Project DIY: Coffee Exfoliant

Hi Guys!

My name is Sorren Isler and I write a personal style blog (classic noise) that also touches on food, my upcoming wedding, design and the occasional DIY.  Below is my home beauty post: DIY Coffee Exfoliant. I hope you enjoy the post! :)

With winter and cold air knocking at the front door, it's time to start thinking about a new skin regime to beat the season! This coffee exfoliant not only scrubs the winter-skin-blues away, but also keeps a gal's skin in tip-top shape for the return of the warmth and sunshine.

I first stumbled upon the idea of a DIY coffee exfoliant back in the winter of 2008 with a professional aesthetician. Since then, I have experimented with a few different recipes and measurements, finally discovering a balance that I love. All ingredients are items that you likely already have stocked in your kitchen, however I would caution that premium coffee is not meant for this - it is meant for drinking, enjoying and then remembering how much you love a good cup of coffee.

What you'll need:

1 cup coffee grounds
The coarser, the better. This is somewhat subjective. Coarser grounds will offer a more intense exfoliation, where asfiner ones will be softer. I enjoy medium. Also, the cheaper, the better. I lucked out because my finace is a coffee snob and turned his nose up at a full can of coffee, leaving it for me- naturally I choose to rub all over my skin ...like you do.

3 Tablespoons Oil
The oils job is to act as a moisturizer. It will be added to thecoffee to create movement and soften your grains. I'm not a big fan of a slushy exfoliant so I stick to a modest amount of oil (also more cost-effective). If you do like a looser scrub, you can add up to 2/3 cup, but do so incrementally to play it safe.

Massage Oil
The first time I made this exfoliant I used a no-scent massage oil. It was alright. I lost it in the move and then discovered that oils found in your kitchen are better! Not only are they more natural, they can offer more benefits to your skin than a massage oil can.

Coconut Oil
I now use coconut oil. Iwas drawn to it because I thought coffee and coconut would complement eachother, but it's health benefits are pretty impressive too!

Grapeseed Oil
I may try this oil next time. The health benefits are also incredibly impressive.

Olive Oil
This is a heavier oil, so it is best saved for the winter and other times your skin is prone to dryness. It's health benefits are also worth noting.

1 Tablespoon Sugar
The sugar helps to create movement between the coffee grounds,as well as acts as an exfoliant in itself and increases circulation. You can choose between brown, cane or white sugar. I chose white, however brown sugar offers a sweeter fragrance.

Fragrance
Honestly, this is really unnecessary. I had some Vanilla Body Shop perfume oil leftover from back in the day so I added a few drops to sweeten the coffee scent. It added a soft vanilla scent but was not overly obvious.

Vanilla Extract
It will do the samething, and may also thin the scrub a bit. I would keep it to half a teaspoon.

Cinnamon
Will enhance the coffee scent and add a little kick.

A Jar

Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. At first you wont notice the the oil moving through the coffee grounds, but keep mixing and it will coat evenly. And that's it!

How to Use Exfoliant:

Use scrub only once a week. Use a body wash prior to the scrub for ease of application and better movement. Rinse after exfoliation, but do not re-wash with soap or body wash. The scrub is messy, so make sure to rinse the tub out when you're done! 

--Sorren Isler
http://classicnoise.blogspot.com

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