Complete Coffee Scrub Guide: How to Use It on Body and Face

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Are you looking to add a coffee scrub to your skincare routine, but not sure where to start? Look no further! In this comprehensive guide I’ll be covering everything you need to know about using a coffee scrub for smooth and glowing skin.

This post will not only show you the best way to use a coffee scrub on body and face, but will also answer the most common questions. Here are the topics that I will cover in this post:

• WHAT IS A COFFEE SCRUB?
• TYPES OF COFFEE SCRUBS
• BENEFITS OF USING COFFEE SCRUB
• HOW TO USE COFFEE SCRUB IN THE SHOWER OR BATH
• HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU USE THE COFFEE SCRUB?
• HOW TO USE COFFEE SCRUB FOR FACE
• CAN COFFEE SCRUB BE USED BY PEOPLE OF ALL SKIN TYPES?
• CAN COFFEE SCRUBS CAUSE ACNE OR BREAKOUTS?
• CAN COFFEE SCRUBS BE USED TOGETHER WITH OTHER SKINCARE PRODUCTS?
• TIPS FOR USING COFFEE SCRUB ON FACE
• HOW TO USE COFFEE SCRUB WITHOUT CLOGGING THE DRAIN
• DO COFFEE SCRUBS DARKEN THE SKIN?
• CAN COFFEE SCRUBS CAUSE IRRITATION OR DRYNESS?

WHAT IS A COFFEE SCRUB?

A coffee scrub is a scrub for your skin made from coffee grounds. Coffee scrubs are a popular choice because they can exfoliate the skin and also help to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

TYPES OF COFFEE SCRUBS

Not every coffee scrub is the same. Though coffee grounds are the main ingredient, the texture, feel, scent and other qualities often depend on other ingredients used in the scrub.

Here are the most common types of coffee scrubs:

– Sugar coffee scrub. Some coffee body scrubs have added sugar as an additional exfoliator. This makes the scrub more exfoliating but less gentle.

– Salt coffee scrub. Same as with sugar, salt is added to provide stronger exfoliating power. You can see coffee and salt scrub here.

– Oil-based coffee scrub. An oil-based coffee scrub is made with ground coffee and a carrier oil, such as coconut oil or sweet almond oil. It could also be made using a butter, such as shea butter. This is the simplest and most popular type. With this easy recipe you can make it yourself at a fraction of the cost.

– Soap-based coffee scrub. Such scrubs use soap as their base and exfoliate and clean skin at the same time. You can buy soap based coffee scrubs or make it yourself by following this Foaming Scrub recipe.

– Cream-based coffee scrub. Think coffee grounds mixed with a lotion.

BENEFITS OF USING COFFEE SCRUB FOR THE SKIN

Coffee scrubs provide much more benefits to our skin than just an exfoliation. Here is a list of all the benefits:

EXFOLIATION

This is the main purpose of any scrub – to exfoliate the skin, remove all dead skin cells and improve the texture of the skin. I prefer coffee skin scrubs to sugar scrubs because they offer the same level of exfoliation but feel gentler on the skin.

IMPROVED APPEARANCE OF CELLULITE

Caffeine, found in coffee grounds, is known to stimulate circulation and tighten the skin. As your skin becomes tighter, the appearance of the cellulite decreases.

There are some studies on caffeine’s effect on cellulite. The most promising one I found is a study from 2007 that used a 7% caffeine gel on women’s tights. After a month of daily application, more than 80% of participants saw a significant reduction in their tight size.

Of course you should not expect such results from a coffee scrub. In my experience, when used regularly (twice a week), a coffee scrub indeed made my tights look significantly better. However, it did not make the cellulite disappear, just less visible. I absolutely recommend using coffee scrubs because it can improve how your body looks, but it will take more than a scrub to get rid of the cellulite completely.

Additionally, if you are planning to make a scrub with coffee grounds yourself note that in order to get the benefits of caffeine, you should use fresh coffee grounds that are packed with caffeine. Coffee grounds used after brewing contain less than 1% of caffeine and will not deliver the same results.

IMPROVES CIRCULATION

Massaging a coffee grounds onto the skin helps improve blood flow and circulation, which contributes to the healthy appearance of the skin. Coffee grounds are great for longer massages because they feel more gentle on the skin than sugar scrubs.

HOW TO USE COFFEE SCRUB IN THE SHOWER OR BATH

If you’re new to using a coffee scrub, you might wonder how to properly use it to get the best results. Especially how to get the most out of the caffeine in the scrub.

I wrote a step-by-step guide on how to use a coffee scrub that I hope you’ll find helpful.

1. Start by soaking your skin in a shower or bath. Soak for at least 5 min to help soften the skin and prepare it for exfoliation. Do not exfoliate dry skin – it won’t feel pleasant and may damage your skin.

