Coffee Scrub - ThinnerTimes

brutherford · 06-12-2004, 11:14 PM

I got this recipe from a spa in San Francisco that I went to a few years ago. It's normally used as a buffer to prepare skin for sunless tanning lotions. Right after the surgery, I started doing searches on the Internet for creams to help with stretch marks and loose skin. I found that 99% of the products out there (ranging from $12 - $300) contained caffeine. So, I whipped up a batch of this coffee scrub and have used it 3x a week for 3 weeks... And it works!

My skin is firmer, the area that was the baggiest looks much better, and the stretch marks are not as shiny. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

1/2 cup ground coffee beans
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp vanilla

Stir the ingredients in a small, covered jar or container. Be sure to use fresh coffee grounds - used grounds spoil and grow mold.

In the shower, rub small portions of the scrub onto your cleansed skin. Use circular motions, and concentrate on the areas where your skin is loosest, has the most stretch marks, or you think will develop into a problem area. I'm sure that if you massage the coffee longer into your skin it will work faster, but I wouldn't suggest anything longer than 5 minutes for your entire body. DON'T use it on your face. Rinse, making sure you get all of the grounds off of your skin and out of any folds. You'll need to rinse the shower after every use, as the grounds get everywhere. I usually switch the water entirely to cold, rinse the shower, then give myself a cold rinse to finish. Cold water tightens your skin too.

Your shower could get slippery, so you'll want to clean it fairly regularly. There's an excellent spray shower cleaner at Target, I think the brand is Method. You just spray lightly after your shower and you don't have to wipe, scrub, or rinse it off.

If you try the scrub, let me know in a few weeks how it's working!

brutherford · 06-13-2004, 06:58 AM

I forgot to mention that I'm also taking supplements that could be making my skin look better. I started these about the same time that I started using the scrub, so the combo of the two things could be giving me the results that I'm seeing:

Daily
1000 mg Flax Seed Oil
1000 mg Borage Oil
30 IU Vitamin E

These are very inexpensive to buy - I think I got mine at Rite Aid. 100 softgels of the Flax Seed Oil for $5 and 50 softgels of the Borage/Vit E combo for $3.

newthindale · 06-13-2004, 11:55 AM

I really hate to be a party-pooper, but as I watch so many people over the last 2-3 years lose large amounts of weight, I have yet to see anyone who doesn't have lose skin where they use to have fat. It is simple physics. No matter how tight the outside skin is made, there is excess skin surrounding the areas where we have large amounts of fat. As the fat goes away, the skin is no longer surrounding it and it stays there.....hanging. It is inevitable. If you haven't lost close to 100 pounds yet, you haven't had this problem, yet. I wish it weren't so, but it is. I figure the loose skin is just part of the process......kinda like my "red badge of courage"/scar. I am learning to live with the lose skin and work around it. I can't say I like it, but I am learning to accept it since I can't afford plastic surgery. I look at it this way, I never could be a bathingsuit or bikini model before I lost the weight, and, I never will be now. Such is life. Thin hair (getting far, far better now), lose skin.......thin body. Worth it.

Dale 6/19/02 at goal

brutherford · 06-14-2004, 11:55 AM

I do respect your opinion, Dale. I've gotten so much good information from your posts over the past six months. And although I wholeheartedly agree with the majority of what you've said, I know from experience that this scrub has made a difference for me.

I debated posting this info when I first started using the scrub, and decided against it because I didn't want to put another myth on the Board and get people's hopes up. I used myself as a guinea pig before posting, and actually only posted this weekend because Bridget asked me about it during our walk on Saturday.

I honestly do not think that there is any "cure" for the excess skin and stretch marks that we are all going to have at the end of our weight loss journey. The coffee scrub and the vitamins are not going to remove the problem; however, I know that they have made an overall improvement in the look and feel of my skin, so I feel compelled to share the news. (I wish that I had taken before and after pictures, but alas, I did not.) The results that I have gotten are well worth the monthly $5 that I spend on this stuff.

For those of you still willing to try, here's a few more tips:

- If you're as conscious of what you put on and in your body as I am, then choose organic coffee. I personally don't like the idea of pesticides and fertilizers going into my skin.

- Grind the coffee as finely as you can - it's easier to spread, use, and clean up.

Again, if you do try the recipe, please let me know by week 3 or 4 if it is working for you.

bridgetgirl · 06-14-2004, 12:06 PM

Thanks Barbara! I agree with you and Dale about all the skin issues. But I am going to treat my skin, just like my hair and face, do what I can to slow down the ineviatble. (Gray hair, wrinkles and loose skin.) What you are doing doesnt seem like a miracle whip, it's economical and certainly not going to hurt. I am going to give it try and I will give you a week by week update at the walk. It will be interesting. You have great looking skin! I have been self concious of the appearance of my skin lately, especially just the texture. I know water helps, but I NEED a boost.
Take it easy and see you Saturday!

tracyarps · 06-14-2004, 12:16 PM

Hi Barbara. I plan on making the mixture tonight. I am willing to try anything to improve the appearance of my skin. I am very into organics vs. chemicals, so I think it might actually work. I will let you know next Monday how it goes. Thanks for the post.

katlover66 · 06-14-2004, 01:35 PM

Barbara,
I use a shea butter brown sugar rub from Avon. I just love it. My skin is softer and smother. My stretch marks are not as noticiable. I still have loose skin but not a whole lot, thank God. I feel that if you are using something that makes your skin look and feel better that is all that matters.

bridgetgirl · 06-16-2004, 08:35 AM

Tried it this morning and boy do I smell freshly brewed! You weren't lying about the shower becoming a mess.... I have my fingers crossed X!

newthindale · 06-16-2004, 10:29 AM

Barbara,

I didn't mean to be too negative. If this is making your skin better, it certainly can't hurt you since it appears to be organic. I just very clearly remember Dr. Callery saying something to the affect, and with tongue in cheek, when asked about all types of skin and hair products "Sure, you can use lots of things on your skin to tighten it. Knock yourself out. It won't work, but, you can use it." So, as long as we make it clear that your skin might appear nicer, fresher, cleaner, prettier, whatever, and it won't be actually tighter skin after you lose 100-200 pounds, all is well in this forum.

Dale 6/19/02 at goal

tracyarps · 06-16-2004, 12:28 PM

I tried the scrub last night and it makes me feel SOOOOOO SOFT! I love it. I am not expecting my skin to bounce back, but anything to make it baby soft again is great. Thanks for the mixture.