I shared a recipe for sugar scrub recently, but there’s another variation on the theme which takes only a little more time and effort: Sugar scrub cubes.

Their qualities are slightly different: Regular sugar scrub is made with oil, so it’s great for dry, chapped skin. The cubes are made with a soap base, providing the same exfoliating sugar without being quite as, y’know…oily. They’re molded into little single-serving chunks, making them easy to use (and easy to package as a gift); they can also be molded into other shapes for visual interest.

There are two main methods for making the cubes, one with a melt-and-pour soap base (available at many craft stores, online soap-supply retailers, or Amazon) and one using a grated bar of soap. The latter method uses only materials you probably already have around the house, but the former doesn’t require you to grate a bar of soap, so use whichever strikes you as easiest.

Method 1

• 1/4 C mild, skin-safe oil: Olive, almond, avocado, grapeseed, jojoba, coconut, etc. You can also use cocoa butter if you prefer, although it’ll give the finished product a slight chocolate scent so bear that in mind if you decide to add scented essential oil.
• 1/2 C shredded or grated soap (plain, unscented soap like Ivory will give the most uniform results)
• A few drops of skin-safe essential oil (optional)
• 1-2 drops Vitamin E oil (optional)
• 3/4 C sugar: Granulated sugar, raw sugar, or a combination.

Mix the oil and soap in a glass bowl and microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring in between, until the soap is melted and everything is thoroughly combined. You can also do this in a double boiler if you prefer. Stir in a few drops of essential oil and Vitamin E oil, if using. Add the sugar and mix thoroughly. Pour into molds (see below) and cool. Note that the mixture will set up very quickly once the sugar is added, so be sure your molds are ready in advance.

Method 2

• 6 oz melt-and-pour soap base
• 4 oz mild, skin-safe oil
• A few drops of skin-safe essential oil (optional)
• 1-2 drops Vitamin E oil (optional)
• 18 oz sugar

Cut the soap base into small chunks and melt according to manufacturer directions. Stir in the oil, essential oil, and Vitamin E oil if using. Add the sugar and mix thoroughly. Pour into molds (see below) and cool.

A mold can be as simple as a metal baking pan lined with plastic wrap: Once cool, turn the block of scrub out and cut into cubes of the desired size. You can also use ice cube trays: Either spray them with cooking spray or use a silicon mold to ensure they’re easy to turn out.

You can also get a little more creative and use candy molds. The texture of the scrub is a little too rough to show fine detail, but bats, pumpkins, or maybe even spiders

There’s a lot of room for variation in both of these methods: You can add a few tablespoons of dried herbs like mint or lavender for both scent and visual interest. You can use colored soap (especially easy with melt-and-pour) and match the color to the scent: Scarlet with a rose scent or orange with a spicy cinnamon-vanilla fragrance–especially nice in a pumpkin-shaped mold. If you’re really feeling fancy, you can pour the scrub in layers and use a different color for each; this is easiest to do in a large mold and then cut into individual cubes later.

To give as a gift, pile several in a pretty box, tin, or jar. Include instructions to not let the cubes get too warm (lest they melt); they should last up to a year.

(Photo from Rustic Escentuals)