One way to re-purpose those used coffee grounds after your morning brew is to make your own exfoliating coffee scrub. There are lots of different recipes you can try, but this one is my favourite!
Homemade scrubs are brilliant for exfoliating and moisturising your skin. They contain all natural ingredients, are quick to make, and are so much more cost effective than store bought beauty products.
And of course, package free!
Since starting my zero waste journey I have cut out so many bathroom products and replaced many with homemade versions. I also realised many were completely unnecessary.
Anyway, that's another story! You can read more about reducing bathroom waste here.
A coffee scrub isn't an absolutely essential item but it's incredibly nice to have and a fantastic way to reuse coffee grinds. It also makes a beautiful handmade gift.
If you're a gardener, homemade scrubs are incredibly handy for scrubbing away dirt and leaving your hands feeling and smelling great.
The coffee grinds act as a gentle abrasive while the oil replaces lost moisture.
For a rougher scrub, substitute the brown sugar with raw sugar. (Personally, I find this a little too rough on my skin)
This recipe uses liquid coconut oil because it remains in a liquid state when it's cold, meaning it wont mess with your drains and is safe to use with septic systems.
You can replace coconut oil with any liquid oil like olive or almond.
Coconut Coffee Scrub Ingredients
3 Tablespoons of coffee grinds (preferably already used)
2 Tablespoons of Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon of Desiccated Coconut
3 Tablespoons of liquid Coconut Oil
You can measure out the dry ingredients in the jar you plan to use first if you prefer as I have done above. This helps to make just the quantity you need.
The quantities in this recipe should be plenty and last you a few weeks.
I'm never perfectly exact with my measurements and for this recipe you don't need to be too precise.
Do use liquid oil (coconut and olive oil both work well)
You want it to be liquid when cold not solid and sticking to your pipes
The brown sugar can be substituted for Regular sugar OR plain salt (BUT brown is the best in my humble opinion)
If you don't have desiccated coconut, you can leave it out or source exact quantities, package-free at a bulk store.
How To Make Your Coffee Scrub
This is such a simple recipe and makes enough to fill a small jar for personal use that should last a week or two depending how often you use use it.
I've stuck to tablespoon measurements so it is easy to double, triple or even quadruple the recipe to make several jars of your scrub at a time.
Step 1.
Measure out and place all the ingredients into a mixing bowl.
Step 2.
Mix until well combined.
The consistency should look crumbly but not dry.
If it's too oily, add a little more coffee and sugar, if it's dry add a little more oil.
Step 3.
Place into a jar or container with a well fitting lid.
I keep all my jars and store them away for recipes like this. If you're having trouble removing old labels, here's my simple method that works great.
This coffee scrub is ready to use straight away either in the shower or as a hand scrub.
Simply spoon out the desired quantity and mix with a little water in your hand and rub it on.
This scrub smells so yummy. The aroma of coffee with sugar and coconut makes me happy in the morning.
If your making this for Christmas gifts, add a little cinnamon and a few drops of sweet orange or peppermint essential oil for a more festive aroma.
I hope you enjoy this homemade coffee scrub recipe as much as I do.
Don't forget to pin this for later!