Coffee for more than drinking

Everyone loves coffee…that first rush in the morning soothes the soul in ways beyond description but did you know that this magical bean has other uses.  The drink we enjoy so much has many uses beyond just revving us up every morning.  According to , “The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia, South Asia and Africa. Green (unroasted) coffee is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world. Coffee can have a stimulating effect on humans due to its caffeine content. It is one of the most-consumed beverages in the world”.

One such use is as a coffee body scrub. Even though coffee can be quite expensive, a coffee scrub can be much cheaper than some high-end exfoliation products. Most households have coffee in their pantry and it takes no time at all to whip up a batch of this intriguing beauty product to add to your regime. As well, the coffee itself has added benefits for your skin and body that many body scrubs can’t provide.

Benefits of coffee on your skin

A coffee body scrub is really beneficial because it can help eradicate cellulite because when the caffeine it contains comes into contact with the surface of your skin, it helps redistribute fat cells and decrease the formation of more cellulite. In addition coffee scrubs can help prevent or eradicate small varicose veins because the caffeine in the scrub acts as a vascular restrictor, something which shrinks blood vessels, thus helping to reduce varicose veins.

Massage also achieves good results on cellulite as it increases the circulation of the skin and improves blood flow throughout the area being massaged. This helps to break down fat cells and expel toxins. Using coffee grounds in a home made scrub combines the great combination of a body scrub and the benefits of caffeine. The grounds work to improve the circulation as the caffeine draws the fluids out from between the cells. Together this may minimise the look of cellulite for many of us.

So, if you are excited to try this, you need a recipe.

A recipe for Coffee Body Scrub

To make a homemade coffee body scrub from a simple recipe, you need two cups of coffee beans ground to a powder, 1/3 cup of salt or Brown sugar, (which ever you prefer) and a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl before use. It is known that coffee tightens and rejuvenates skin, while brown sugar exfoliates well and olive oil moisturises brilliantly.

When your recipe is ready, apply it to wet skin in the shower with a circular motion.  Discard any leftover scrub and make a fresh batch for each use, to ensure the caffeine is at its peak. If using the brown sugar option, you could also add Vanilla for a sweet smell and heady aroma. It may be better to not use this recipe on your face where only specialised facial products, gentle to the delicate skin of your face should be used.

Now that you know the benefits of the coffee body scrub, and how easy it is to make be sure to try it the next time you need to feel truly clean and exfoliated, your skin (and your cellulite) will thank you for it.

UPDATE : a great new Australian company has just started making a delicious coffee body scrub with the funny name – “Frank”  (with a coffee and Milk wash and a green tea mask still to come)

According to Frank’s creators, the product is “A humble coffee scrub packed with minerals and essential oils for smooth, supple skin, and antioxidants to treat dry skin, stretch marks, scars, and acne.”

They also reckon that “With its high caffeine content frank also increases blood-flow and circulation to reduce the appearance of cellulite. Ingredients you’ll love that will love you right back.”

Check “Frank”out at