Homemade Lip Scrubs: 4 Recipes for Soft and Smooth Lips
Check out our super-easy recipes for homemade lip scrubs - so yummy, you'll want to eat them.
January 3, 2022 5 minutes readIn This Post
Talking about skincare, our focus is always on the face, but, somehow, we often manage to forget about our lips and don't show them any love. However, the skin on our lips is incredibly delicate and sensitive to outside influences, requiring more TLC. Therefore, if you want your lips smooth so that every lipstick looks flawless on them, try these lip-smacking lip scrubs.
In this article, we'll share the benefits of exfoliating your lips as well as some super quick and easy recipes for delicious homemade lip scrubs.
Why You Should Exfoliate Your Lips
As we already mentioned, lips are super delicate and prone to dryness and cracking when exposed to wind, sun, or air conditioning. Regularly applying a rich and nourishing lip balm will moisturize and rejuvenate your lips, but sometimes it's not enough.
If you often have dry lips, you'll greatly benefit from exfoliating them from time to time. Adding a lip scrub to your beauty routine will help you get rid of dead skin cells, improving the appearance and texture of your lips and creating a perfect base for any lipstick or lip gloss.
In addition to creating a smooth base for makeup, exfoliating your lips once a week with a nourishing lip scrub will keep them moist and supple, preventing dehydration which may cause cracking and even bleeding.
How to Make Homemade Lips Scrubs
Of course, there are countless options on the market you can go for, but that's no fun! Instead, you can easily DIY your own lip scrubs. All you need are two ingredients: an exfoliating agent (like sugar or coffee) and an emollient agent (like coconut oil, avocado oil, almond oil, and others).
The slightly grainy exfoliant will slough away dead skin cells, leaving your lips feel silky-smooth. While the emollient ingredients in your lip scrub will nourish and condition the lips, giving them that much-needed hydration boost.
You can experiment with different ingredients and combine them until you find a perfect mix to create a lip scrub best suited for you. In the case you've run out of ideas, here are several you can try:
Honey and Sugar Lip Scrub
This is a fantastic combination to get smooth and plump lips. We recommend using brown sugar as it has finer particles and is a gentler exfoliant than white sugar. While sugar makes for a perfect natural exfoliant, other ingredients, such as honey, in this lip scrub will nourish and moisturize your lips.
You'll need:
- 4 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon sweet almond oil
Preparation & application:
- Combine all the ingredients and stir until you get a smooth paste.
- You can adjust the sugar-to-honey ratio to get the desired consistency. If you want your scrub to be extra silky, put more honey and oil into the mix.
- Clean your lips and remove any makeup.
- Gently massage the scrub into your lips and leave it on for about 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, remove it with a damp washcloth or rinse with lukewarm water.
- Follow up with a rich and nourishing lip balm.
Since there are no preservatives in this DIY lip scrub, it would be best to use it up immediately or store it for no longer than a week. Keep it in the fridge in an airtight container, and don't let it get in touch with water.
Cinnamon Lip Scrub
Here's another great combination, which will nourish your lips and give you that fuller lips effect at the same time. Coconut oil is known for its exceptional hydrating and moisturizing power – it's rich in vitamins and fatty acids that benefit the skin, while cinnamon is, in this case, an exfoliating ingredient.
You'll need:
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 4 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, alcohol-free (*optional)
Preparation & application:
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and blend well until you get a smooth paste-like consistency.
- If you want the scrub to be less gritty, add more coconut and olive oil.
- We added vanilla extract for aroma and to mask the smell of olive oil, but this step is optional.
- Apply the scrub to clean lips and gently massage it in.
- Leave on for 5 minutes, then rinse.
- Follow up with a nourishing lip balm.
Bear in mind that cinnamon will slightly irritate your lips, giving you that lip-plumping effect. So, for maximum benefit, use this scrub before applying a lipstick or lip gloss. If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for no longer than one week.
Mint Lip Scrub
Besides exfoliation and hydration, this lip scrub will also make your lips look fuller, thanks to the cooling effect of peppermint oil in it. In addition, it will soothe dry and irritated lips.
