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    Home » Recipes » Health & Beauty

    Triple Citrus Exfoliating Salt Scrub

    Modified: May 10, 2023 · Published: Dec 28, 2017 by Ashley

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    This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·4 from 1 review

    This post has been compensated as part of my partnership with Barleans. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

    Homemade salt scrubs are perfect for the kitchen or bathroom. Essential oils, citrus zest, and coconut oil make this DIY salt scrub an energizing, refreshing treat for your skin.

    Salt scrubs keep your hands and body soft, smooth, and moisturized.

    And making your own is a great way to get all the benefits of high-end products without breaking the bank. (Looking for more homemade DIY beauty products? This 3 Ingredient Refreshing Rose Face Mask is another great option!)

    Perfect for gift-giving and fighting the winter blues!

    Close up of a spoon in a glass jar full of homemade salt scrub surrounded by fresh citrus fruit and peels.

    How's your skin holding up this winter?

    Between cooking, cleaning, and having a house full of sick people (seriously - we're still under quarantine!), I've been washing my hands so much that my skin feels like it's falling off!

    But fret not! I have a homemade salt scrub recipe to share today that will combat winter's wrath. (And be sure to check out the giveaway later in this post to get a container of coconut oil for yourself!)

    DIY Triple Citrus Exfoliating Salt Scrub

    A spoon in a glass jar full of homemade salt scrub surrounded by the products used to make it.

    This salt scrub has a combination of 2 types of salt, organic virgin coconut oil, 2 different essential oils, and fresh citrus zest.

    It's like capturing the Florida sunshine in a jar, and stashing that jar in the kitchen or bathroom cabinet to use whenever you need a little boost.

    This salt scrub mixture smells absolutely heavenly, and has been a life saver for my chapped winter skin.

    Let's gather the tools and ingredients for our homemade exfoliating salt scrub recipe, shall we?

    Three quarters view of the products and tools used to make a homemade citrus salt scrub.

    You don't need a lot of time to put this scrub together, and you may even have everything you need in your kitchen already!

    • Coconut oil - I'm using Barlean's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil here. It smells like the tropics and is super versatile. And it makes your skin feel incredibly smooth! For this salt scrub recipe, you'll need to use it in its liquid form. If your coconut oil is solid, you can melt it in the microwave and just let it cool a bit before you mix the rest of the ingredients together. I like to melt coconut oil or butter at half power in 20 second intervals, stirring in between each interval to make sure it melts evenly and doesn't splatter all over my microwave.
    • Essential oils - your choice here, but I used 2 different citrus oils - grapefruit and tangerine. Be sure to use essential oils that are safe for topical use so you don't irritate your skin.
    • Salt - I used a combination of 2 salts in this DIY salt scrub recipe to get the perfect texture for exfoliating and smoothing the skin. I like using a fine grain salt in addition to a coarse salt, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand. Sea salt is a great choice here, too, and comes in lots of different grain sizes. There's a great guide on the differences between iodized, kosher, and sea salt in this post over at The Splendid Table.
    Overhead view of the products and tools used to make a homemade citrus salt scrub.
    • Fresh citrus - again, use whatever you have on hand. I had a clementine and an orange in my refrigerator. Truth be told, the clementine wasn't very easy to zest, so I used the orange for this recipe.
    • Microplane - this is the perfect way to get the zest off of your citrus. If you don't have a microplane or other grater, you could use a vegetable peeler to get some strips of skin off of the fruit, then finely chop it with a knife.
    • Microwave safe measuring cups - especially if you need to melt your coconut oil. Don't mess around with microwaving dishes that don't specifically say they're microwave safe.
    • Mason jars or other containers that have tight-fitting lids that you can use to store your homemade salt scrub. I recommend using glass or BPA-free plastic. Pop a waterproof label on the jar and give as gifts with a cute little spoon. If you're splitting the scrub up into multiple containers, these itty bitty glass jars that I picked up from the Container Store are absolutely perfect!
    • Measuring cups and measuring spoons to get the proportions right.
    Overhead view of a spoon in a glass jar full of homemade salt scrub surrounded by the products used to make it.

    I've been keeping a stash of this scrub in a container underneath my kitchen sink and using it at nighttime after the dishes are done and I'm ready for bed.

    I may play around with more fragrance combinations, but I'm currently obsessed with this bright citrus blend.

    The next batch I make is going to go in a jar in my shower caddy.

    Overhead view of a spoon in a glass jar full of homemade salt scrub surrounded by fresh citrus fruit and peels.

    What do you do to help your skin stay healthy during the winter? I'd love to hear your tips and tricks in the comments section below!

    Want to try making more of your own skincare products at home? This 3 Ingredient Refreshing Rose Face Mask is a real treat (and super simple to put together)!

