Quick answer: To make a coffee scrub at home, mix 1 cup of finely ground coffee with 1 cup of sugar or salt and 1/2 cup of melted coconut oil, plus cinnamon or vanilla if you like. Massage it gently onto damp skin in the shower, rinse with lukewarm water and moisturize. It exfoliates dead skin; any effect on cellulite is modest and temporary.
Coffee scrubs are a popular DIY skincare product, especially for people hoping to smooth the look of cellulite. You don’t need to buy one from an expensive beauty brand: you can make one at home with a few everyday ingredients and know exactly what is in it.
A coffee scrub is an exfoliating paste. The small coffee grounds act as an abrasive that sloughs off dead skin cells, leaving your skin feeling smoother.
In this guide 5 sections
What are the benefits of a coffee scrub?
Exfoliation
Your skin is covered by a thin layer of dead skin cells. Exfoliating removes them and leaves skin looking smoother and brighter, and it can help keep pores from getting clogged. Use the scrub before your other skincare products so they go onto freshly exfoliated skin.
Be gentle, though. Scrubbing too hard or too often can irritate your skin, and if you have acne, overusing scrubs can make it worse. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that scrubs and other mechanical exfoliation may be too irritating for sensitive or acne-prone skin, and suggests a mild chemical exfoliant instead. If that’s your skin type, keep the coffee scrub for your body.
Moisture
The coconut oil in the scrub leaves a moisturizing layer on your skin, which can help dry skin on your body feel softer.
Cellulite
Caffeine is a common ingredient in anti-cellulite creams. A small study of 15 women found that a caffeine cream used twice a day for six weeks modestly improved the look of cellulite. A coffee scrub that you rinse off isn’t the same as a leave-on cream, and no scrub can get rid of cellulite. At best, exfoliating and massaging the skin may make it look a little smoother for a while.
How do you make a coffee scrub at home?
Ingredients
- 1 cup of fresh, finely ground coffee
- 1 cup of sugar or salt (sugar is gentler)
- 1/2 cup of coconut oil
- 1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon (optional)
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract (optional)
- A small container, such as a mason jar
Steps
- Mix the ground coffee and the sugar or salt in your container.
- Melt the coconut oil if it is solid, using any gentle heat source, and stir it into the mixture.
- Add the cinnamon and vanilla extract, if using.
- Let the mixture cool and set, then close the jar.
How do you use a coffee scrub?
- Use it in the shower on damp skin, before your other skincare products.
- Massage a thin layer gently onto your skin in small circular motions for about 30 seconds. For areas with cellulite, focus on those spots.
- Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.
- Follow with a moisturizer.
Start with once or twice a week and see how your skin reacts; stop if it becomes red or irritated. Rinsing lots of coffee grounds and oil down the drain isn’t great for your plumbing, so see our guide to putting coffee grounds down the sink.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use a coffee scrub on your face?
You can, gently and not too often, if your skin isn’t sensitive or acne-prone. Choose sugar rather than salt, which is harsher. If your skin is sensitive or prone to breakouts, use the scrub on your body only.
Can you use used coffee grounds for a coffee scrub?
Yes. Spent grounds still exfoliate. A scrub is one of many uses for coffee grounds.
Does a coffee scrub get rid of cellulite?
No. It can make skin feel smoother and may temporarily improve how cellulite looks, but it doesn’t remove it.
Buy a ready-made coffee scrub
Don’t have time to make your own? This is the coffee scrub my mom uses, and now I use it more than she does. Check out the price and reviews at Amazon.
Coffee is a versatile ingredient. For other ideas beyond your cup, see cooking with coffee or browse our guide to the different types of coffee.
This article is for general information and isn’t medical advice.