You'll need:
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
- 5 drops peppermint essential oil
- 1 drop green food coloring (*optional)
Preparation & application:
- Combine coconut oil and sugar to get an even paste. Adjust the sugar-to-oil ratio until you get the desired consistency.
- Add other ingredients and stir well to blend everything nicely together.
- For the full visual experience, we added a tiny bit of green food coloring, but this is optional.
- Apply the mixture to your lips and gently rub for 30 seconds.
- Rinse off and seal the deal with a rich lip balm or several drops of grapeseed oil.
This good-enough-to-eat lip scrub could also be a cute gift for your favorite someone. Remember that food coloring can stain your lips, so add just one drop or use the scrub in the evenings or before applying lipstick.
Pink Lip Scrub
Another yummy lip scrub, you'll have a hard time not to eat. It will make your lips supple, softer, and smoother, giving you that healthy glow and blushing effect.
You'll need:
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 6 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
- 2 to 3 drops strawberry flavor extract, alcohol-free
- 1 drop pink food coloring
Preparation & application:
- Combine the sugar and coconut oil and mix well.
- Add other ingredients to the mixture and stir well to distribute everything evenly.
- The pink food coloring and strawberry extract are optional. Still, if you want your lip scrub to be scrumptious and pink, you'll need these ingredients.
- Apply to clean lips and rub gently for 30 seconds.
- Rinse off and immediately follow up with a rich lip balm.
This tasty lip scrub could also be a creative and heartwarming birthday gift for all the ladies near and dear to you. Again, the pink food coloring can stain your lips, but, in this case, it's a desirable side effect.
How to Use a Lip Scrub
Here are some quick tips to follow when using a lip scrub:
- Scrub once a week: Over-exfoliating may irritate your lips, leading to dryness and cracking – so limit your lip exfoliation routine to once a week, or twice if you have an event coming up;
- Be gentle: Scrubbing too harshly won't make your lips smoother and softer, but rather the opposite. Exfoliating too aggressively may lead to redness, flaking, and sometimes bleeding;
- Use circular motions: Applying a lip scrub with light circular motions for no longer than 30 seconds will protect your lips from tearing;
- Follow up with an emollient formula: After scrubbing, always apply a rich and nourishing lip balm, lip butter, or natural oil of your choice (like coconut oil, olive oil, or argan oil). This will hydrate and moisturize your lips and help them regenerate faster;
- Protect your lips: Sunscreen isn't only for your face and hands (and other parts of your body exposed to sunlight). You need to protect your lips from the UV rays as well by wearing a lip balm with an SPF of at least 30 when spending time outdoors;
- Don't scrub if your lips are chapped or sunburned, bleeding or blistering.
Takeaway...
Full, smooth, and plump lips are certainly one of any woman's main beauty trump cards. Exfoliating with homemade lip scrub once a week is enough to maintain your lips beautiful and healthy – plus, these are super-easy and fun to make.
You can try one (if not all) of our four recipes and see what best works for you. Or, you can modify them and experiment with different ingredients, and create a personalized lip scrub that's best suited for your needs. Just remember to use exfoliants that aren't too coarse, like finely ground brown sugar, coffee, or cinnamon.
FAQs
How do you make a homemade lip scrub?
You'll need an exfoliating agent (like sugar or coffee) and an emollient agent (like coconut oil). The exfoliant contains grainy particles that slough away dead skin cells, leaving your lips smooth and plump. The emollients, on the other hand, will hydrate, condition, and nourish your lips.
How do you make a 3 Ingredient lip scrub?
Mix 4 teaspoons of brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of honey, and one teaspoon of sweet almond oil. Massage it gently into your lips, rinse off, and follow up with a super-nourishing lip balm.
Is sugar lip scrub safe?
It is, as long as you use finely-grained sugar mixed with an emollient agent, which can be olive oil, coconut oil, or any other natural oil of your choice.
Can I use lip scrub every day?
You shouldn't use lip scrub every day because over-exfoliating may irritate your lips, leading to dryness and cracking – so limit your lip exfoliation routine to once a week.
Is coconut oil good for lips?
Coconut oil is an excellent ingredient for your lips. It's known for its exceptional hydrating and moisturizing power – it's rich in vitamins and fatty acids that benefit the skin.