2. Take a small amount of coffee scrub and massage it onto your skin using gentle circular motions. Spend more time on areas with thicker skin such as knees, elbows and heels. Full body scrub application should take you about 3-5 min. You don’t want to scrub longer than that to avoid over-exfoliation.

3. After exfoliating, leave the coffee scrub to sit on your skin for 10-20 min. This will give time for caffeine to do its job. You can absolutely just do a quick scrub and that’s it. But the longer you let it sit on your skin and absorb, the better results you will see in regard to cellulite and skin tightness.

4. Rinse the coffee scrub off your skin using warm water. Make sure you wash off all residue and coffee grounds.

5. Pat dry your skin with a towel and apply your favorite moisturizer or body oil. Skincare products applied to your skin after a body scrub and a warm shower will absorb faster and work more effectively.

 

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU USE THE COFFEE SCRUB?

To get the best results, it’s recommended to use coffee scrubs 2-3 times a week. This will help keep your skin smooth and prevent ingrown hairs. Additionally, the regular application of caffeine can improve the appearance of your skin.

HOW TO USE COFFEE SCRUB FOR FACE

Coffee scrubs are not just for your body – they can also be used on your face. Coffee scrubs are packed with antioxidants that can help improve circulation, reduce puffiness and give your skin a healthy, radiant glow.

Coffee scrubs are generally gentle enough to be used on the face, but be aware of any added exfoliators. Many coffee scrubs come with added sugar or salt granules for extra exfoliation. Such scrubs shouldn’t be used on the face as both sugar and salt granules are too harsh.

It is generally recommended to use a coffee scrub for face 1-2 times a week. Start with 1 time a week at first and see how your skin reacts. Pay attention to how your skin feels and adjust the frequency accordingly.

Can coffee scrubs be used by people of all skin types?

Coffee scrubs can be used on all skin types, except sensitive type or those with damaged skin barrier. This is a common rule for all physical scrubs, not only the coffee ones.

Can coffee scrubs cause acne or breakouts?

Coffee grounds cannot cause breakouts but other ingredients used in a coffee scrub can. A common culprit are oils used in a coffee scrub. Make sure you wash off the oils completely after scrubbing to avoid a breakout.

Can coffee scrubs be used together with other skincare products?

Coffee scrubs, same as other scrubs, can be used together with other skincare products. In fact, exfoliation will enhance the absorption of other skincare products.

After exfoliation with a coffee scrub, rinse it off and apply your other skincare products such as toners, serums and moisturizers.

Tips for using coffee scrub on a face

– Avoid scrubbing too hard. The skin on our face is more sensitive than the skin on the rest of our body, so it requires a gentler approach when it comes to exfoliation. To avoid irritation and inflammation, be sure to use a gentle touch when exfoiating your face and avoid scrubbing too aggressively.

– Coffee scrubs are not created the same. When choosing a scrub for your face, pay attention to other ingredients added. Scrubs with added sugar or salt granules are not suitable for the face. Additionally, coffee scrubs can be oil-based, soap-based or lotion-based. The best option will depend on your skin type.

– Rinse thoroughly. After using the scrub, be sure to rinse your skin thoroughly with warm water to remove all traces of the scrub. 

– Follow up with a moisturizer of your choice. After exfoliation follow up with a moisturizer to help nourish and protect your skin. I recommend this step even if you are using an oil-based coffee scrub.

– Don’t overdo it. The less is more when it comes to exfoliating your face. This is a tip not only for using coffee scrubs, but for any scrubs on your face. While coffee scrubs can be beneficial for your skin, it’s important not to overdo it. Once or twice a week is generally sufficient for most skin types.

HOW TO USE COFFEE SCRUB WITHOUT CLOGGING THE DRAIN

DO COFFEE SCRUBS DARKEN THE SKIN?

Coffee scrubs, same as other types of scrubs, help fade excess pigment, reduce discoloration, and even out the skin tone. Meaning that it can make your skin lighter, but not darker.

If you find that your skin appears darker after using the scrub, it’s possible that you didn’t wash it off thoroughly.

CAN COFFEE SCRUBS CAUSE IRRITATION OR DRYNESS?

If used on a sensitive skin or too often, coffee scrubs can cause irritation and dryness. To prevent this, be gentle when exfoliating and don’t do it too often. Like I mentioned in the post earlier, exfoliate your body no more than 3 times a week and your face no more than twice a week. Additionally, be sure to moisturize after exfoliating to help keep the skin healthy and glowing.

 

I hope you found this information helpful. Let me know in the comments if I should include more sections or answer more questions about using coffee scrubs.