    A spoon in a glass jar full of homemade salt scrub surrounded by the products used to make it.

    Looking for more ways to use citrus? Check out some of our favorite recipes:

    • Fennel + Citrus Salad with Shallots and Capers
    • Seared Scallops with Citrus Trio + Wild Rice
    • Spanish Chicken + Sausage Skillet
    • Cranberry Orange Snickerdoodles
    • Tropical Superfruit Smoothie Bowl
    • Killer Shrimp Cocktail
    • Dark Chocolate Pinwheel with Creamsicle Yogurt Dip
    • Mom & Tot Creamsicle Smoothies
    • Smoky Seared Scallops with Roasted Fennel, Rainbow Carrots + Popped Sorghum
    • Mandarin Chipotle Pork Tacos
    • Margarita Donuts
    • Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon-Dill Butter + Roasted Purple Sweet Potatoes
    2 photos - one close up of a spoon in a glass jar full of homemade salt scrub and one of the ingredients used to make it.
    Print

    📖 Recipe

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    A spoon in a glass jar full of homemade salt scrub surrounded by the products used to make it.

    Triple Citrus Exfoliating Salt Scrub

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4 from 1 review
    • Author: Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen - Ashley Covelli
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 0 minutes
    • Total Time: 5 minutes
    • Yield: 1 jar
    • Category: DIY, Health & Beauty
    • Method: No cook
    • Cuisine: American
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Homemade salt scrubs are perfect for the kitchen or bathroom. Essential oils, citrus zest, and coconut oil make this DIY salt scrub an energizing, refreshing treat for your skin. It keeps your hands and body soft, smooth, and moisturized without breaking the bank. Perfect for gift giving and fighting the winter blues!


    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoons fine grain salt (I used iodized salt)
    • 5 tablespoons coarse grain salt (I used kosher salt)
    • ½ cup liquid coconut oil
    • 1 teaspoon fresh citrus zest such as orange, lemon, or tangerine
    • 4 drops grapefruit essential oil
    • 4 drops tangerine essential oil


    Instructions

    1. Place fine grain salt and kosher salt in a bowl. Pour coconut oil on top and add citrus zest, grapefruit oil, and tangerine oil. Stir well to fully incorporate.
    2. Store at room temperature in a sealed glass or plastic container.

    Notes

    If your coconut oil is solid, melt it in the microwave first and let cool for a few minutes before mixing.

    To use as a hand scrub, wet hands. Stir the salt scrub mixture to incorporate the oil and add a spoonful to the palm of your hands. Massage and rub for at least 30 seconds and up to 2 minutes, then rinse off.

    Can also be used as a body scrub in the shower, or as a foot scrub if you soak your feet for a few minutes first.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @bigflavors on Instagram and hashtag it #cookbigflavors

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Bianca

      December 29, 2017 at 4:57 pm

      I love berry smoothies! But any smoothie is fine with me 🙂

      Reply
      • Ashley

        January 01, 2018 at 10:30 pm

        I like mixing berries and bananas in my smoothies. So good!

        Reply
    2. Lori H

      January 04, 2018 at 9:24 pm

      I've wanted to try coconut oil. I didn't know it was for skin as well.

      Reply
    3. Maria

      January 26, 2025 at 11:36 pm

      Dear Ashley,
      I just made this recipe. I was so excited to have found a homemade scrub recipe.
      I had Himalayan Pink Salt for Coarse salt, Celtic Sea Salt for kosher / fine salt; Dr. Teal's Aromatherapy: Stress Relief - Wellness Oil ( massage, body, bath ) ( Eucalyptus, Citrus, & Spearmint ) ( Essential Oil Blend ) ( 6 fl. oz. )
      ( No: Phthalates & Parabens )
      ( that is the only essential oils I had in the house ). ( 4 drops for ea. oil on the recipe. So, 8 drops. )
      Publix Greenwise
      ( Greenwise is Publix's organic line of food ) lemons
      ( 1 little organic lemon made
      ~2tsp. zest );
      Publix Greenwise Organic Virgin
      Coconut Oil ( unrefined ).

      It was fun, easy, and quick to make. Thank you so much for this fun, messy homemade salt scrub idea; that uses normal, local organic, seasonal store produce.
      I did the hands and foot scrub, sitting on a towel on the bathroom floor; to make it easy to clean up. I accidentally added a little too much coconut oil to the recipe. It was a little hard to rinse off afterwards. I just rubbed all the extra oil in, on my hands, arms, and legs. Then, put on socks and gloves.
      ( 1/25/2025 )

      Reply
      • Ashley

        January 28, 2025 at 2:15 pm

        Thanks so much for the thoughtful reply, Maria! I'm glad this worked out well for you. Using socks and gloves to lock in that oil afterward is a great tip!

        Reply

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