DIY Oatmeal and Brown Sugar Exfoliating Facial Scrub
Last updated on March 12, 2026 by Jessica Healey
Originally published on September 8, 2015
Sugar scrubs are one of the easiest ways to pamper yourself in the convenience of your own home. You may have tried some sugar scrub recipes already like this DIY Coconut Coffee Sugar Scrub or this Hydrating Body Scrub. These are awesome body scrub recipes, but today we are going to focus on a DIY facial scrub.
Why Should You Use A Facial Scrub?
Face scrubs are great for removing dead skin cells and polishing the skin. They can help reduce red spots and blemishes while softening the skin. As it exfoliates, the face scrub helps to increase circulation and uncover the radiant skin beneath.
How to Select Facial Scrub Ingredients
There are so many options for facial scrub ingredients. It can be exciting coming up with fun, nourishing combinations. Make sure to always keep in mind…
Choose a gentle, fine exfoliator
You don’t want to use a harsh, abrasive exfoliator on your face. These are fine for body scrubs but we need a gentler option for your face. Some examples are finely ground sugars and salts, powdered herbs, and oatmeal. Nothing harsh for the delicate skin on your face.
Choose the right carrier oil or base for your facial scrub
Facial scrubs are usually mixed with a carrier oil for easier application and nourishment for your skin. I chose jojoba oil for this facial scrub recipe because it is a great oil for acne prone skin but also extremely moisturizing. The last thing you want your face scrub to do is break you out.
If you aren’t prone to breakouts you could swap the jojoba for sweet almond oil, coconut oil, or your favorite carrier oil for your skin.
Not sure which carrier oil to use? Check out this great article: How To Choose Carrier Oils
Why These Ingredients
How Often to Use A Facial Scrub
For most skin types it is beneficial to use a facial scrub 2-3 times per week. Unless you have super sensitive skin, then try once a week and see how your skin reacts. This recipe will be enough for around 3 uses.
A facial scrub can be an integral part of an at-home facial pampering.
Oatmeal and Brown Sugar Exfoliating Facial Scrub
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oatmeal – finely ground
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar – finely ground, can substitute any fine sugar
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- 1 tablespoon jojoba oil – can substitute your (learn how to pick a carrier oil here)
Organic Essential Oils
- 2 drops frankincense
- 2 drop geranium
- 1 drop lavender
Instructions
- Grind oatmeal and brown sugar into a fine powder using a coffee grinder or blender of your choice.
- Add the raw honey, jojoba oil, and essential oils and stir well.
- Wet face with a little warm water.
- Apply a small amount of facial scrub to your skin and gently massage using small, circular motions for several minutes.
- For best results, leave facial scrub on your face for 5-10 minutes if you have time.
- Rinse with warm water and pat dry.
thanks for sharing, Mindy.
Do you recommend a good moisturizer for after using the scrub?
– Brandy
Hi Brandy! We have an ahhhmaaazing face moisturizer in our shop over at Pronounce!
I absolutely love facial and body scrubs but I’m not really good with DIY’s. But this recipe seems to encourage me to do this at home. Oatmeal, honey & brown sugar are just available in my kitchen. Will definitely try this out. Thanks for sharing!
I really want to try out these scrubs sometimes. I think they would be a lot of fun to try. I have heard that they help with different things like circulation like you mentioned. I have also heard they are good to remove dead skin and flakes. That would really make a difference for me because I have really bad flakes on my feet.
I cannot for the life of me get all the oil to combine with everything else. Is this a problem you’ve encountered? If so, how did you fix it?
Hi Jessika! A little extra oil is a-okay. Just stir it up with your fingers before you use it and let the yummy oils sit on your face for a few minutes before rinsing. Happy DIYing 😊
What is the “T”? Is it tablespoon or teaspoon?
Tablespoon
Wow! Based on experience, this is amazing! When I made this, I only used the basic ingredients: brown sugar, oats, and coconut oil. I expected it to make my sensitive skin irritated, but it didn’t! Just find a secure place to put it, though. I caught some ants (3 or 5 of them little things) trying to sneak inside the container I used.
Before, I would use coconut oil on its own, but I didn’t like the greasy feel to it. Plus, it felt like the more I did put oil on my face, the more dry and peeling it was after (I’ve never felt the need to prove it, though).
So it was during my worst- when you could clearly see dry skin flakes (I know, disgusting, right?) on my face -that I found this lifesaver of a recipe online.
5/5 will be doing this again!
Looks like this would also smell really good. Thanks for sharing!
That “T” in the recipe is for Tablespoon or Teaspoon?
Tablespoon!
where did you find the small jar with the lockable lid?
Hi Cheryll! We are not entirely sure where this jar came from 😅 we did find one that is similar on Amazon. Those come in a 12 pack. If you are looking for just a single jar, we have small glass jars for sale in our shop over at Pronounce. I hope this helps you 😊
How much is “T” table spoon?
Yes, yes… t = teaspoon and T = tablespoon
Half thé oil quantity
Thanks for your feedback. Creating DIY skincare products to your own personal liking is always encouraged!
And also the honey – half this! Creates a thicker mixture!
Hi can I prepare this and use for a month?
Hi! Yes, I think you’ll be just fine.
Just the recipe I was looking for! Thank you so much ♥️ Quick question on the storage part. What’s the shelf life of this if I choose to make a batch?
Fantastic…I’m glad you found the recipe! The way the recipe is written is a really small batch and will be used up pretty quickly, I’d think. Honestly, with the honey (and even adding a few drops of vitamin E), I would have no concerns having this around for a few months. Just make sure that you use clean utensils when DIYing, and always use clean hands when using the mask. Happy DIYing!
Nice article! You are sharing such a great recipe and this face scrub seems easy to create with handy ingredients. Thanks a lot for sharing.
noice