Ocean Salt Scrub {made with essential oils}

I love making DIY bath items like this copycat Lush Ocean Salt scrub!

• They’re fun to make and fun to gift.
• I know exactly what’s in them.  Which is perfect when you have allergies and sensitive skin like I do.  I can control the ingredients and make sure that everything is natural and good for me and my skin.
• They cost A LOT LESS to make than to buy.

This Ocean Salt Scrub is one of my all-time favorites!  It has not one but two types of sea salt to exfoliate, soften skin, and encourage healthy new skin cells to grow.  It’s moisturizing, rich in vitamins, fatty acids, and antioxidants.  Plus, it smells absolutely amazing!  And since it helps improve circulation when used over time it can even help improve sore muscles and may improve the appearance of varicose veins, spider veins, and skin discolorations.  Most of all, it leaves my skin super soft and smooth!

Give this salt scrub a try and then check out these other favorite Lush copycat recipes:  homemade bath bombs, Wiccy magic muscles massage bar, Dream Steam facial tabs, chocolate lip scrub, shimmering dusting powder, and fizzing bath melts.

What’s in Ocean Salt Scrub

• sea salt

Sea salt is loaded with anti-inflammatory, skin-nurturing minerals like magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium, and other trace minerals.

This salt scrub uses both coarse salt and fine sea salt.  The combination of the two kinds of salts does an exceptional job of sloughing off and removing dry, rough skin to encourage new skin cells to grow.  This improves skin texture and appearance.  

All of this gets the skin ready to be hydrated and maximizes moisturizing properties of the avocado butter and coconut oil.

• avocado butter

Avocado butter is one of the great beauty secrets for healthy skin.  It’s rich in vitamins A, D, and E, as well as unsaturated fatty acid.  It softens skin and leaves skin smooth and supple.

It’s perfect for a body scrub: it’s melting point is just slightly below body temp so it melts easily when you rub it in.

• coconut oil

Not only is coconut oil moisturizing, it also improves skin elasticity.

Thanks to its high lauric acid content, it’s antimicrobial and antibacterial, which can help prevent blemishes caused by ingrown hairs from waxing and shaving.

• seaweed powder

Seaweed is very moisturizing.  It’s full of humectants that draw moisture onto your skin.  It’s also loaded with vitamin E which is great for moisturizing and nourishing skin.

Seaweed is also packed with vitamin C which boosts collagen production, promoting skin elasticity and the appearance of youthful skin.

And seaweed has lots of other vital nutrients that benefit skin, like niacin that brightens skin and iron that improves circulation and antioxidants that fight cell damage and premature aging.

• essential oils

 I use a blend of lime, lavender, and spearmint essential oils which smells like a fresh ocean breeze.

This mix of essential oils are also well known for their calming therapeutic properties.  Just 5 minutes in the shower using this salt scrub and, the aromatherapy of lavender, lime, and spearmint makes me feel like I’ve just spent a relaxing afternoon being pampered at the spa.

Natural compounds in these essential oils are high in antioxidants which help prevent against and repair damage caused by free radicals.

Lavender and spearmint even temporarily help to improve circulation in the areas where it’s applied.  In the short term, this can help relieve sore muscles.  And if used over time, improved circulation may help decrease the appearance of varicose veins, spider veins, and skin discolorations.

How to make copycat Lush Ocean Salt scrub

step 1:  add 1/2 cup avocado butter and 1/2 cup coconut oil to a heat-safe bowl or measuring cup

step 2:  melt the avocado butter and coconut oil using the double boiler method

To do this, add about 1 inch of water to a heavy-bottomed pot.  Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat.  Then add the heat-safe measuring cup with the avocado butter and coconut oil.  The water in the pot will slowly heat the measuring cup which will melt the butter/oil.

Stir occasionally.

Once it’s completely melted and all one color (see 3rd photo below), then remove from the heat.

step 3:  allow the butter/oil mixture to cool for a few minutes, then add 15 drops of essential oil and stir well

tip:  I love to use a blend of 6 drops lime, 6 drops lavender, and 3 drops spearmint essential oil because the combination reminds me of the crisp, fresh smell of an ocean breeze.  But you can substitute with other essential oils if you prefer.  Lush’s original Ocean Salt uses a combination of grapefruit and lime fragrances.

tip:  15 drops essential oil in 1 cup of butter/oil is a very low dilution (<.1%)  This is strong enough for me to give me the desired scent and therapeutic benefits I want, but if you’d like, you can use more (or less) essential oil.

tip:  Lime and many other citrus essential oils are photosensitive.  If you use these, be sure to completely rinse off the salt scrub before any sun exposure.

step 4:  Now add your dry ingredients:

1 cup fine sea salt

1/4 cup coarse sea salt

1 teaspoon seaweed powder (optional)

tip: stir quickly.  Once the salt is added, the salt scrub with start to thicken up and become more difficult to stir.

step 5 (optional):  Take a tablespoon or two of the salt scrub out of the batch and put it in a smaller bowl with a couple of pinches of mica.  Mix well.

This step is completely optional and just for decoration, but I have to say it’s one of my favorite things about this salt scrub.

Just this little touch of ocean blue swirled into the top of the jar makes it such a pretty gift!

It’s just like when I open up a tub of Lush Ocean salt and see that beautiful ocean blue layer at top.

step 6:  scoop the salt scrub into a jar

tip:  If you’re adding the touch of blue salt scrub to the top of the jar, I find it’s easiest to (1) use a clean spoon to make a small indent in the center of the body salt, (2) put a small scoop of the blue salt scrub in that indent, and (3) use a chop stick or similar tool to swirl the blue salt scrub into the white, making little rose shape.

step 7: add a label (get your free printable label here)

How to use

• scoop out small amount into your hands
• using small circular motions, gently massage onto wet skin
• rinse well
• pat skin dry

tip:  Be sure to keep your jar of salt scrub clean and dry.  Use a clean spoon to scoop out salt scrub.  And do not store it in the shower.  You don’t want any water to get into your jar as that will shorten its shelf life.

Where to get supplies?

This website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link. 

coarse sea salt

fine sea salt

avocado butter

coconut oil

seaweed powder

mica

glass jars- mini 2 oz size or mini 2.5 oz size or small 4 oz size

bamboo stirring sticks

heat-safe glass measuring cup

free printable jar labels

here are a few other essential oil posts that I think you’ll like:

homemade body wash for dry skin

exfoliating essential oil soap

Strawberry Lime Sugar Scrub

DIY hair growth tonic {aka Mermaid Hair}

homemade shaving cream {made with essential oils}

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Please note: Products mentioned in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products and information on this page are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This website is not a substitute for professional care.  Always consult your medical doctor regarding your medical care. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Disclaimer: Please know that this website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link.