I am continuing my experiments making my own frugal and sustainable toiletries and cosmetics. This time, as my lodger has access to endless used coffee grounds in the café she works in, I thought I would try a home made coffee scrub.
I have decided that, as my shop bought products run out, I will try to make my own versions using inexpensive natural ingredients. Sometimes I don’t have to go further than the larder to find what I need!
So far, I have made a skin tonic based on cider vinegar and witch hazel, a shea butter moisturiser and now this home made coffee scrub.
There are several reasons why I want to make my own toiletries:
1# It is cheaper
OK, it is possible to buy products that are even cheaper than home made, such as the range in Aldi and Lidl. These are pretty nice to use and very inexpensive. However, I don’t know what’s in them. Which brings me to my next point.
2# They contain fewer chemicals and gentler ingredients
I am keen to reduce our chemical load. Some of the ingredients of products we use every single day have been linked to many different health issues. There has been little if any research on the effects on our long term health when they are all mixed together, but I can’t see such a cocktail adding to my physical well-being!
3# Making my own will cut back on plastic waste
It feels like a tough job (like wading through treacle), but I have been trying to reduce the amount of waste – particularly, but not exclusively, plastic waste – for some years. By making my own toiletries I can reuse plastic or glass containers that I already have, and avoid new containers, plastic film and cardboard from being produced.
This home made coffee scrub also uses coffee grounds that would otherwise be thrown in the bin.
Anyway, this was the concoction I made. It reminds me of the UpCircle coffee face scrub* , which is a nice eco-friendly alternative if you can’t be bothered to make your own. You can see me experimenting on YouTube here. This is my new channel, so please come over, like and subscribe! There will be some more general frugality videos coming soon.
Home made coffee face scrub
Ingredients
3/4 cup used coffee grinds
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup liquid coconut oil (I bought fractionated oil from the Soapery)
1 tsp of vanilla extract
Method
Mix your coffee grounds and sugar together in a bowl. Stir in your fractionated oil and vanilla oil and combine well. Place in a jar with a lid. An old jam jar is ideal.
Use all over your body in the bath or shower. If your coffee grounds are quite fine, this is also suitable for use on your face, but avoid contact with your eyes.
Because of the oil this home made coffee scrub contains, it can make your bath or shower tray slippery, so take care!
The Soapery
Incidentally, I only discovered the Soapery recently and they are a great place to shop for ingredients when you are experimenting with DIY face and body products. They are local to me as well (Ipswich in Suffolk), so I am happy to support them. I am not getting paid for this mention, I have just been impressed by their price and service.
Let me know if you have any favourite DIY concoctions that you have tried, come over and check out my YouTube channel and please join the chat about all things frugal on my Facebook group!
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