DIY Body Scrubs: Coffee + Green Tea

My friend Paula and I like to get creative when we hang out. Whether it’s making a new recipe or concocting a new mixed drink we like to get a little inventive. So it was no surprise that when I made plans with her last week she sent me a text that read “We are making body scrubs!!!”

She works at Starbucks so of course we ended up making a coffee body scrub. The second scrub was made with green tea, which seemed a little strange at first but once I did a little research on the skin benefits of green tea it all made sense!

Coffee can stimulate blood flow and circulation because of its caffeine content. Ground coffee works as a natural exfoliant to buff away dry skin and leaves you feeling soft and smooth. I could go on for hours regarding the benefits of Coconut oil, but I’m sure you’re aware! I usually use Epsom Salts but this time I used raw sugar which also acts as an exfoliant and helps hold the two other ingredients together.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Coconut oil
• 1 1/2 cup raw sugar (or epsom salts)
• 1/2 cup ground coffee
• mixing bowl
• airtight container

Directions

• Add Coconut oil first. I like to microwave it so it becomes liquid but you can use it solid at room temperature too.
• Slowly pour in sugar, stirring as you go
• Add coffee grounds and stir until you have a sand-like texture. If it’s too wet, add more sugar. If it’s too dry add more Coconut Oil
• Store in an airtight container

I knew that green tea was an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. I drink it all the time and aside from enjoying the flavour I enjoy the health benefits as well (bye bye bloated tummy!) What I didn’t know was that when applied topically it has been shown to slow down some signs of aging and helps to brighten the skin. The recipe is very similar to the one above so I’ve shortened it a bit.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Coconut oil
• 1 1/2 cup of suger
• 1 tbsp matcha powder
• 2 green tea bags
• mixing bowl
• airtight container

Directions

• Add coconut oil first
• Mix in sugar
• Open green tea bags and pour tea leaves into the bowl, discard the bags
• Add green tea powder and mix until you have a sand-like texture. If it’s too wet, add more sugar. If it’s too dry add more Coconut Oil
• Store in an airtight container

And that’s it! These are fun to make and are great as gifts as well. If you are looking for a more natural body scrub you should definitely give these a try!