We live in a world where people are constantly looking for a way to reduce their environmental impact and to generally be more sustainable.
You may not have considered coffee beans as being something you can use in products other than…well, coffee. However, coffee grounds, rather than going to waste if not used, can actually be used in some impressive DIY beauty products.
Coffee beans can be enjoyed for far more than just making a cup of delicious java. They’re even full of properties that benefit your skin, including antioxidants, so you’re not just adding it to beauty products for the sake of it.
Let’s dive into some DIY beauty products that can incorporate grounds.
Exfoliating Scrub
Coffee grounds, even if they have been used already to prepare a beautiful coffee drink, can be reused in an exfoliating scrub. This can help you to get rid of dead skin cells and enjoy the benefits of antioxidants on your skin.
The coarseness of coffee can help you to exfoliate and open up your pores, and this is a simple product to make yourself at home, to reveal the younger, beautiful skin growing through underneath.
This is a great recipe, that can incorporate used grounds:
Combine the following ingredients in an airtight container:
- 4 tablespoons of coconut oil. Olive oil works as a substitute if coconut is not available.
- 4-6 tablespoons of coffee grounds, it doesn’t matter if these have been used to brew coffee.
- Essential oils to suit your needs, such as lavender or tea tree (great for your skin).
Mix the ingredients together and store in the fridge. Once the scrub has “set” together then it is ready to use by scooping out before rubbing on your skin in circular motions.
Cellulite Scrub
There’s no problem if you want to keep your cellulite as it is. It is not something people should judge you for, right?
However, it’s also fine if you want to try and reduce the cellulite appearance. Coffee grounds can actually increase metabolism of fats and increase your blood circulation. This actually could reduce the severity of any cellulite, and we already know that coffee can help to exfoliate.
You should make sure you use finely ground coffee for this recipe. If you want, you can follow the recipe above for the exfoliating scrub, but we recommend adding some store-bought lotion to this recipe to increase the effectiveness of the scrub on your cellulite.

Coffee Conditioner
Coffee in your conditioner? Really? Yes, your hair can benefit from the benefits of coffee and caffeine.
Have you seen products like caffeine shampoos available in the stores? That’s because caffeine can help to stimulate growth and turn your hair into a more luscious and thick style.
You can also scrub and exfoliate your scalp to get to all of those difficult areas that may even get ingrown hairs, it depends on what your head of hair is usually like.
Making coffee conditioner is all about taking an existing hair conditioner and adding something caffeinated…that means coffee grounds. It doesn’t matter too much how coarsely or finely ground they are, but you should give them time to be absorbed within the conditioner.
We recommend 4-6 tablespoons for a 400-500ml container of conditioner, but this can vary slightly, the benefits of the caffeine will still be present.
Coffee grounds in your shower are far from ideal, so make sure you’ve taken precautions, such as adding a coffee filter over the drain to prevent the grounds from causing you some serious plumbing products.
Coffee Ice Cubes
Coffee ice cubes? Seriously?
These kinds of ice cubes can help dark circles, and with more people spending loads of time on laptops and staring at screens, puffy eyes with dark panda circles can be a real problem.
The coffee can promote blood flow and the ice reduces swelling. They work perfectly.
Brew your grounds (even if they have already had a brew made out of them) into a standard cup of coffee. Let it cool to room temperature before popping it in the freezer. Eventually, the coffee will freeze, and you can wrap it in a thin cloth before dabbing on your eyes. You can leave them around the eyes for a few minutes.
The coffee will probably get through the cloth, which is actually what you want, as this will help to improve the blood flow.
Conclusion
It is time to get creative. We know that coffee has a number of benefits, so why not embrace them when it comes to your beauty and skincare routine?
Some of these DIY beauty products are really quick and easy to create, and they can vastly improve your looks while reducing your waste. Everybody wins!
Share your own coffee-related beauty recipes below if you have some top tips for readers.