Beauty routine: how to recycle coffee grounds

For your body

Tonic

Studies show that caffeine is an excellent component to mitigate various skin blemishes. In fact, it performs a firming function and helps microcirculation. After preparing and enjoying your espresso, americano or cafè au lait…give a second life to the coffee grounds!

For example, let’s make a scented and effective scrub, with this recipe:

• coffee pucks

• almond or olive oil

• rock salt

• unsweetened cocoa powder

• 2-3 drops of sour orange essential oil

Just mix well and then apply the scrub with circular massages, from the bottom up. For an intensified action, you can wrap your legs with plastic wrap and wait 15 minutes. Then, rinse with warm water. This treatment can be repeated up to twice a week.

Rinvigorating

In order to make a regenerating cream for your skin, you can follow this easy recipe:

• coffee grounds

• 2 tablespoons of natural plain yogurt

After mixing the two ingredients, apply the cream with circular movements and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then, rinse. Your skin will become smooth and silky.

For your face

Cleansing and purifing

Besides, to cleanse and purify the face, it can be useful to create a mask. Just mix one or two coffee grounds with a teaspoon of almond oil and one of honey. Apply it on the face for 10 minutes, carefully avoiding the eye area. The result will be a purified and hydrated skin.

Hydrating

Furthermore, coffee can help very dry skin, making it soft. To the coffee grounds, add honey and half a crushed banana in a bowl. To emulsify the mixture, add a few drops of extravirgin olive oil or coconutoil. Apply the mask on your face and leave on for 10 minutes. When finished, rinse with warm water and apply a tonic.

Anti-wrinkle

Moreover, coffee is said to be effective on wrinkles as well. By increasing the blood flow of the micro capillary areas, it drains fluids and relaxes the skin. Try to prepare a mask with 3 tablespoons of ground coffee and add a splash of milk so to get a creamy consistency. Massage carefully on your face and leave for about 20 minutes. Then, remove it with warm water.

Anti-eye bags

Plus, coffee can even reduce swelling under your eyes. In fact, it stimulates and improves tissue oxygenation. To a coffee ground, add a little lemon juice and plain yogurt. Apply really gently on the eye area. Remove, after 15 minutes, with cotton pads.

For your hands and feet

Smoothing

Either, for smooth and soft hands, combine an espresso coffee ground with the juice of half a lemon, raw cane sugar and olive oil. Massage, exfoliate and remove with water.

Refreshing

Furthermore, to alleviate tired feet, you can make a foot bath. Add coffee pucks to warm water together with a few drops of lavender or mint essential oil. Your feet will be fresh and relieved. Moreover, with coffee grounds, you can soften and smooth the roughest areas, rubbing damp skin.

For your hair

Brightening

In addition, coffee grounds can be used also on your hair. If you have dark hair and you would like to naturally brighten it, ust mix:

• 5 spoons of coffee grounds

• 2-3 spoons of Argan oil (or avocado oil, or almond oil)

After combining the ingredients, apply on hair, toward the ends. Leave on for half an hour and then rinse well.

In conclusion, we can say that coffee really is a powerful and beneficial ingredient. So, next time you’ll make a coffee-based beverage with your Gaggia espresso machine, do not throw away the pucks! Give them a second life. For each drink you make, you will have a true friend for your beauty.