely cold.
To use, apply the cubes to wet skin and massage in. Rinse off and pat dry – no need to wash after. You could also break these cubes under the faucet as you fill up the tub. They are essentially buttery bath salts.
The polysorbate 80 in this recipe helps prevent an oily residue on the skin, but the butters do leave behind a moisturizing feeling.
Want more homemade bath soak and body scrub supplies? Take a look at these DIY body scrub and bath salt kits by Bramble Berry.
What You Need:
Cocoa Butter Pastilles - 1 lb
Avocado Butter - 1 lb
Polysorbate 80 - 1 oz
Rose Quartz Fragrance Oil - 1.75 oz
Emerald Agave Fragrance Oil - 1.75 oz
Dark Crystal Fragrance Oil - 1.75 oz
Epsom Salt - Fine - 2 lbs
Lavender Mica - 1 oz
Shamrock Green Mica - 1 oz
Rose Pearl Mica - 1 oz
12 Bar Square Silicone Mold - 1 mold
Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
- Cocoa Butter Pastilles - 1 lb
- Avocado Butter - 1 lb
- Polysorbate 80 - 1 oz
- Rose Quartz Fragrance Oil - 1.75 oz
- Emerald Agave Fragrance Oil - 1.75 oz
- Dark Crystal Fragrance Oil - 1.75 oz
- Epsom Salt - Fine - 2 lbs
- Lavender Mica - 1 oz
- Shamrock Green Mica - 1 oz
- Rose Pearl Mica - 1 oz
EQUIPMENT:
- 12 Bar Square Silicone Mold - 1 mold
Instructions
You will need:
- 12 Bar Square Silicone Mold
- 2.5 oz. Cocoa Butter Pastilles
- 4 oz. Avocado Butter
- 0.7 oz. Polysorbate 80
- 2 mL Dark Crystal Fragrance Oil*
- 2 mL Rose Quartz Fragrance Oil
- 2 mL Emerald Agave Fragrance Oil
- 16 oz. Extra Fine Epsom Salt
- Lavender Mica
- Rose Pearl Mica
- Shamrock Green Mica
- Optional: Light Gold Mica & Powder Sprayer
Note: This project was originally made with Amethyst Fragnrance Oil, which was discontinued.
Follow these steps:
1
In a heat-safe container, add 2.5 oz. of cocoa butter and 4 oz. of avocado butter. Melt in the microwave using 30-60 second bursts. Don’t let the butters get too hot because it can take a while for them to cool to about 110° F.
2
Once the butters are melted, add 0.7 oz. of polysorbate 80 and thoroughly mix in.
3
Add 16 oz. of Epsom salt and thoroughly mix in.
OPTIONAL STEP: To give the cubes a little extra shimmer, dust the molds with Light Gold Mica using the Powder Sprayer. It doesn’t show up well in photos, but looks pretty in person.
4
Split the batch evenly into three containers (it’s okay to eyeball it). To each container, add fragrance oil and mica and use a spoon to thoroughly mix in. You only need a very small amount of mica, and what you see is what you get. Start with a very small amount and add more to get the color you like.
- Container A: 2 mL Emerald Agave Fragrance Oil + dash of Shamrock Green Mica
- Container B: 2 mL Rose Quartz Fragrance Oil + dash of Rose Pearl Mica
- Container C: 2 mL Dark Crystal Fragrance Oil + dash of Lavender Mica
NOTE: If you’d like to make one batch, add 6 mL of fragrance oil and the mica to the entire batch.
5
The texture of the mixture depends on the temperature. The mixture needs to be thick enough that the salt suspends evenly. But if it’s too thick, it’s tricky to get the mixture into the molds. We found a good temperature is 90-95° F.
As you can see below, the mixture is getting quite thick. The mixture was 81° F – it’s still able to be stirred, but is too thick to spread the mixture evenly into the molds.
If the mixture is too thick, place the container back into the microwave. Use very short bursts of 3-5 seconds until you reach 90-95° F. If the mixture is still quite thin, allow it to cool down. The mixture shown below is a great texture – the salt is evenly suspended but it’s still smooth and fluid enough to fill the mold cavities.
6
Use a spoon to fill the cavities of the mold. Tap the mold on the counter to disperse the mixture evenly. Continue filling the molds with each color of mixture.
7
Allow the scrubs to fully cool and harden. We found they release easier from the mold if placed in the fridge for about two hours. Without placing them in the fridge, they may stick to the mold. Once hardened, unmold and cut each bar into 9 cubes.
*Note: This project orginally used Small Cubes Mold and Packages, which have been discontinued. Using the square silicone mold uses a slightly different method but creates a similar end product.
Store the cubes in a dry, cool place. Once you’re ready to use, apply the cube to wet skin and massage in. Rinse off. The butters in the scrub do leave a moisturizing feel on the skin, but the polysorbate 80 helps it to wash off cleanly without an overly oily feel.
