DIY Coffee Scrub: My Favorite Recipes and Tips (2024)

In the morning, the last thing you’re thinking about is making a DIY coffee scrub. I mean, all you really want to do is make a cup of coffee as quickly as possible! And once that’s done, the used coffee grounds go straight in the garbage can.

Stop! By doing this, you’re throwing away an all-purpose beauty weapon. It’s packed with minerals and antioxidants, all of which can make your skin glow. You just have to convert it into a coffee scrub.

If you want to look as fresh as I do in my Coffeeness photos, you’re gonna want to try my best DIY coffee scrub recipes. Of course, you will also learn the benefits and effects of an exfoliating coffee peel. Let’s do this!

Ingredients: What’s In a Coffee Scrub?

A coffee scrub consists mainly of used coffee grounds. If you have made coffee using freshly ground coffee beans, these used grinds contain more than 1,000 substances. And not all of them have been chemically decoded. The known ingredients of coffee grounds for a DIY coffee scrub include:

According to some studies, the alkaloids in coffee beans have an antibacterial and antiviral effect, even if nothing has been proven so far.

3 DIY Coffee Scrub Recipes: Your Coffee Grounds Exfoliant

You don’t need much for a soothing coffee grounds exfoliant. The preparation is always the same: you take a clean container, add the ingredients and thoroughly mix them together. In addition, you should wash your hands before you slap the coffee scrub on your skin.

My three favorite recipes are:

Feel free to replace the olive oil with organic sweet almond oil or jojoba oil.

Thermomix Coffee Scrub: A Beauty Product in 8 Seconds

Too lazy to stir? No problem. If you’re lucky enough to have a Thermomix, just put all the ingredients in this awesome food processor.

If you want to try the recipe with coconut oil, you must first dissolve it on level 1 at around 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius). Otherwise, put all the ingredients in the device and set the whole thing to level 4 for eight seconds.

Coffee Body Scrub: Before and After

A coffee scrub cleans your skin by removing old skin cells. At the same time, it has a nourishing and revitalizing effect. Your skin looks fresher and feels softer and more supple.

The potential anti-inflammatory properties of coffee are also said to promote cell renewal and relieve dermatological problems such as:

The caffeine stimulates blood circulation. It activates an enzyme (triacylglycerol lipase), which, according to some studies, causes the splitting of fats into fatty acids and glycerol, thus helping the skin.

The health aspect of coffee is a much-discussed topic. In fact, research indicates that regular coffee consumption can have various health benefits. You can find more information about this in my detailed health benefits of coffee article.

Application and Tips: Coffee Scrub Facial

You’ll often see coffee grounds recommended as a peeling mask for the face. However, I have been told that ground coffee is too abrasive for the sensitive skin around the eyes and mouth. Then again, it really depends on your skin type.

Depending on your coffee brewing method, you might want to avoid a facial coffee peel. In fact, I only recommend making a DIY coffee scrub for your entire face from used espresso or moka pot grounds. On the other hand, you can avoid applying your coffee scrub to sensitive skin areas. However, a coarse grind size is really only suitable as a body scrub.

As with any other facial scrub, you should only use this once a week and leave it on for a maximum of 10 to 15 minutes. Otherwise, the potential benefits can turn into skin irritation.

It’s best to apply the scrub in the evening, after thoroughly cleansing your face with small, circular motions. This is how the active ingredients in your coffee scrub are best absorbed. Finally, wash your face afterward with lukewarm water.

Application: For the Body, Scalp and Hair

A coffee peel can also have positive effects on the rest of your body. The intrinsic properties of coffee and the antioxidants it contains are especially beneficial after prolonged exposure to the sun. As it happens, they can help tight skin to relax.

You can supplement a coffee body scrub with essential oils and ingredients such as black pepper, cinnamon and ginger. These promote blood circulation and dilate the blood vessels.

Can a regular coffee peel also act as a cure for bad hair days? Well, there are different opinions on this. If you want to give it a go, here’s a coffee scrub recipe that’s worked wonders on my hair:

Mix the ingredients carefully and massage them thoroughly into your hair. After a few minutes you can rinse it as usual. The shampoo should not contain any oils, otherwise the mixture will be too greasy.

Coffee Exfoliating Scrub: Does It Really Help With Cellulite and Pimples?

Many celebrities, including Jennifer Aniston, allegedly swear by coffee grounds and collagen coffee as a miracle cure for cellulite.

Although scientists have found a connection between reduced waist circumference and caffeine, a study is not proof. Especially since cellulite cannot be removed. However, natural cosmetics such as coffee exfoliating scrubs do help to open up clogged skin pores.

Store and Gift: How to Make Your Coffee Scrub Last Longer

If the coffee grounds are moist, their maximum shelf life in a glass container will be a few days.

Therefore, you should first let them dry for a few days on a baking sheet or plate. Then, mix the coffee grounds with the remaining ingredients and pour the scrub into a Mason jar. Stored in the refrigerator, the scrub will last up to two months.

By the way, in order for your DIY coffee scrub to achieve the best possible effect, you should also store your coffee beans properly.

DIY Coffee Scrub: A Universal All-Rounder for the Skin?

Care products are often loaded with chemical ingredients, and the caffeine they contain usually comes from a laboratory. By making your own coffee scrub, you know exactly what’s in it.

Depending on the preparation method (coarse grind for French press, fine grind for espresso) you can mix a body scrub or a face peel. And whether you use a French press, espresso machine or drip coffee maker, you have to clean it anyway. So why not continue to use the coffee grounds?

This way you reduce your ecological footprint at the same time. Because coffee grounds are a great fertilizer. In addition, you save a lot of plastic. After all, microplastics are found in most product packaging for shampoo and face cream.

Finally, a DIY exfoliating coffee scrub is cheap. And if you buy from a local roaster or choose my Coffeeness coffee beans, it’s even sustainable.

DIY Coffee Scrub FAQ