Can’t do without a cup of coffee every morning? Well, your skin feels the same too! 

Research indicates that used coffee grounds have potential properties that make them quite useful in cosmetic industry. Antioxidants in coffee remain in sufficient quantities even after they are spent. Caffeic acid present in coffee is found to increase collagen production that prevents premature aging. 

If you don’t want to use the soggy grounds, simply sun-dry the granules for a couple of days, bottle and use when needed. I usually mix it with organic coconut oil or olive oil and use the mixture for my regular skin routine. Try these to get good results -

• Scrub the dry skin off your body, ideally once in 10 days for that clear smooth skin.  Use chickpea flour (besan) instead of soap to wash off the oil. 

• Coffee grounds are believed to tighten skin and reduce cellulite. Massage the area for 10 minutes in circular motion with coffee granules and wash off with warm water. Massage can break down the fat and increase blood flow. 

• Scrub feet once a week to slough off the white, dry skin around your feet. Coconut oil repairs the thick cracked skin around your heels too making them visibly soft.

So the next time you make yourself a cup of coffee, you know that you have multipurpose use to your spoonful of old grounds. 

(A word of caution - The abrasiveness of coffee grounds can leave sensitive skin with micro tears. Avoid pressure when exfoliating especially facial skin. Also, using too often can make your skin dry and itchy.)