So, you’ve signed up for the Roaster’s Passport and you are loving the monthly adventure! I mean who wouldn’t love having a new organic single-origin coffee show up on their doorstep each month that is roasted in small batches to the bean’s ideal roast point?
But now you have so much ground coffee and so many coffee bags! We have a little tip for reusing the grounds AND your bag each month.
The sandy, gritty texture of coffee grounds is the perfect exfoliant in a homemade scrub. The coffee grounds will smell delicious while removing dead skin cells and boosting circulation. You know what that means? Smooth skin and less cellulite! Let’s go over the ingredients - you probably have them on hand already.
Used coffee grinds
Coffee will stimulate your skin, dilate blood vessels, increase circulation and reduce water retention which will help tone and tighten the tissue. All of these benefits will help reduce the appearance of cellulite.
As an exfoliant, coffee helps reduce inflammation and puffiness, and removes dead skin which will leave you with a youthful and radiant glow! I use coffee scrubs on my “problem” areas (thighs, butt, and tummy) for the reduction of cellulite benefits and lightly on my face for the exfoliating benefits.
Remember to dry your grinds before storing as with anything earthy and wet, it can grow mold spores.
Sweet Almond Oil
I know some folks love coconut oil for their DIY skincare, but it tends to clog my pores and I just love sweet almond oil. It also works to reduce puffiness, treat dry skin, and reduce the appearance of stretch marks which make it great for a coffee scrub. The added bonus of almond oil is it can help reverse sun damage and reduce the appearance of scars.
Cinnamon Oil (or Cassia Oil)
Cinnamon is the perfect ingredient for your at-home skincare as it is rich in anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant properties. Like coffee, it increases blood flow which can help reduce inflammation and the appearance of cellulite. Cassia is a sister oil of cinnamon. It is derived from the bark of the plant, but it is genetically similar and has many of the same benefits to your skin as cinnamon oil.
Vanilla Oil
Vanilla is also rich in antioxidants, but what makes it a powerhouse for your at-home skincare. Vanilla oil has the ability to neutralize free radicals and reverse skin damage which will reduce signs of aging like wrinkles, fine lines, and even age spots! Plus it smells amazing. I have found many of my coffee scrubs usually smell like brownie mix!
Recycled Hill Tree Roastery Coffee Bag
The dark black ziplock sealed Hill Tree Roastery bags make a great container for your coffee scrubs. The scrub can be a little messy, so this bag is perfect to leave sitting near the shower to scoop a handful out when you want to use it. The bags are also great to store your used grinds. I dry mine out on a plate with a paper towel before tossing them in the bag. When you have enough grinds, you can mix your wet ingredients directly in the bag!
Recipe
I don’t typically measure my ingredients. It is not an exact science, but here’s a quick recipe to get you started!
- 1 cup of coffee grinds (remember to dry your used grinds to prevent mold)
- ½ cup sweet almond oil (or coconut oil)
- 8-10 drops of vanilla oil
- 4-8 drops of cinnamon or cassia oil (cinnamon and cassia oil will make your skin tingle, so if you have sensitive skin start with a little less and work your way up to the amount of sting you are comfortable with)
If you want to make sure you have plenty of coffee to sample each month, and plenty of grinds for your coffee scrub, hop over to Hill Tree Roastery and sign up for the Roaster’s Passport Subscription.
Christie Trent - Coffee Contributor / Staff Writer
Christie is a programmer, data nerd, and blogger. Christie is the founder of Athena Blue (athenablue.dev) where she works as a web and database programmer, and Pain Free Journey (painfreejourney.com) where she produces digital content to inspire those suffering with chronic pain. Although she enjoys many, her favorite Hill Tree coffee beans are the ones from Ethiopia.