Just when you thought you couldn’t love coffee anymore than you already do, the coffee scrub craze was born. Your friends are already telling you that you have a coffee problem, but they’ll surely jump on this bandwagon with you once they see the amazing benefits…and you can just sit there like:
“You’re welcome.”
1. Exfoliation–Duh.
The little granules in ground coffee make it an amazing exfoliant, and since it’s a totally natural product, there’s very little preparation needed before you get to scrubbing. All you have to do is remove the foil top from one of your used K-cups and you’re ready to go! Scrubbing with coffee removes dead skin and gives the fresh skin it reveals a sweetly scented, caffeinated glow.
2. Cellulite Reduction?!
If you’ve looked into the benefits of coffee scrubs before, you’ve probably read articles claiming that the magic bean helped people eliminate their cellulite, and I’m here to tell you…that’s about halfway true. The scrubbing action of a coffee mixture causes slight irritation to the skin, especially if you’re really going at it. This irritation brings just the tiniest bit of swelling into the area in question, and the swelling does fill in any cellulite temporarily. You can expect these effects to last up to three hours.
3. Enhanced Circulation
Stemming from the slight irritation mentioned above, coffee scrubs cause the blood to rush around under your skin. This can improve cell turnover, which is the amazing process responsible for helping you shed old, nasty skin and reveal the baby smooth goodness underneath. The increased circulation also helps reduce puffiness in the skin, which leads me to my next point…
4. Reduction of Under-Eye Puffiness
We all make jokes about how the bags under our eyes are designer, but what if they weren’t there at all? Applying caffeine directly to the “problem” area can decrease puffiness right before your eyes (so sorry for that pun, I had to). Just keep in mind that the skin under your eyes is VERY sensitive, and it’s probably best to use a gentle patting motion and let the coffee grounds sit on your skin in this area instead of scrubbing before rinsing with warm water.
5. Sweet Jesus, the SMELL
You’re going to smell amazing. The scent coming from your skin will obviously depend on what flavor coffee you use in your scrub, but think of the possibilities! Vanilla coffee scrub with a lavender-scented lotion applied afterwards? Yes, please.
Now, even though you can totally just go for a simple coffee scrub with no other ingredients, your scrub can do more for you with the addition of a few other things:
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Coconut oil for moisturizing properties. Just make sure you clean out your tub really well after, so you don’t bust your butt like some of us (okay, me) have done.
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Honey for its anti-bacterial goodness, and using local honey could even help reduce the effects of your seasonal allergies by exposing you to tiny amounts of your local pollen.
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Olive oil is another option for moisturizing properties. If you’re going for a glow, moisturzed skin often looks tanner than dry skin!
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Brown or white sugar for an extra exfoliant. If you have particularly dry areas that you’re focusing on, like your knees, elbows, or feet, this is for you.
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Any essential oil will give the benefit of that specific oil. Tea tree oil has anti-bacterial properties, lavender just smells amazing, and eucalyptus has soothing abilities.
The Recipe
- 2 K-cups worth of your choice of coffee grounds (this will be around 2 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon of your favorite add-in
Mix it all together and store in an air-tight container, preferably away from the humidity of your shower. Apply using circular motions, and let sit as long as you feel fit. Rinse off gently. This will probably keep for around a week, but it will depend on which add-ins you choose.
Happy scrubbing, collegiettes!
Sassy gif provided by giphy.com.