Tutorial credits
Photographer: Amanda Kerzman
Salt Scrub Cubes Project
- LEVEL
- TIME
- YIELD About 36 cubes
Project Description
The color and fragrance of these cubes are inspired by gemstones. The batch was split into 3 containers and scented with Dark Crystal Fragrance Oil, Rose Quartz Fragrance Oil, and Emerald Agave Fragrance Oil. A dash of coordinating mica was added to each container to complete the gemstone appearance. If you want to make one large batch you can – just add 6 mL of one fragrance oil and one mica to the entire batch.
These scrub cubes took plenty of testing to get a solid cube that was also soft enough to spread on the skin. Because they are on the softer side, they need to be stored in a dry and cool place. Once the mixture is poured into the 12 Bar Square Silicone Mold, we recommend popping them in the fridge for several hours to get very cold and firm. We found the cubes stuck to the mold when they weren’t extremely cold.
To use, apply the cubes to wet skin and massage in. Rinse off and pat dry – no need to wash after. You could also break these cubes under the faucet as you fill up the tub. They are essentially buttery bath salts.
The polysorbate 80 in this recipe helps prevent an oily residue on the skin, but the butters do leave behind a moisturizing feeling.
Want more homemade bath soak and body scrub supplies? Take a look at these DIY body scrub and bath salt kits by Bramble Berry.
You will need:
- 12 Bar Square Silicone Mold
- 2.5 oz. Cocoa Butter Pastilles
- 4 oz. Avocado Butter
- 0.7 oz. Polysorbate 80
- 2 mL Dark Crystal Fragrance Oil*
- 2 mL Rose Quartz Fragrance Oil
- 2 mL Emerald Agave Fragrance Oil
- 16 oz. Extra Fine Epsom Salt
- Lavender Mica
- Rose Pearl Mica
- Shamrock Green Mica
- Optional: Light Gold Mica & Powder Sprayer
Note: This project was originally made with Amethyst Fragnrance Oil, which was discontinued.
Follow these steps:
1
In a heat-safe container, add 2.5 oz. of cocoa butter and 4 oz. of avocado butter. Melt in the microwave using 30-60 second bursts. Don’t let the butters get too hot because it can take a while for them to cool to about 110° F.
2
Once the butters are melted, add 0.7 oz. of polysorbate 80 and thoroughly mix in.
3
Add 16 oz. of Epsom salt and thoroughly mix in.
OPTIONAL STEP: To give the cubes a little extra shimmer, dust the molds with Light Gold Mica using the Powder Sprayer. It doesn’t show up well in photos, but looks pretty in person.
4
Split the batch evenly into three containers (it’s okay to eyeball it). To each container, add fragrance oil and mica and use a spoon to thoroughly mix in. You only need a very small amount of mica, and what you see is what you get. Start with a very small amount and add more to get the color you like.
- Container A: 2 mL Emerald Agave Fragrance Oil + dash of Shamrock Green Mica
- Container B: 2 mL Rose Quartz Fragrance Oil + dash of Rose Pearl Mica
- Container C: 2 mL Dark Crystal Fragrance Oil + dash of Lavender Mica
NOTE: If you’d like to make one batch, add 6 mL of fragrance oil and the mica to the entire batch.
5
The texture of the mixture depends on the temperature. The mixture needs to be thick enough that the salt suspends evenly. But if it’s too thick, it’s tricky to get the mixture into the molds. We found a good temperature is 90-95° F.
As you can see below, the mixture is getting quite thick. The mixture was 81° F – it’s still able to be stirred, but is too thick to spread the mixture evenly into the molds.
If the mixture is too thick, place the container back into the microwave. Use very short bursts of 3-5 seconds until you reach 90-95° F. If the mixture is still quite thin, allow it to cool down. The mixture shown below is a great texture – the salt is evenly suspended but it’s still smooth and fluid enough to fill the mold cavities.
6
Use a spoon to fill the cavities of the mold. Tap the mold on the counter to disperse the mixture evenly. Continue filling the molds with each color of mixture.
7
Allow the scrubs to fully cool and harden. We found they release easier from the mold if placed in the fridge for about two hours. Without placing them in the fridge, they may stick to the mold. Once hardened, unmold and cut each bar into 9 cubes.
*Note: This project orginally used Small Cubes Mold and Packages, which have been discontinued. Using the square silicone mold uses a slightly different method but creates a similar end product.
Store the cubes in a dry, cool place. Once you’re ready to use, apply the cube to wet skin and massage in. Rinse off. The butters in the scrub do leave a moisturizing feel on the skin, but the polysorbate 80 helps it to wash off cleanly without an overly oily feel.
Tutorial credits
Photographer: Amanda Kerzman