Not only is this lemon & peppermint antibacterial hand scrub practical, but it is also beautiful, exfoliating and leaves your hands feeling silky smooth. Plus it comes together in about 5 minutes!
With all of the hand-washing going on these days, my hands are parched, like dried, cracking, rough parched.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve battled dry skin and eczema* my whole life and wintertime in a dry climate is always hard on them. But with a little extra hand-washing, they are perpetually parched!
Enter, this beautiful, all-natural, cleansing antibacterial hand scrub!
What ingredients are in antibacterial hand scrub?
- fine sea salt | cleanses, heals and nourishes skin. Kosher or coarser salts are a bit harsh on the delicate skin of hands, in fact, you may even want to use brown sugar if your hands are extra sensitive.
- sweet almond oil | sweet almond oil keeps your skin cells healthy, protects your skin from UV radiation damage, and helps your skin look smooth, soft, and free of fine lines, thanks to the Vitamin E in the oil. The fatty acids help your skin retain moisture and can heal chapped and irritated skin.
- pure coconut oil |“benefits for skin, including reducing inflammation, keeping skin moisturized and helping heal wounds. The medium-chain fatty acids found in coconut oil also possess antimicrobial properties that can help treat acne and protect the skin from harmful bacteria.”
- Jojoba oil |“Jojoba oil contains oodles of vitamins, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties, but what sets it apart from the others is that it’s technically not an oil, but a wax ester. What does this mean for your skin? “Jojoba oil has a similar molecular structure and composition to sebum, which the skin naturally produces for moisturization“
- Tea Tree Oil | Tea tree oil contains a number of compounds, including terpinen-4-ol, that have been shown to kill certain bacteria, viruses and fungi (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source). Terpinen-4-ol also appears to increase the activity of your white blood cells, which help fight germs and other foreign invaders (3Trusted Source). These germ-fighting properties make tea tree oil a valued natural remedy for treating bacterial and fungal skin conditions, preventing infection and promoting healing. I highly recommend reading more about this powerhouse of essential oils!
- Peppermint essential oil | Besides smelling fabulous, peppermint oil may have some antibacterial and antifungal properties. (Optional)
- Lemon Essential oil and fresh lemon zest | Another “smells marvelous” ingredient, but some people swear by lemon essential oil as an ingredient that fights exhaustion, helps with depression, clears your skin, kills harmful viruses and bacteria, and reduces inflammation. (Optional). Peppermint and Lemon are optional, you might also try Rosemary & Sweet Orange. Or Lavendar is always a big hit, be creative.
This is a fabulous starter kit for essential oils.
DISCLAIMER | I am not a physician or specialist; I have done my own research and using natural products like this have worked for my family. As always consult your medical provider, if you have concerns.
How to DIY Antibacterial Hand Scrub
Measure ingredients. To evenly distribute oils, put drops into one of the carrier oils (almond, jojoba work great), then add everything in a small mixing bowl (or double, triple or quadruple if making as gifts).
Mix well to combine. Scoop into container with a lid and provide a small scoop or spoon. Ta-da! Takes all of 5 minutes!
*Eczema Warning | I have battled eczema since childhood and my hands are the worst; however, tea tree oil can be harsh with eczema, so use sparingly and with caution. I personally use this scrub once daily and it leaves my hands soft and nourished.
GIFTING HAND SCRUBS
You all know I love great homemade gifts, and this one is no different! In fact, I love the way my friend Lynn, from Nourish and Nestle puts it, Homemade Gifts that Don’t Scream DIY!
You need to check it out, because they are awesome! In fact, I think I saw somewhere on her site where she called them “Homemade Gifts that Don’t Suck!” But maybe that is my interpretation! HA!
Since I wanted this gift to look beautiful, like it was from a specialty store; I chose my favorite 12.5 oz tulip shaped Weck jar — they are a bit pricey, but so pretty; these ball jars work great too! Note that the recipe makes about 1 cup work (8 oz) so it didn’t quite fill up the above 12 oz jar.
I love to tie some bakers twine or jute around it, securing a cute wooden scoop to the jar and if you want, tie on a dried slice of lemon, but a sprig of fresh rosemary, lavender, a cinnamon stick or fresh thyme would work great too!
FREE PRINTABLE LABELS
A label makes all the difference, I created these pretty labels for you to print and punch out to either tie or glue onto the jar’s. Simply click the link below for the free printable antibacterial hand scrub labels.
There are two designs, one specifically for Lemon & Eucalyptus and the second a generic Antibacterial Hand Scrub label that you can fill in the scents.
I use 65# white or kraft paper for most my gift tags, they hold up well and punch well. I have a couple of punches to make tags easier, this 2″ round punch, and this 2×3″ tag punch, it also punches a hole and adds an eyelet. Pretty nifty!
I do not have a 3 inch punch, but carefully cut this label out using scissors.
Print Out These Cute Free Christmas Gift Tags to go with your gift!
That’s about it! Check out the DIY “recipe” below, and be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom; I have gathered a few of my own and other bloggers fabulous “non-sucky” homemade gifts for you to peruse.
