Natural, handcrafted beauty items often carry a steep price — which is exactly what my budgeting app reminded me of after I left a shop recently with a bag brimming with indulgent soaps, lotions and scrubs that would last, at best, a few days.
“You’ve gone over your monthly cap for ‘just for fun’ purchases,” it alerted — leaving me to drive home with that knot of guilt in my stomach.
So, to avoid giving myself buyer’s‑remorse stress — and to keep my budget intact — I decided a little DIY was in order.
After a bit of digging (and checking my pantry for supplies), I whipped up my own DIY lip scrub at home. And because it was so simple, I made a few more — swapping ingredients and flavors each time because, well, I like choices.
After some trial and error, I settled on a recipe I adore (and can tweak depending on my mood) — and it costs literally pennies to prepare.
The Only DIY Lip Scrub Recipe You Really Need
Every lip scrub needs two core components: an exfoliant and a hydrating carrier.
Your exfoliant can be almost anything granular you have in the kitchen: white sugar, salt, ground coffee. Even cornmeal would do the job.
As for the oil, pick whichever you prefer — olive oil, coconut oil and jojoba oil are common choices. (I stick with the first two because jojoba is pricier and isn’t meant to be eaten, and with a sugary scrub, you never know.)
So how do you make a lip scrub at home?
For the simplest version, you’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Combine them until the mixture is thick but not runny and that’s it. Seriously — so straightforward (and no extra store run necessary).
Put Your Own Twist on This DIY Lip Scrub
While the basic recipe is wonderful on its own (and ridiculously easy), I started to miss the quirky flavors and hues of the store-bought scrubs, so I experimented with a few more batches. I’m genuinely excited about these variations.
For each flavor, I kept the texture balanced by mixing equal parts dry and wet ingredients — you don’t want it too dry (it won’t cling) or too wet (it won’t exfoliate properly).
For a chocolate treat, blend brown sugar, coconut oil and a pinch of cocoa powder.
To craft a scrub that wakes you up, use ground coffee, granulated sugar and coconut oil.
I also made a cinnamon scrub (which doubles as a natural lip plumper) using cinnamon, brown sugar and coconut oil. If cinnamon isn’t your thing, cayenne pepper is a spicy substitute.
If you’d rather avoid coconut oil, try a mix of honey, granulated sugar and a splash of lemon juice. (I even pureed a strawberry into that one for a strawberry‑lemonade twist — it was delightful.)
DIY Lip Scrub Container Options
After mixing your scrub, you’ll need somewhere to keep it.
I had a few small jam jars on hand, so I used those, but you could also repurpose an old makeup tin (clean and sanitize it first), baby food jars, empty spice jars or small condiment containers.
All of the scrubs mentioned here will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks, except possibly the strawberry version. I’d use that one sooner rather than later since berries spoil quickly.
When you’re ready to exfoliate, scoop a small amount with clean fingers, rub it onto your lips using gentle circular motions, then wipe off (or, if you prefer, lick it away).
Finish with your favorite lip balm to seal in softness and the moisturizing benefits of the oil.
Just don’t overdo it — limit exfoliation to once or twice weekly. Doing it more often can lead to a cycle of over‑stripping and dry, chapped lips, which defeats the whole purpose.
Hannah Brooks is a staff writer at Savinly.
