Reason To Love Coffee No. 56331

Like most women (and some men. Awroight!), I love my skin to be soft, smooth and most of all, healthy. I've got to live in this skin for a long time! I can't go anywhere without it so I better treat it right so we can get along. Genetically, I have problem skin; incredibly sensitive skin, unpredictable and fickle. At the present moment, my skin is acting really stank and I don't know what her problem is but she needs to get it together soon. We can't be friends if she's gonna keep being so wishy-washy....stankin' heffa...

I often have difficulty finding the right product combinations to keep my skin healthy. Sometimes they work great....for a week or two, then it seems like my skin becomes immune and it doesn't do anything for me. It's hard for me to find a good moisturizer that won't either clog my pores, wear off in 30 minutes or make my face as oily as the back of Al Sharpton's neck after a press n' curl!

As I stated, right now my skin being particularly resistant to my current regimen. During these times, I like to exfoliate at least once a week. I remembered reading something a while back about the health benefits of coffee and caffeine on your skin. I couldn't find the article but I found other documentation that informed me of the following:

Caffeine has been proven to increase blood flow, which can be extremely beneficial in the topical treatment of cellulite. By improving circulation to the areas where cellulite occurs, you can facilitate the breakdown and removal of this unsightly cottage cheese condition. Women in South America who use this ingredient in skin creams have found that caffeine can also temporarily give a plumping and smoothing effect to skin. Caffeine can also act as a vasorestrictor – meaning that it can tighten and shrink blood vessels. - CareFair.com

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition performed a study that found a serving of coffee held more antioxidants than a serving of several fruits, including oranges and blueberries. In fact, coffee (and the caffeine it contains) may be the most widespread source of antioxidant intake for the average American. Both orally and topically, caffeine appears to provide antioxidant protection from free radicals. - Sue Chung, Healthcarecentral.com

One particularly promising study suggested that topical caffeine may also repair UV damage - and that it may prove to be a stronger antioxidant than certain green tea polyphenols, currently among the strongest and best-researched antioxidants around. (On a related note, coffeeberry, which comes from the fruit of the coffee plant, is also getting a lot of attention lately as the next big antioxidant.) - Leslie Baumann, M.D., Yahoo Health

Varicose veins: Many people accept varicose veins as a necessary evil--either as a sign of getting older or a predisposition inherited from Mom or Dad. Now with a coffee body scrub, you may be able to prevent varicose veins or even make them vanish! The caffeine in a coffee scrub acts as a vascular restrictor--shrinking blood vessels, thus helping to reduce varicose veins.- Casey Nicholas, HowToDoThings.com

So a few weeks ago I made a Coffee & Brown Sugar body scrub. When I find something great, I have to share it with others who have also difficult skin. This is a great scrub to use even if you don't have problems with your skin. Exfoliating your skin is important to make removes the outer surface of dead skin cells and rejuvenates your skin. It also gives my skin a little glow. Here's my recipe for Brown Sugar - Coffee Body scrub. The smell of this mixture is delicious! If you search the Internet, there are many different recipes using different essential oils. I like this combo:

Brown Sugar
Cup coffee grounds
Almond oil
Vitamin E oil (Lots!)
Honey (added moisture)
EVOO (I don't measure the Olive Oil. Just keep add it until you have the consistency you desire)

Once I've mixed all the ingredients in a bowl, I put them in a small glass jar with a lid and keep it in the shower. You can find the jars anywhere, Ikea, Target, Walmart, Peir 1.

Abrasive scrubs are not recommended use for your face because skin is very vulnerable and thin in some areas. If you want a face scrub, I'd say use finely ground coffee, or just brown sugar with more oil. I do use the coffee/brown sugar on my face but I make sure to rub carefully and gently. If you're like my sister, the olive oil may not fare well on your face. It all depends on your skin type. Remember to rub lightly when exfoliated any part of your body. If you rub too hard, your skin will appear dull and will feel raw. I always exfoliate my entire body standing in the shower and I work from my legs up. Also, I usually take this time to deep condition my hair. Moisten your skin first with warm water and after you've exfoliated your body, rinse with cold water (or as cool as you can stand it. It's not pleasant) to seal in the moisture.

GREAT TIP: After you've rinsed all the grounds and sugar from your skin, and before you wash the oils off with soap, take that time to shave. The oil is a superior alternative to shaving cream. It also lubricates the blades for a closer shave. Make sure you get all the grounds and sugar off your skin before you shave.

OH! CAUTION: Be careful in the tub. It gets slippery while your standing there. To remove the oil, use your regular house cleanser and a scrub pad or brush to get the tub clean. Also, I've heard the that coffee may have dyeing effects to the surfaces in your shower and your hair. I haven't experienced either of these things.

I hope you try this and enjoy it. Let me know how you liked it.