By Stacy Karen, contributing writer
Coffee and cocoa are a delightful combination when it comes to a warm beverage. Turns out, it’s a great mix for natural body care, too!
Body scrubs are a fantastic way to remove dead skin cells and brighten skin, giving it a more youthful and vibrant appearance and a softer smoother feel.Coffee body scrubs are especially invigorating and enjoyable to apply.
Most body scrubs are made by mixing two parts sugar and one part oil. This createsan excellent and effective sugar scrub, but today I want to share a different method of preparing body scrubs that makes them even more nourishing and unique.
Instead of using oil alone, we will be adding cocoa butter. (Other butters would also work well too, but will have different consistencies due to varying degrees of softness/hardness.)
Cocoa butter is a solid butter, so it needs to be melted prior to mixing with the sugar. This adds a little extra work, but I think you’ll findit worthwhile.
By using cocoa butter in the place of oil, we are creating a body care product that is both exfoliating andextremelymoisturizing.Cocoa butter also helps the scrub hold together much better than when using oil alone.
This simple coffee sugar scrub recipe would make a wonderful gift.
If you don’t enjoy the smell of coffee, simply leave it out. The sugar scrub will still be successful and luxurious.
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- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 ounces coconut oil (where to buy)
- 2ounces avocadooil (where to buy –-can be replaced with grapeseed, sweet almond, or sunflower oil)
- 1.25 ounces cocoa butter (where to buy)
- 1 tablespoon ground coffee beans
- Seeds of one vanilla bean (optional) (where to buy)
- Ice (for cooling cocoa butter after it has melted)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Measure the cocoa butter and coconut oil into an oven proof dish, bowl, or loaf pan and place in the oven. Leave until butter has melted (this will only take a few minutes). Carefully remove from the oven.
Fill a large bowl with ice and place the bowl (or pan) with the melted cocoa butter and coconut oil into the ice. Add the avocadooil and stir to combine. Leave to cool for a few minutes.
Don’t forget to tun off the oven!
Let cocoa butter/coconut oil mixture cool until it is slightly warm, but not hot (about 100 degrees). Be careful not to allow the oil/butter mixture to cool completely as it may harden and it should have a thick liquid consistency when adding the sugar.
Begin adding the sugar a little at a time, stirring until it is thoroughly incorporated.
Add the ground coffee and stir to distribute evenly. Then add the vanilla bean seeds, if using.
One you have incorporated all of the sugar and coffee, your coffee sugar scrub recipe is complete. It will continue to thicken as it sets.
If you would like to make the sugar scrub have more of a “whipped” texture and appearance, you may use a handheld beater to beat the mixture a few times as the cocoa butter is cooling. You will need to do this reasonable quickly so it does not harden before you have the chance to put it in a jar.
Package in a pretty jar and add a label.
Notes and warnings
- Please be aware that this homemade sugar scrub is intended for use as a body scrub. It is not to be used as a facial scrub. Scrubs should not be used on windburned, sunburned, or broken skin.
- This coffee sugar scrub recipe can be made even more “chocolatey” by adding 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder.
- White sugar may be used in place of brown, but it will have a different scent. You may also use a combination of white and brown sugar, if desired.
- If you enjoy making scrubs, you might likemy ebook, Simple Scrubs to Make and Give; acomprehensive guide to DIY all-natural body scrubs.
- For other homemade skin care recipes, here are recipes forpeppermint citrus sugar scrub, whipped body butter, and silky DIY lotion for hard-working hands.
Stacy is a preacher’s wife and mom to three children. She is slightly obsessed with DIY projects, especially when they involve herbs or natural body care. She blogs at A Delightful Home, where she shares tips on natural, family living and is the author of Simple Scrubs to Make and Give and DIY Face Masks and Scrubs.
