Coffee & Coconut Scrub Tutorial

As more and more people become interested in homemade soaps and detergent, I get more inquiries about my no-soap shower detergent. I have not used traditional soap in months; ever since one of my BFFs gifted me a jar of homemade sugar scrub! She mentioned that she uses it instead of a shower gel, and I was hooked! 

Ever since we moved to CO, I've had a bad case of 'the dry skin'. I am not much of a moisturizer by nature. I am a bit of a lazy bone, when it comes to primping post shower. So this one-step oil scrub has been very welcome in my routine. I had no reservation regarding the efficacy of this product, my other BFF is a chemist and often says to me: 'the best way to clean oil is with another oil'. So I had no doubt the coconut oil was a winner. It is naturally antibacterial and antiviral, so it helps to fight the bacteria that causes bad odor, and it is a great moisturizer too. Coconut oil cleanses the skin, without stripping it bare, while the granulation of coffee or sugar helps to scrub the skin of impurities. 

I have to admit that, at first, I had my reservations. I thought 'this scrub will make the shower greasy or slippery, and the towels too'. But, after a few months, I am happy to say that it has not turned out to be as bad as I had anticipated. The amount of scrub used is minimal, so I clean my shower with the same frequency as I did before. 

So far I have stuck to the sugar scrub, but I wanted to try something new. The caffeine in this scrub has anti-cellulite properties (caffeine is a natural vasoconstrictor), plus this recipe is a great way to recycle coffee grinds - that may otherwise end up in the trash bin. I love recycling. I took a look at many recipes online and this is what I came up with, using the ingredients that I had on hand.

Ingredients:

1 heaping cup of used coffee grinds
1/2 cup of liquid raw organic coconut oil
1 tsp of Vitamin E
1 tbsp of raw honey
1 tbsp of ground cinnamon

I saved my coffee grinds for a few days in a bowl. I used espresso grinds from my moka. I let the grinds dry in an OPEN container, or they will mold while accumulating a cup-worth. I added the honey (top left), the cinnamon (bottom left) and the Vitamin E (bottom right) to the coffee grinds.

I then melted the coconut oil (for less than a minute in the microwave) and added it to the mixture.

I mixed all ingredients well, and left the bowl out to cool for a while before I transferred the mixture to a storing container.

Et voila'. The scrub is ready to be used. Coconut oil solidifies at less than 21 Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) so, during the winter, it will be in a solid state in the shower. However, it melts as soon as I  rub it between my palms. I use only about a teaspoon of scrub at the time. I rub it in my hands for a few seconds, and distribute it around my body scrubbing thoroughly. I grab more as needed, to cleanse my entire body. When I am done scrubbing, I simply rinse off under the warm shower. Once out, I dry myself by patting, rather than rubbing, as I try to leave as much oil on my skin as possible. 

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that you will give this scrub a go either as a main component, or as a an addition to your shower-time routine!