Secret Ingredient >> Turbinado Sugar

Sweet Talk

Ahhhh….sugar…we crave its rush and are addicted to its sweet indulgence. However, today with the health and wellness movement influencing lifestyle trends and directly impacting our personal choices, sugar elicits more guilt than pleasure.

Yet, despite sugar’s bad rap, we consumers are not quite ready to give up the “sweet life”. Instead, we search for natural alternatives and other outlets to satisfy our sweet tooth.

Sweetness and Light

Turbinado sugar, referred to commonly as raw sugar, or “sugar in the raw” is one of those alternatives. A crystallized form of pure cane juice, this sugar, light brown in color and with a slight molasses flavor, is minimally refined. Additionally, it’s less processed than both white and brown sugar, resulting in a greater retention of key nutrients like calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron.

The process by which turbinado sugar derived its name, involves spinning cane juice in a turbine to remove a majority of the molasses. Furthermore, no animal products are used during this process, making it desirable to vegans – a culinary coup for health and eco-conscious consumers.

Pour Some Sugar On Me

When it comes to what we put IN our body, there may always be a debate about sugar, regardless of how it is processed. Conversely, when it comes to what we put ON our bodies, the general consensus is overwhelmingly positive.

Turbinado sugar, and sugar in general, has proven to be an excellent ingredient in personal care products, specifically facial and body scrubs, touting three key benefits:

• Sugar is a natural humectant, hydrating and locking moisture in the skin.
• The glycolic acid in sugar is a natural AHA, which encourages cell turnover and generates fresher, younger-looking skin.
• The round granules of turbinado sugar are an excellent topical exfoliant, gentle enough even for the most sensitive skin types.

Ulta, Just Natural and Bramble Berry have all included a sugar-based body scrub in their line of personal care products. Just Natural, in particular, has Turbinado Brown Sugar Body Scrub, which description reads as follows: “Ultra rich, packed with nutritive benefits from fresh cut sugar cane, this luxurious body scrub gently sweeps away dead skin and debris leaving smooth, radiant, polished skin. Used for centuries and loaded with antioxidants and AHAs.”.

Sugar Rush

Turbinado sugar fragrance notes are also gaining popularity. Olfactively sweet, textured and musky, turbinado sugar is inspired by the ongoing, retro-revival and reflecting youth-led pop culture influences.

Consumers may be following a low sugar diet, but incorporating sugar into personal care and fragrance products is delivering sweet results in the marketplace.