Coffee: Good For Your Skin

There are many claims about coffee these days and the health benefits it provides. There are some reports that coffee may reduce certain cancers and even chance of strokes. While ingested coffee is suddenly offering some possible benefits to the inside of your body, I have known for several years that it also benefits my skin.

Years ago, I saw a TV program about some expensive spa that offered coffee body wraps or something of the sort. Being a closet bath and body product maker, I decided to find some recipes and check it out. The claim was that coffee or more specifically can shrink cellulite. So I headed to my kitchen, grabbed the can of Folgers, some almond oil and also some Epsom salt.

I can't say much about the cellulite, as I also had become more active in that period of my life but it did seem to reduce some of the pot holes in my hips area, but once again, I was walking five miles a day as well. I can't really make a claim on this part of the benefits. Here is what I did discover: My skin looked brighter, my eczema seemed to flare up less and with a little experimenting I also discovered my lifelong battle with blackheads were becoming less of a problem. My new coffee scrub had just become my best friend.

I am not a doctor or a professional in any arena of skin care. I made bath and body products as a hobby and have tried just about everything under the sun. These following recipes have been the ones I use the most. Remember, if you are going to store any of these products, they are still a "food" product, use a preservative in them for anything more than a week or two storage time. Vitamin E is always a good choice and easy to find.

Coffee Facial Scrub

½ cup of coffee grounds

¼ cup of Epsom salt

½ cup honey (or enough to moisten the coffee and salt)

1 tsp vitamin E oil

If you have dry skin and can handle oils on your face feel free to add nice quality oil such as almond oil). I have oily skin so I avoid this oil on my face.

Apply to face and scrub gently in circular motion. Leave on for 5 minutes or so as a mask if you like. Avoid eye or other sensitive areas.

You will be amazed at how easily your blackheads begin to fall always with this scrub.

My Favorite Eczema Treatment

I am not a doctor and make no claims on this other than to say it has helped me.

½ cup ground coffee

¼ cup Epsom salt

¼ cup honey

¼ cup olive oil

Vitamin E oil (if storing this item)

Apply liberally to affected area cover with plastic wrap (avoid plastic near face or other areas that should be allowed to breath), this is not recommended for sensitive areas of the body such as inside the nose, genitals, etc... use common sense in this process. Apply a heating pad for extra effect and allow to soak in for 5-20 minutes. Rinse after use. This is a process that is normally best before a shower.

Basic Make My Skin Feel Yummy Coffee Scrub

1 cup ground coffee

¼ cup Epsom salt

¼ cup sugar

1-1.5 cups almond oil

Essential oil of choice (be aware some EO's can burn skin, test before using and always use a carrier oil such as almond oil) for scent or added aromatherapy benefits if you like.

It's best to put newspapers or something on the floor of your bathroom. Apply liberally to your skin from the neck down (again avoiding sensitive areas where any of these items could cause a reaction), then turn on the shower and rinse it off. You just gave yourself a spa treatment that costs hundreds of dollars in a luxury spa for less than $5.00 depending on the brand of your ingredients.

Of course if you are going to pamper yourself in such luxury, you must finish off with a wonderful piece of chocolate and a cup of hot coffee for added pampering benefits to your soul.

Sources: Embedded