DIY Frankincense Sugar Scrub Recipe
I started making my own sugar scrubs back when we were still in our second apartment, and I make them weekly now. It is SO easy to do and tons of options! It is the only thing that really helps my dry skin, especially on my legs.
Sugar scrubs felt like the most approachable place to start, simple ingredients, hard to mess up, and honestly they just WORK. It wasn’t until I made my DIY anti aging face serum with frankincense resin that I realized I could use the leftover powder in a sugar scrub. It is now my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE!
Most people know about frankincense from the essential oil. But it wasn’t until recently when I learned that it only has a few of the benefits. The real power is in the resin!
And once I learned you could actually infuse the resin into oil the same way you’d do an herbal oil with dried herbs, I was sold.
This homemade body scrub combines that slow-infused frankincense oil with sugar, resin powder, and essential oil for something that truly gets your dry skin off and leaves your skin SO smooth. That added resin powder really makes all the difference!
Here is my DIY frankincense sugar scrub recipe!
Herbal Benefits
- Frankincense resin has been used in traditional wellness practices for centuries, particularly in Ayurvedic, African, and Middle Eastern traditions.
It’s known for supporting the appearance of skin tone, helping with the look of fine lines, and generally making skin feel more balanced and calm. When you infuse the resin into a carrier oil over weeks, you’re pulling those resin compounds slowly into the oil in a way that feels MUCH more intentional than just dropping in essential oil at the end (though we’re doing that too). - The carrier oil, whether you choose olive, jojoba, or sweet almond, adds its own benefits. Olive is rich and nourishing, great if your skin runs dry. Jojoba is technically a liquid wax and mimics skin’s natural sebum, so it absorbs beautifully. Sweet almond is gentle and lightweight, a good middle ground for most skin types. I chose to do jojoba oil!
- Sugar is the exfoliating hero here. It’s a natural humectant, meaning it draws moisture in, and the granules slough off dead skin cells without being harsh the way salt can be. It dissolves as you rinse, which means it’s a lot gentler than salt.
- The frankincense essential oil added at the end gives the scrub that warm, resinous scent and adds an extra layer of skin-supporting compounds.
And using the leftover resin powder from your infusion instead of tossing it? That’s where this DIY frankincense and myrrh sugar scrub idea really comes from, that nothing-wasted instinct that makes home apothecary so satisfying 🙂
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DIY Frankincense Sugar Scrub Recipe
Makes: approximately 8 oz
Ingredients
- 1 cup carrier oil (olive, jojoba, or sweet almond)
- ¼ cup frankincense resin
- ½ cup sugar
- 1/8 cup frankincense infused oil
- 1 tablespoon frankincense resin powder
- 10 drops frankincense essential oil
Instructions
Grind down the frankincense resin into a powder.
Add the carrier oil and frankincense resin to a clean glass jar. Make sure the resin pieces are fully submerged in the oil.
Let it infuse for 4 to 6 weeks, giving it a gentle shake every few days to help the resin release its properties into the oil. Then strain, but keep the leftover resin powder.
Add the infused oil to the sugar.
Add in the frankincense resin left over from the infused oil.
Add the frankincense essential oil and mix thoroughly to distribute the scent evenly.
Spoon the finished scrub into a clean, dry jar with a tight-fitting lid. Enjoy!
Notes
- For a faster infused oil, a double boiler method (low heat, 2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally) works if you want to use it the same day, the slow sun method is gentler on the resin’s aromatic compounds.
- Store the finished scrub in a cool, dry place, use within 3 to 6 months, and scoop with dry hands to protect shelf life. Don’t leave in shower or somewhere wet.
- Great for elbows, feet, and hands where skin tends to be extra dry.
How to Use It
Use about a tablespoon of scrub at a time on damp skin. Massage in gentle circles and rinse thoroughly. I usually do once or twice a week.
This frankincense sugar scrub recipe for glowing skin works best when you let it sit for a minute before rinsing, just long enough for the oil to absorb a little before it goes down the drain 🙂
This is a great elbows-and-feet scrub especially in winter when everything gets rough and flaky. I’ve also used it as a hand scrub after gardening days, which is a new thing for me now that we finally have a backyard, and it gets the dirt out while leaving my hands actually soft instead of stripped.
Keep it in a cool dry spot, not the shower if you can help it, because water getting into the jar will shorten its life fast. Scoop with a dry spoon or dry hands every time.
If you want variations, a few drops of myrrh essential oil alongside the frankincense makes a beautiful diy frankincense and myrrh sugar scrub version with a deeper, earthier scent.
Skip this one if you have open cuts or broken skin, and do a patch test first if you’re sensitive.
DIY Frankincense Sugar Scrub
A luxurious homemade body scrub that combines slow-infused frankincense oil with sugar, resin powder, and frankincense essential oil. It exfoliates and nourishes the skin while making use of the leftover resin from the oil infusion.
Ingredients
- 1 cup carrier oil (olive, jojoba, or sweet almond)
- ¼ cup frankincense resin (crushed or small pieces)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1/8 cup frankincense infused oil
- 1 tablespoon frankincense resin powder
- 10 drops frankincense essential oil
Instructions
- Add the carrier oil and frankincense resin to a clean glass jar. Make sure the resin pieces are fully submerged in the oil. Let it infuse for 4 to 6 weeks, giving it a gentle shake every few days to help the resin release its properties into the oil. Then strain, but keep the leftover resin powder.
- Add the infused oil to the sugar.
- Add in the frankincense resin left over from the infused oil.
- Add the frankincense essential oil and mix thoroughly to distribute the scent evenly.
- Spoon the finished scrub into a clean, dry jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Notes
For a faster infused oil, a double boiler method (low heat, 2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally) works if you want to use it the same day; the slow sun method is gentler on the resin's aromatic compounds. Store the finished scrub in a cool, dry place, use within 3 to 6 months, and scoop with dry hands to protect shelf life. Great for elbows, feet, and hands where skin tends to be extra dry. A few drops of myrrh essential oil alongside the frankincense makes a beautiful variation with a deeper, earthier scent. Skip if you have open cuts or broken skin, and do a patch test first if you're sensitive. Pregnant or nursing? Check with your care provider about essential oils before using.
Final Thoughts
This homemade exfoliant has become a regular in our bathroom and I’ve given it as a gift more times than I can count, tucked into a little jar with a bit of twine. It looks fancy, it smells incredible, and nobody has to know it cost almost nothing to make 🙂
If you try this natural sugar scrub recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! And if you experiment with the myrrh variation or swap out the carrier oil, let me know what you thought 🙂
