GROUNDS FOR #BEAUTY

If you’re looking for natural beauty products, look no further than your used coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are a great exfoliating body scrub. Simply mix with some warm water and your favorite all-natural oil, then scrub from head to toe.

To make a natural alpha-hydroxy, antioxidant facial mask, combine two tablespoons of used coffee grounds, two tablespoons organic cocoa powder, three tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream, and a heaping tablespoon of honey. Mix together and apply to your face. Sit back and relax while the natural elements work their magic on your skin.

Coffee grounds will also remove built-up residue from hair care products. Before shampooing, massage a handful of used grounds into your hair. The coarse texture of the grounds will release the product residue without damaging your tresses.

Want to get rid of that cellulite? Try coffee grounds. Scrub coffee grounds mixed with warm water over cellulite affected areas of your skin for ten minutes twice a week. You should start to see results in about a month.

BEAUTY WITH NICOLE-- DIY BEAUTY RECIPES

Beauty editor Nicole Emmerling has some DIY beauty tips for us today, and just wait till you hear what the main ingredient is! -- AP

Anastasia, last week you offered a tip for adding coffee to chocolate dessert recipes. That got me thinking about some beauty uses I’ve come across for coffee grounds.

You can make a great body scrub by mixing 1-1/2 cups leftover coffee grounds with enough olive oil so that mixture isn’t dry and crumbly, about 1/4 cup. While in the shower, rub the coffee grounds over your body, then rinse. You’ll exfoliate and soften your skin at the same time! Add a couple of drops of essential oils for an added bit of aroma therapy.

Got cellulite? Vigorously rub coffee grounds on those spots when you shower. Supposedly, the stimulant in the coffee breaks down fat deposits in those areas. I don’t know if this is fact or fiction, but it’s worth a try for those of you with cellulite.

Want a new twist on an herbal body wrap? Rub fresh unbrewed coffee grounds over your body, then wrap your body in plastic wrap (not your face!.) Put on a heavy robe or sweat suit. Sit in a warm place like a steamy bathroom for an hour. Some people claim you can actually lose up to 10 inches all over your body by doing this. I'm rather skeptical about this one as I don't see how the coffee grounds will stay on your skin as you try to wrap yourself, not to mention how you'd lose inches, but if any of you are daring enough to give it a try, let us know if it works. Maybe you lose inches by sweating off water weight, but you'd probably just put it all back on, and wouldn't you sweat just as much without the coffee grounds?

Finally, for those of you still foolish enough to bake in the sun to acquire a tan, here's a tip for replenishing that tan as it begins to fade. Rub coffee grounds on your body and leave for 30 minutes. Or sponge room temperature brewed coffee on your skin. Don’t rinse for 20-30 minutes. Maybe this one will also work to darken untanned skin, saving you from all those harmful rays. Again, if you're daring enough to try it, let us know how it works.

Hmm…losing 10” in an hour with coffee? I wonder if it does work. What about the rest of you? Anyone else think they’ll try any of these DIY ideas? Let’s hear from you. -- AP