The coffee bean is incredibly versatile. Sure, coffee makes a delicious beverage. And, yes, the caffeine in coffee has mad skills at keeping you alert. But did you know that it also contains potential health-benefiting components? Reducing the appearance of cellulitis, de-puffing tired eyes, and exfoliating old skin cells are just a few uses that go beyond merely drinking coffee. Keep reading for our favorite super easy DIY coffee scrub recipes!
Coffee to Exfoliate Skin
Exfoliating your skin unclogs pores, removes dead skin cells and, as a result, can encourage your skin to stimulate collagen synthesis.
What is collagen good for, you ask? Collagen is essential in keeping our skin elastic and supple. The result is fewer wrinkles and a more youthful skin appearance!
Coffee grounds work as an excellent exfoliant because they’re gentle and nutritious to the skin. In addition to the antioxidant benefits, caffeic acid is also known to have antimicrobial properties that might protect your skin against bacteria that cause acne.
Hair Health
Coffee makes a marvelous hair tonic. It stimulates the roots as it improves its structure and growth. Caffeine works as a restorer for hair and seems to help prevent hair loss. According to the International Journal of Dermatology, caffeine can indeed stimulate hair follicles, causing hair to grow thicker and faster.
When applied topically (after it’s cooled down!), brewed coffee can be used to detangle your hair, making it smoother and easier to manage.
Or you can make your own coffee hair mask cream using coffee powder. The recipe is simple;
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) of fine coffee powder
- 1/2 tablespoon (7.5ml) of honey
- 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil
Combine the ingredients, apply the smooth paste to your hair, leave it on for 30 minutes, rinse with warm water and, voila! Not only are you enriching hair follicles with all the benefits of coffee, but the added honey and olive oil create a three-way synergy effect!
Slow Skin Aging
Antioxidants fight premature aging by blocking the oxidation of cells. When you hear the word antioxidant, what do you think of? Maybe foods like blueberries, pomegranate, and spinach which are well known for delivering these beneficial goodies. But did you know that coffee is also a great source of antioxidants?
According to a study published in 2013, Caffeic Acid, which is the antioxidant present in coffee, may raise collagen levels, reducing the premature aging of cells.
Another way coffee can benefit your skin comes from Coffee Arabica Seed Oil, extracted by cold pressing green coffee beans. When applied to the skin, this oil can increase collagen and elastin production. The result? more supple skin that appears smoother with fewer wrinkles!
So let’s just say coffee makes you look younger and more beautiful. You’re welcome!
Coffee Scrub for Cellulite Reduction
When gently massaged on the skin, fresh coffee grounds made into a gentle coffee scrub are said to stimulate blood flow to the skin, which can result in the visible reduction of cellulite, and overall skin smoothness.
Our fave DIY coffee body scrub recipe for treating cellulite is a crazy easy to make at home! Start with getting together your ingredients;
- 1 cup (237ml) fresh coffee grounds (you can experiment with the coarseness level that right for you)
- 6 tablespoons (89ml) virgin coconut oil (heated slightly so that it’s in liquid form)
- 3 tablespoons (44ml) sugar (turbinado is recommended, because of the added nutrients of the molasses present)
- Glass jar with a sealing lid to store your coffee scrub
1 cup (237ml) fresh coffee grounds (you can experiment with the coarseness level that right for you)Combine the coffee grounds, liquid coconut oil and sugar in a measuring cup or bowl, mix thoroughly then transfer to your storage container. This coffee scrub recipe can be mixed up in less than 10 minutes!
You can gently massage the body scrub to areas of visible cellulite with your hands or use a soft, clean brush. Rinse, then repeat every other day or so for best results.
Coffee Cream for Puffy Eyes
Are you one of the many people tired of having under-eye puffiness that seems to never go away? Coffee may be your answer as the caffeine contained within is known to stimulate blood flow, which encourages the skin to naturally tighten.
Besides the caffeic acid mentioned earlier, coffee is blessed with other compounds such as chlorogenic acids, which help reduce inflammation around the eyes.
Creating your own DIY coffee eye cream is easy! Make a paste out of finely-ground coffee and clean, warm water, and apply it to the skin around your eyes whenever possible.
As you can see (and soon feel), coffee has once again proven to be a plant of the gods! With some ingenuity and preparation, the versatile coffee bean is an economical and effective addition to your beauty routine. So, next time you’re brewing up a cup, remember to save some of those magical coffee grounds. Using our coffee scrub recipe, in less than 10 minutes your hair and skin will be thanking you!
What fantastic uses for coffee have you incorporated into your beauty routine?
