DIY Coffee Body Scrub

Many conventional body scrubs (and face washes) contain plastic microbeads, which are used to exfoliate the skin. Unfortunately, those microbeads are so small that they pass right through our filtration systems and eventually end up in lakes, rivers, and oceans soaking up environmental toxins like DDT and flame retardants.

As an alternative to body scrubs using plastic microbeads, many decide to make their own scrubs. We asked our friend Sua from the blog Feed Your Glow to share one of her popular body scrubs and explain why exfoliating is healthy for our skin.

Feed You Glow is all about eating and living whole ~ a lifestyle that reaches beyond a good diet, taking an integrative approach to health, wellness and beauty. It incorporates self-care, self-love and nourishing your body from the inside out with whole, nutrient-dense foods to get you to your glowing and most radiant self. 

EXFOLIATING SKIN

1) Exfoliating clears away dead skin and environmental toxins that build up on the surface of your skin every... single... day. Your skin is constantly turning over in the winter, so exfoliating is even more important during this time.

**If you have dry skin and you feel like the moisturizer you put on just sits on top of your skin, you're not exfoliating enough.

2) Exfoliating encourages new cell renewal - which leads to brighter and smoother skin. We all need a bit of that :)

3) Exfoliating kick-starts collagen production and preps the skin to better absorb nutrients by eliminating clogged pores. 

COFFEE BODY SCRUB
This scrub tones your body like nobody's business and leaves your skin incredibly soft and oh-so-smooth. Take your leftover coffee grounds and make this incredible edible exfoliating scrub. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ground coffee
• 7 Tbsp coconut oil
• 2 Tbsp coconut palm sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
• Dry brush (optional)

Directions: 

1. 1. Combine all the ingredients in a jar, making sure to mix well.
2. 2. If you have a dry brush, brush all over before jumping in the shower with your scrub.
3. 3. Once brushed, massage the coffee scrub starting from the feet moving up to your neck.
4. 4. Leave the scrub on your body for around 15-20 minutes then rinse with warm water.

Repeat 1-2 times a week.

Benefits:

1. Coffee is an anti-inflammatory. The caffeine not only tightens and firms, it also improves skin circulation.

2. Coconut Oil locks in serious moisture and is full of vitamins and minerals for your skin.

3. Coconut Palm Sugar is an amazing texture for deeper exfoliation.

4. Cinnamon is not only an anti-inflammatory, it brings blood and nutrients to the surface of the skin. Note: not recommended for those with sensitive skin). 

WHAT TYPES OF BODY SCRUBS DO YOU USE FOR EXFOLIATING?