The 6 Best Handmade Organic Body Scrubs for Smooth Skin
After a long and hard day, there is nothing like coming home, hoping in the shower and taking time to scrub the day away.
This is the perfect way to enter into the ultimate relaxation mode and treat yourself to feeling fresh and clean.
However, in that little bottle of body scrub, there can be some ingredients that can be harmful so in this article, we are going to help you find the best scrub that is full of great ingredients!
Let's explore the sustainability of body scrubs, discover ingredients to be aware of, and discover some of the best organic exfoliating body scrubs from small businesses.
Can Body Scrubs Be Toxic?
The short answer to this question is yes. But that is the reality of many of the products that are on our shelves now.
The beauty industry has been built on making products that are filled to the brim with chemicals to help them have a longer shelf life, smell better and so much more.
This doesn’t mean that all scrubs are toxic though.
Why Is An Organic Body Scrub A Better Choice?
When purchasing a body scrub, finding a certified organic scrub or a scrub made with organic ingredients is the way to go.
These products are not only made with more natural, gentle ingredients, but they are going to promote health for your self and for the environment.
These products take into account protecting our earth with their products as well as providing a luxurious experience for their customers while creating silky smooth skin.
After our round-up of amazing organic body scrubs you’ll find a list of ingredients to avoid and organic ingredients to look for!
6 Amazing Organic Body Scrubs from Small Businesses
All of these eco-conscious brands are small businesses using organic ingredients and essential oils to create the best natural body scrubs that will become a shower staple in your bathroom.
This post does contain some affiliate links which means The Honest Consumer will receive a commission if you decide to purchase, however, at no additional cost to you!
Thistle Farms Organic Coconut Oil & Salt Scrub
Price: $20
Thistle Farms body scrub features delicate granules of fine salt blended with pure essential oils leave skin beautifully nourished and smooth.
This moisturizing body polish is formulated with organic coconut oil to rejuvenate skin for softer, brighter results.
Along with using organic ingredients, Thistle Farms is a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to helping women survivors recover and heal from prostitution, trafficking, and addiction.
They do this by providing a safe place to live, a meaningful job, and a lifelong sisterhood of support. You can use your scrub and know it was made with love.
I learned about Thistle Farms products while living in Nashville and fell in love with them! I’ve visited their store and their cafe. Plus, I’ve been using their products for years.
My favorite organic body scrub scent from Thistle Farms is Eucalyptus Mint! It’s wonderful for relaxing.
Use the discount code THEHONESTCONSUMER for 5% off your Thistle Farms purchase.
EcoRoots Organic Vegan Body Scrub
Price: $30
EcoRoots organic body scrubs are made with organic ingredients that gently exfoliate, nourish, revitalize and hydrate your skin for a silky smooth finish.
This body scrub is made in the USA in small batches and comes in a glass jar perfect for reusing or recycling.
EcoRoots has three amazing scents including Coconut Sugar Body Scrub, Peppermint Sea Salt Body Scrub, and Turmeric Body Scrub.
I was gifted the Peppermint Sea Salt Body Scrub and I LOVE how refreshing it smelled and felt on my body!
Self Love Himalayan Salt Scrub with organic lavender
Price Range: $15
I met Josie at the Fremont Sunday Market and fell in low with her Self Love Scrub which I made with organic lavender!
The Self Love Scrub by Josie’s Find Your Center features a beautiful Himalayan salt scrub made with bergamot and lavender is what you need to help reduce dry itchy skin and get in touch with yourself!
This handmade product is specially made to help you wash away all the negativity for the day.
This natural scrub will leave your entire body feeling recharged and your skin glowing as the jojoba oil leaves the skin feeling soft and comfortable after exfoliation.
Little Seed Farm Organic Scrubs
Price: $20
The Little Seed Farm prides itself on creating sustainably made clean products. Made with whole, natural ingredients, their scrubs are created from using real salt from the Dead Sea, or Fair Trade sugar as the exfoliant and leaves the body feeling so smooth.
Solar panels on their farm generate 100% of the electricity used to produce our products and operate our business and farm. Conscious consumers will find an Organic Sugar Body Scrub, Activated Charcoal Detox Scrub, and seasonal scrubs such as their Peppermint Body Scrub.
All of their scrubs feature eco-friendly packaging and are $20.
Chocolate Sun Scrub
Price: $20-$25
This Chocolate Sun Scrub scrub is 95% organic and is the most wonderful combination of exfoliating salts and sugars and soothing oils.
This product detoxifies and leaves you feeling renewed and balanced. This scrub is Natural, Gluten Free and Vegan making it a good choice for all skin types.
Ingredients to Avoid in Body Scrubs
Here are some ingredients to watch out for to make sure you pick out a clean scrub for your beauty routines.
Microbeads
Microbeads are tiny plastic particles that are found in many of our beauty products. For some body scrubs, this is how they turn a regular body wash into a body scrub.
This product has been banned in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States but can sometimes be found in some common products.
These microbeads are extremely absorbent and can not just absorb the good ingredients within skin care but also all the harmful chemicals that may be found. Microbeads do not dissolve in water which allows them to end up in the environment negatively impacting marine life.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
This is a very common foaming agent within body scrubs and can cause irritation of the skin and eyes. This ingredient also has qualities that can be considered a human carcinogen and is harmful to both humans and the environment.
Diethanolamine, Monoethanolamine and Triethanolamine
Now we know this is a handful to say! Don’t worry, you can use the common short form of DEA, MEA and TEA.
This is a common ingredient in soaps that work to adjust the pH level of the product and can cause allergic reactions for the user. If you have sensitive skin you definitely want to avoid these
Other harmful ingredients that might be found within your body scrub:
Synthetic fragrances
Phthalates
We say this not to scare you away from using a body scrub - but to help you stay informed so you can find a body scrub that will not only work, but also promote health for yourself and the environment.
Organic Ingredients to Look For
Some common organic ingredients include virgin coconut oil, cocoa butter, olive oil, brown sugar, and more.
Certified Organic vs. Made With Organic Ingredients
Choosing organic beauty and skin care products is one of the best decisions you will ever make.
Not only will it help you shop with confidence, but it helps to promote a better world overall. When shopping for organic products, there are a couple different labels that you will see that can cause some confusion.
“Made with Organic Ingredients” is a common label found on many beauty products. According to the USDA, that means the product is made with 70% organic ingredients, leaving the last 30% to be allowed non-organic ingredients. You know that the product has gone through regulation but there can still be some non-organic ingredients within the product.
“Certified Organic” is a label that means that 100% of the product is organic and has been produced without using genetic engineering or GMOs. You can purchase these with confidence that all aspects of production have been organic.
Another certification to look for is ECOCERT Cosmos Organic. A beauty care product is COSMOS ORGANIC certified only if 95% minimum of the plants it contains are organic and at least 20% of organic ingredients are present in the total formula (10% for rinse-off products)
It's important to note that the organic certification costs money, time, and resources that a lot of small businesses don't have.
So if you're shopping small, local businesses supporting brands that make their products with organic ingredients is great!
We hope this article can give you the confidence to find the best clean body scrub you can find that brings joy and relaxation to your self-care routine.
Shopping for clean beauty can be fun and we hope you are feeling inspired to find a gentle scrub for healthy skin.
For more tips & tricks on sustainable living be sure to follow The Honest Consumer on social media, subscribe to our newsletter, & check out the Ethical & Sustainable Brand Directory.