Get exfoliated skin this summer with an easy recipe that includes cupboard staples.
Months of cold weather, central heating and covering our bodies with heavy clothing can play havoc with our skin and leave it dry and in need of a good Spring Detox and Scrub before we get our shorts on!
So why Coffee, Sugar, Olive Oil and Grapefruit?
Well for a start they are easy to find, and often already available in your cupboard! Caffeine is a potent source of antioxidant Serine which helps rejuvinate the skin and is also great if you suffer from any kind of breakouts. The coffee rounds combined with the Sugar help exfoliate and remove dead skin cells from the surface of your skin giving it a smooth and glowing feel and look.
Coffee is also a diuretic and can help with the effects of water retention that are associated with dimpled skin and cellulite. It is also thought that coffee helps dilate the blood vessels of the skin which also contributes to the detoxification by improving blood flow and elminating excess water retention
Using Virgin Olive oil as base oil in the recipe helps deeply moisturise the skin and protect against Summer skin dryness. Virgin Olive Oil is a complex ingredient that is packed full of antioxidant and anti aging properties including natural squalene which has been shown to be a collagen regenerator and strengthener.
We use Grapefruit essential oil in our homemade scrubs as not only is it an uplifting, mood boosting and cleansing oil it is also another natural diuretic and therefore useful for water retention and cellulite. It is also easy to get hold of an inexpensive.
The Scrub Recipe:
Coffee, Sugar, Grapefruit and Olive Oil Skin Scrub Recipe:
100ml extra virgin olive oil
100g unrefined brown sugar
(you can use white sugar but brown is unbleached and has all the nutrients still in tact)
50g used coffee grounds
5ml grapefruit essential oil
Combine the ingredients in a bowl and mix well then keep in a sealed tub or jar. If you prefer your scrubs to be more oily and have a less thick consistency then add approx 150ml oil instead. The scrub is messy to apply, so use it while standing in the shower and wash away with the shower turned on once you have fully rubbed your body down with the mix.
The action of scrubbing your skin will also help with any cellulite issues you may have as it will further stimulate blood flow and remove waste products and toxins.
Ideally use the scrub weekly. And be prepared for a little mess! But it is worth doing, it makes your skin feel so wonderful!