While I believe that a cup of coffee is all that I need to kick start my day, I also believe in the goodness of coffee in skin care. The rejuvenating and exhilarating fragrance of coffee can literally make not just a dull day brighter, but also give a boost of refreshment and nourishment to dull skin!

Whether you use it as a scrub to exfoliate dead cells and promote new skin, or to get rid of cellulite or just as a relaxing massage bar, coffee has multitudes of skin enhancing benefits that you’ll truly love.

Let’s look at some easy to make recipes right at your home with coffee grounds and other essentials that your skin will thank you for!

This basic scrub is your go-to scrub to get rid of dead cells and promote skin rejuvenation. Comprising of just three ingredients, you can play around with the essential oils you want in this scrub depending on your skin type. I always stick to lavender and chamomile for its soothing properties.

What you need:

• 3 tbsps. of finely ground coffee beans

• 4 tbsps. of carrier oil. Use coconut oil if you have very dry skin, else stick to oils of sesame, almond, argan or marula

• 5-6 drops of your favorite essential oils

To make the scrub

• Mix all the ingredients in a clean glass bowl. If you want a drippy consistency, you can add some rose water in the scrub.

• Scoop out a bit and start with the lower part of the body and use gentle circular motions to apply the scrub all over the body. Massaging the body with the scrub will also boost the blood circulation.

• Do not apply this on the face. Let the scrub stay for at least 15 minutes after your have applied it.

• Turn on the shower and let the steam of the hot water seep into your skin for a few minutes.

• Before you step into the shower, make sure the water is lukewarm and use a gentle chemical-free body wash along with a loofah to clean the scrub.

You need not apply a body lotion on your skin since the oils in the scrub will naturally moisturize your skin. If your skin is extremely dry, then use a mild body lotion.

Give your lips a plump and soft look with this hydrating and decadent lip scrub. You can use this scrub not more than once a week as using it too often can cause abrasions as the skin of your lips is softer.

What you need:

• 1 tsps. of finely ground coffee beans

• ½ tsp. of coconut oil

• A pinch of finely granulated brown sugar

To make the scrub

Mix all the ingredients in a clean glass bowl. Apply on the lips and give it a very light scrub. Let it stay for 2 minutes and wash off. You will need to wash your face with a moisturizer if the oil makes your lips feel sticky. The scrub helps to reduce the pigmentation on the lips and keeps your lip soft. Apply a lip balm after your have cleansed your face.

A cellulite wrap helps to draw out excess water and helps to boost the blood circulation apart from giving your skin a toned look. You can use this wrap twice a week on cellulite affected areas to tone the fat cells and remove the toxins and impurities from your body.

What you need:

• Finely ground coffee beans (as much as you need)

• Carrier oils. Use coconut oil if you have very dry skin, else stick to oils of sesame, almond, argan or marula.

• 1 tbsp of sea salt

• Any clay – Multani mitti or green clay to make a paste

• 2 cups of water

• A pan

• Cling wrap

To make the cellulite wrap

Take two cups of water and get it to a rolling boil. Take it off the gas stove and add all the ingredients. Stir well till the mixture becomes a paste that can be easily applied on the skin. Add some more water if the paste is too thick. It should be an easy to spread consistency.

When the paste is still warm, apply on the cellulite affected areas and use a cling wrap to seal in the mask. Let it stay for 30 minutes. Wash off with lukewarm water and gentle cleansing soap or a chemical body wash. Apply a moisturizer post a bath.

Probably one of my favorite recipes to soothe the skin and alleviate those pains and aches. Just take this massage bar and gently spread the bar all over your body and give yourself a gentle massage.

What You Need

• 2 tbsp each of cocoa and shea butter

• 2 tbsp each of coconut and argan carrier oils

• 1 tsp of ground coffee beans

• 10 drops of essential oils of eucalyptus, lavender and peppermint essential oils

• A glass bowl

• An aluminum tin

To make the body butter

• Take a sauce pan and fill it with water.

• Place the glass bowl on the pan, with the base touching the boiling water.

• Add the butters and reduce the flame. Let the butters melt.

• Remove from flame and add the coconut and argan oil.

• Mix well and add the coffee beans and the essential oils.

• Pour this mixture into the aluminum tin.

The reason why I use an aluminum tin is because it is easy to pop the bar out and massage your body. The coffee grounds exfoliate the skin gently as you massage, while the essential oils help reduce pain and calm the body. Follow up with a warm to hot shower for further relaxation.

• Always use fresh coffee grounds. Do not use readymade coffee.

• Grind the scrubs to a very fine powder so that it does not cause any abrasions to the skin when you apply it.

• Use carrier oils according to your skin type when mixing with the coffee grinds. Coconut oil is best suited for dry skin. Else, opt for low comedogenic carrier oils like Argan, Marula, Sesame or Almond.

• You can use a variety of essential oils in the scrubs as well. Essential oils like lavender, chamomile and ylang-ylang have soothing properties. Essential oils like peppermint and tea tree can help combat body odor and treat acne as well. Essential oils of orange and lemon add a zesty fragrance that keeps your skin energized and refreshed all through the day.

(Pratibha Pal spent her childhood in idyllic places only fauji kids would have heard of. She grew up reading a variety of books that let her imagination wander and still hopes to come across the Magic Faraway Tree.You can view her blog at www.pratsmusings.com or reach to her on Twitter at @myepica.)