Beauty Product of the Week: Coffee, Anyone?

Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to present you with one of the best beauty hacks I have ever encountered in my long, interesting, long, adventure-filled, long years of life. Coffee. It wakes a great many people up in the mornings, it's an essential ingredient in any fika, no mid-morning break would be complete without it, etc, etc, etc. It even comes in dessert and decaf varieties, for when it's late and you just need to feel that silky smoothness sliding across your tongue, or for when it's not and you're a mere mortal who cannot handle the awesome power of caffeine racing through your veins.

For most people, that's the end of coffee's usefulness. It tastes good going in, it comes out at inconvenient times, and it wears off far too soon. And those left over coffee grounds are just a pain in your butt, clogging up the machine and making a mess of everything if you accidentally spill them. Urg, best to get rid of those as soon as possible.

Except, you might want to consider keeping those grounds for a few minutes longer, because let me tell you, they are beauty gold. Here's what to do to take your next shower or DIY spa day to the next level.

Kaija's Super Awesome DIY Coffee Scrub

1 part Epsom salts

3 parts used, dried coffee grounds

Several drops of your favorite essential oils (Optional)

After you have about three handfuls of this stuff mixed up, step into your shower and get yourself nice and wet. Then just pick up a handful and start scrubbing. It'll look a little bit like you just took a run through five kilometers of muddy swampland, but it'll leave your skin perfectly exfoliated and baby-soft. As with any exfoliant, remember to moisturize afterwards.

Kaija's Super Duper Awesome DIY Coffee Face Mask

1 freshly used batch of coffee grounds

2 tablespoons of milk or cream

A dash of honey

A pinch of cocoa (optional)

Mix the above ingredients into a paste, pull your hair back, and smear it all over. Just make sure to avoid your eyes, mouth, and nostrils. This recipe might sound delish, but used coffee grounds are anything but.

You can also use plain old used coffee grounds as a quick hand or foot scrub to beat callouses and get rid of unpleasant odors.

If coffee just isn't your cup of tea, experiment! Replace coffee grounds with used tea leaves in the above recipes and get scrubbin'. 

Keep being beautiful! Kaija out.

Disclaimer: Although Kaija used to be a beauty blogger and likes to think she has some idea of what she's talking about, always take into account your personal needs, allergies, and sensitivities, and remember basic safety and fire hazard precautions before trying anything new. Failing that, call you're mum; she'll know what to do. *thumbs up*