DIY Coffee Scrub for the Body, Face and Scalp - Dr. Axe
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DIY Coffee Scrub for the Body, Face & Scalp

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DIY coffee scrub - Dr. Axe

Do you throw our your coffee grounds? Stop! There are tons of uses for coffee grounds, including as a DIY coffee scrub for the body, face and even your scalp.

A homemade coffee scrub helps to naturally exfoliate the skin and will reduce the buildup of bacteria, dirt and dead skin cells. Coffee scrubs can also help eliminate pimples and whiteheads by cleansing your pores. It’s also gentle enough to use it daily in order to reduce old skin cells and help new cells emerge.

Plus, massaging a scrub made with grounds into your body and face will help to boost circulation and improve skin quality. It can improve skin tone and make it smoother over time.

Homemade Coffee Scrub Uses

What are the best uses for a DIY coffee scrub?

  • Coffee body scrub: The coffee grounds contain antioxidants that help heal the skin while its texture works well as a scrub to get rid of dead skin cells, bacteria, dirt and more. It’ll also improve circulation and help make your skin smoother. See the recipe below.
  • Face scrub: A good DIY face scrub often includes coffee grounds to deeply clean the skin, leaving it smoother, softer and blemish-free. It’s also gentle enough for the face.
  • Lip scrub: A DIY lip scrub with coffee grounds will gently exfoliate the lips, leaving them supple. The recipe below can work for the lips too.
  • Cellulite scrub: The caffeine in the grounds promotes the dilation of blood vessels and works to tighten the skin, helping to reduce the appearance of cellulite and even stretch marks. This DIY coffee scrub for cellulite will exfoliate the skin, decrease tissue edema and stimulate the activity cells that produce collagen. Research even suggests that this may reduce the activity of fat cells and reduce cellulite.
  • Scalp scrub: Massaging the grounds into your scalp will help remove dead skin cells and buildup, which stimulates hair follicles. Research indicates that when caffeine is applied to hair follicles, it may even promote hair growth.

Ingredients

Coffee grounds exfoliate the skin, while the caffeine helps the dilation of blood vessels and tightens skin. (Two other natural exfoliators to put into your beauty toolkit? The pumice stone and dry brushing.)

Coconut oil aids in moisturizing and has many potent skin benefits.

Sugar helps to also exfoliate the skin as well as hydrate. If you plan to use this recipe as mostly a coffee body scrub, you can use turbinado sugar. If you also want to use it as a coffee face scrub, use brown sugar because it’s more gentle.

Cinnamon oil causes the blood vessels to dilate as well, giving the skin a subtle plumping effect, thereby decreasing the appearance of cellulite.

How to Make a Coffee Scrub

In a large bowl, add coffee grounds, coconut (or sweet almond) oil, sugar and essential oils. Stir well to combine.

Store in a reusable container. Because of the use of essential oils, glass or high-quality plastic is preferred, but for shower safety, plastic will likely work best. May be stored for up to one year in the refrigerator.

To use as a coffee body scrub, after washing in the shower, massage coffee scrub into areas where dirt and dry skin collect (such as the elbows, knees, shoulders, back of arms, etc.) and cellulite is likely to be found (buttocks and thighs). Massage as vigorously as tolerated, taking care to protect sensitive skin. You do not want to break skin or cause bleeding. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry.

Use this coffee body scrub 2–3 times a week for best results. Some temporary redness to the scrubbed areas is normal. If any discomfort or irritation persists, try grinding your coffee finer, use finer-ground sugar and/or omit the cinnamon oil.

Because coffee scrubs are exfoliating, you will want to finish after your shower with a high-quality moisturizer, like this moisturizer for dry skin or body butter.

For using the coffee scrub for the face, scoop out about half a tablespoon into your palm and then apply to your face with your fingers, massaging gently and in circular motions. Leave on your face for a least a couple of minutes before rinsing off. For the lip scrub, use about a teaspoon and rub horizontally with your fingers across your libs for 10 to 20 seconds before rinsing off.

To use coffee grounds on your scalp, simply fill your palm with the grounds, massage them into your scalp for 1–2 minutes, then rinse and shampoo as usual.

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DIY coffee scrub

DIY Coffee Scrub

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  • Author: Dr. Josh Axe
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 20 applications 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Coffee grounds make for an excellent DIY exfoliator. This homemade coffee scrub combines several skin soothing and exfoliating ingredients for a deep cleanse. It can be used for the body (including areas where cellulite or stretch marks appear), hands, face and the scalp.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup coffee grounds
  • ½ cup coconut oil (or sweet almond oil)
  • ⅔ cup coarse sugar (turbinado sugar for body; brown sugar if you’re also going to use on face)
  • 4–8 drops cinnamon oil (less if you have very sensitive skin)
  • 8 drops vanilla oil, or 1 teaspoon cooking vanilla (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, add coffee grounds, coconut (or sweet almond) oil, sugar and essential oils.
  2. Stir well to combine.
  3. Store in a reusable container, such as dark glass or high-quality plastic. May be stored for up to one year in the refrigerator.

Notes

Some temporary redness to the scrubbed areas is normal. If any discomfort or irritation persists, try grinding your coffee finer, use finer-ground sugar and/or omit the cinnamon oil.

  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Category: Body Care, Skin Care
  • Method: Mixing

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30 Comments

  1. Gayle on

    Great way to re-use coffee grounds. I look forward to making & using. To your good health! Thanks for sharing 😇

    Reply
  6. Katie Sands on

    I just found it and wrote it down. I’m going to try for the first time by next week. So I will have all ingredients that I need. Wish me luck and I will let everyone know how it feels and works.

    Reply
    • Jeanne on

      You’ll find coffee grounds in the paper filter after making a coffee pot. The grounds are after being brewed.I use in my garden and helps keeps bugs away.

      Reply
  10. Ellie Blunt on

    I appreciate the information given in this article about the use of the coffee scrub to deal with the cellulite. Deposition of subcuticular fat is solely responsible for the development of cellulite. Regular exercise is one of the most effective way to reduce the cellulite. Besides, applying coconut oil and coffee scrub are also effective against cellulite. Besides, such kind of natural remedies have a little or no side effects on our body. To learn more, visit https://www.entebellamedical.com/eliminate-cellulite-fat-vaser-lipo/

    Reply
  11. Phoebe on

    Hello. I know this sounds weird but I don’t want to get rid of my stretch marks but I would like to get a body scrub(open to homemade and processed ideas) that would thoroughly exfoliate my skin. Please, what do you recommend?

    Reply
  14. karen on

    The problems with the comments are there’s no answers to the questions???you would hope to get answers from those who are familiar with or who created the product being discussed but there are no responses? I had the same question re: coffee grounds “Are these after brewing?” Thank you

    Reply
    • DPA on

      Yes, you can go to Starbucks and ask them for their used coffee grounds. Supposedly, they will give them to you for free. This was mentioned in the article by Danette May. Look her up on Facebook.

      Reply
    • Cheryl on

      After reading this article I completed a little home work myself. I have concluded that during the roasting process, some of the caffeine is lost. If you brew the coffee then further losing the caffeine hence the purpose of the scrub is for exfoliation and the caffeine to constrict the blood vessels. I will leave the solution up to you.

      Just a reader like you.

      Reply

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