Skin care is sweeter with sugar!
Add a dollop of sugar to your skincare routine and see the glow. Not only is sugar great for your body regardless of skin type, it's also overflowing with skincare benefits:
Sugar (topically applied) Effects/Description
Gentle Exfoliant Helps remove dead skin cells
Surfactant Cleans dirt from pores
Humectant Retains water/moisture
Emulsifier Binds ingredients together
Emollient Softens skin
Penetration Enhancer Helps skin to absorb ingredients
Non-comedogenic Does not cause acne or clog pores
Safe Suitable for any skin type
Sucrose, or popularly known as common sugar, is a disaccharide — a molecule composed of two monosaccharides: glucose and fructose. If you are considering making a DIY sugar scrub from scratch, consider the kinds of sugar and factor in which one would suit your needs best:
Brown sugar - is the finest, gentlest and least abrasive;
Regular granulated sugar - finer than organic sugar, but coarser than brown sugar;
Organic sugar - coarsest/roughest, more abrasive.
Salt Scrubs vs Sugar Scrubs
Salt scrubs can be drying and will do well with moisturizing follow-ups to make sure the skin gets just the right TLC. If you have oily or combination skin, salt scrubs can be great for you.
On the other hand, you might want also want to try using milder and more moisturizing sugar scrubs that are great for any skin type and don't dry out the skin.
Also avoid rubbing salt/sugar scrubs on your face, since it might be too rough for your delicate facial skin. It's best to apply body sugar scrubs from the neck down. Check out our top-selling sugar skin care products in our shopping guide, Sugary Treats for Your Skin.
Sugar: potential cosmetic preservative
Clinical trials are also being done to carefully study xylitol's (natural sugar) potential as a safe and natural cosmetic preservative, and the results are very promising.
The test was done with a 1% concentration of xylitol, and further tests need to be done to ensure that higher concentrations are non-toxic. But so far, sugar is showing positive signs of being a great natural alternative for cosmetic preservatives.
"The results we present in the paper refer to 1%. Concentration is also related to toxic effects, thus, it is important to perform safety tests before suggesting a higher concentration," Amaral said (CosmeticsDesign-europe.com, 2017).
The study concluded that a 1% sugar (xylitol) concentration is antimicrobial and can be considered as an alternative for cosmetic preservatives, with further government-regulatory testing needed for a complete dossier of industry usage guidelines.
Amaral LF, Camilo NS, Pereda MD, Levy CE, Moriel P, Mazzola PG. Evaluation of antimicrobial effectiveness of C-8 xylitol monoester as an alternative preservative for cosmetic products. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2011 Oct;33(5):391-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2494.2010.00633.x. Epub 2011 Feb 21. PMID: 21338375.
Bird, K. (2011, May 5). Natural sugar-based molecule has potential as a cosmetic preservative. cosmeticsdesign-europe.com.
Sandborn, D. (2015, February 25). Homemade sugar scrubs for skin care. Michigan State University Extension. Retrieved June 18, 2021,
The Dermatology Review. (2021, June 17). Sugar in skincare: Why you may find sucrose on your product’s ingredients list. Retrieved June 18, 2021,