Think Mother’s Day, birthday gifts, hostess gifts, get well gifts, just because, new neighbor gifts, Easter, Holiday and Christmas…oh, you get the idea!
Recipe heavily adapted from Hello Glow.
Like this recipe?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️star rating in the recipe below!
Antibacterial Hand Scrub
Make your own easy DIY antibacterial hand scrub that promotes healthy, clean, soft skin.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fine sea salt (or pulse kosher salt in food processor until fine)
- 3-4 tablespoons Sweet almond oil
- 3-4 tablespoons pure coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon Jojoba oil (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon Tea Tree Oil
- 10-15 drops Peppermint essential oil (optional)
- 5-10 drops Lemon essential oil (optional)
- Lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in small mixing bowl, mix to combine well. Spoon into desired jar or storage container with lid.
- If making as gifts, place in desired lidded jar(s), apply label (see post for free printable), small scoop and tie with jute or twine.
- Scoop small amount into palm of hand, gently rub all over hands for 20 seconds, then rinse with warm water. Use once or twice daily. Avoid introducing water into the scrub.
- Makes about 1 cup (8 oz), easily double, triple or more the recipe for multiple gift options.
Notes
Shelf Life: to avoid oils turning rancid, always keep the lid on the container, most salt scrubs will last about 6 months, if it starts smelling rancid, then it's time to throw out.
I love to tie some bakers twine or jute around it, securing a cute wooden scoop to the jar and if you want, tie on a dried slice of lemon, but a sprig of fresh rosemary, lavender, a cinnamon stick or thyme would work great too!
*Eczema Warning | I have battled eczema forever and it's always the worst on my hands; however, tea tree oil can be harsh with eczema, so use sparingly and with caution. I personally just use this hand scrub once or twice daily.
Recipe heavily adapted from HelloGlow.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Ball Wide Mouth Half Pin Mason Pint Jars-8oz 8 jars -
6 Mini Tulip Jelly Jar with Glass Lids 6 Rings and 12 Clamps
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Minera Dead Sea Salt - 2 lb. Bag Fine Grain
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Sweet Almond Oil, 100% Pure Moisturizing Oil, 16 Fl Oz
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Garden of Life Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil - Unrefined 14 Oz
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Now Solutions, Organic Jojoba Oil, Moisturizing Multi-Purpose Oil for Face, Hair and Body, 4 Fl Oz
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100% Pure Tea Tree Oil Natural Essential Oil
DIY Gifts You Want to Give (and Receive)
Homemade Golden Milk Spice Mix with Printable Tags
Healthy, delicious, Golden Milk Latte Spice Mix is perfect for those enjoying Golden Milk or Turmeric Tea daily. Also great for a gift.
Homemade DIY Vanilla Extract
This Homemade Vanilla Extract is so stinkin' easy to make and is so much richer and better than store bought, economical and makes a great gift!
Eucalyptus Shower Salt Scrub
A deliciously easy salt scrub; filled with sense awakening eucalyptus oil, silky sweet almond oil and the power of salt to scrub away dead skin.
Antibacterial Hand Scrub
Make your own DIY antibacterial hand scrub that promotes healthy, clean, soft skin.
Christmas in a Bag (Simmering Spices)
Give the gift of aromatherapy to a friend or neighbor this Christmas! A mixture of cinnamon, orange, cloves, pine, a little anise and allspice.
These are so cute. I’m looking to make them as Christmas gifts for friends. What is the shelf life on this? Would i be able to start making them now or should I wait closer to Xmas. Also, does one ingredient list produce 12oz?
Hi Victoria,
Thank you, they are cute. I have had mine on my counter since April, average shelf life is about 6 months, but it’s smart to keep it covered, avoiding the oils going rancid. If it starts to smell funny it should be thrown out. Also it makes a little over 8 oz, about a cup, thanks for bringing this up, I amended the recipe to include a bit more of this information. Happy DIY’ing!
Kathleen
I love this so much! And I need it!! And… I have all the ingredients, yay. I’m totally going to have my kids make this for me this week for mother’s day. They’ll love making it and I’ll love using it.
YAY! Love that you have all of this!
This worked MIRACLES on my dry hands! I have (like everyone) been washing them SO MUCH!! This was amazing!
Makes me happy to hear Michaela!! Thank you for sharing!
Excited to make this hand scrub! And, what a pleasant surprise to find my gift ideas here! Thanks for sharing, my friend!
Thanks Lynn, and well you coined it, handmade gifts that don’t suck! At least yours don’t for sure!Thanks for the inspo!
With all the hand washing I am doing these days, and all the extra home cooking, my hands are a shit show! This scrub has been such a life safer!
Makes me so happy to hear! Thank you Jennifer! Here’s to softer hands!
Oooohhhh, this has to smell so AMAZING when you open the jar!! I am a HUGE essential oils fan and am in love with the idea of making an antibacterial hand scrub! Those printable labels are the cutest too! Thanks for another great idea Kathleen!
Thank you sweet Tasia!