Do you guys know how much I love lip scrubs? I know you all know how much I love wearing bright lipstick whenever I leave the house, due to my constant harping on the matter. But it can definitely have a drying effect on my lips, especially since I’m currently flailing around the polar vortex. I have a whole arsenal of scrubs, oils, and balms that I put on my face to keep things hydrated, but I’ve been thinking recently that I spend way too much money on beauty products and I want to start making my own when I can.
Not to get too new agey on you (I can’t help it–I’m from California), I’ve been getting increasingly worried about the chemicals I slather onto my face and body in the pursuit of beauty. I’m never going to have the motivation to do something like make my own mascara or weave my own clothing from my hemp garden, but I think that whenever I can, I’m going to try going for a slightly more natural angle when it comes to products.
I tried out five lip scrub recipes and ranked them in order of which one worked the best for me. After trying these suckers out, I found my new favorite product which I’ve now been slathering all over my face every night, and I’m happy to say my peeling, chapped lips are back in business. Please appreciate how much I tried to make this look fancy but was thwarted by my dumb phone camera, and total inability to be fancy.
5. Natural Lip Scrub With Olive Oil and Honey
I based this one on a recipe from Whole New Mom.
I hadn’t thought to use honey before, and while I liked the texture, I think the olive oil ended up being the least effective oil base. This gets the last place.
4. Olive Oil, Honey, Sugar, and Vanilla Scrub
This one is very similar to the last place option, except it adds vanilla and two types of sugar.
Recipe based on College Fashion.
I loved the addition of the vanilla, and the two types of sugar had noticeably different textures that made a difference. I would try this again with a different oil since olive just isn’t cutting it for me.
3. Ultimate Sea Salt Scrub
I used grapeseed oil because I had it around, and followed this recipe from Beauty Blunders.
I would use this again, but probably not on my face. The salt is too abrasive for my lips, but I’d imagine it would do great things for my heels or elbows.
2. Almond Oil And Coffee Grounds
It was like an almond latte.
Recipe based on All Women Stalk.
I love coffee so I was really into this. The coffee grounds were much gentler than I expected, and the almond oil left me feeling perfectly hydrated for a few hours. It didn’t last as long as I would have liked, and it loses points for being messy. I give this a 4/5, landing it in second place.
1. Sugar, Coconut Oil, and Herbs Scrub
I threw in some herbs, too.
Based on a recipe from Brit Co.
Winner!
The coconut oil ended up being my favorite base, and it felt like putting butter on my face. This one turned out to be the most effective by far, and my lips stay hydrated all day. This is my new go-to lip scrub, and I’m going to go ahead and throw it on the rest of my body, too.
Plus, it looks like cookie dough!
Beauty Expert & Hairstylist, Contributing Editor
Dorothy has been a beauty fanatic since she was a preteen growing up in a small Idaho town. She honed her makeup and hair skills on her willing mother and she’s a pro with a pair of tweezers, having fixed many a friend’s unibrow in college. Susan believes the true secret to beauty comes from within, but the right application of mascara and lipstick can help.
