Cocoa Butter & Coffee Scrub Cubes
These scrub cubes feature creamy cocoa butter combined with coffee grounds and brown sugar to gently polish away dull flaky skin.
Use 1 or 2 cubes during your shower or bath, rubbing over rough areas of skin that need exfoliating. They’re especially effective on dry feet, knees and elbows.
The heat from your skin will melt the butter away as the cube exfoliates, leaving a thin layer behind to help seal in moisture. Your skin will be left smoother and softer after use.
Be sure to use unrefined cocoa butter so the rich chocolate scent shines through.
I really like the wafers form found at Mountain Rose Herbs, since they smell fantastic and are so easy to measure and use.
I added coffee essential oil to this batch, for extra scent, but it’s completely optional, so don’t worry if you don’t have any on hand.
I buy coffee essential oil from Bulk Apothecary. (It’s wonderful for making coffee soaps too!)
Cocoa Butter & Coffee Scrub Cubes
- 40 grams unrefined cocoa butter (about 1/2 cup wafers)
- 20 grams coconut oil (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground coffee
- optional: 10 drops (0.27 g) coffee essential oil
Place the cocoa butter and coconut oil in a small mason jar.
Place the jar into a saucepan containing a few inches of water. Set the pan over a medium-low burner until the cocoa butter is completely melted.
Remove from heat and stir in the sugar, ground coffee and coffee essential oil, if using.
Pour into ice trays, making sure the sugar portion is evenly divided. Freeze until solid then remove from trays.
Store cubes in the refrigerator to keep them from becoming too soft before you’re able to use them.
This size recipe yields 5 cubes. You can double or triple it as needed, to make larger batches.
*Be careful exiting the tub or shower after use as the oils and butter can make the floor slippery.
Sources & Further Reading
Herman A. and A P Herman. Caffeine’s mechanisms of action and its cosmetic use. Skin Pharmacology & Physiology; 2013;26(1):8-14. doi: 10.1159/000343174. Epub 2012 Oct 11.
Thank you so very much for your newsletter and recipes! I ALWAYS find something useful in each posting that you send out! Thank you for your generous info and sharing of your knowledge.
Hi Tina! So happy to hear that you enjoy the newsletter & recipes! :)
Hi, I don’t use sugar or any carbohydrates on my skin, problems with yeast and bacterial infections. What would be a good substitute?
Hi S.C.! You could try a fine-grained salt instead of sugar, keeping in mind that salt has more scrubbing action, so rub lightly & use only on toughest area of your skin (feet, knees, elbows).
What is the cocoa butter used for in the coffee scrub cubes?
Hi Alice! The cocoa butter primarily helps hold the scrubby bits together in a cube form. It also contributes a chocolatey scent plus leaves a thin layer behind to help your skin hold in moisture.
HI; great recipe Jan ;), I would like to ask about shelf life for this wonderful scrub cubes. Thank you very much, bye
Hi Polona! As long as they’re kept dry and stored out of heat and sunlight, they should keep well for at least 6 months, and probably longer. :)
Thank you very much ;), bye
Why are there two layers in the coffee scrub? If the top is espresso what is the white layer?
Hi Lisa! That’s just where the coffee & sugar are heavier so tend to settle to the bottom of the ice tray while firming up, while the coconut oil & cocoa butter floats to the top, forming a layered look.
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing formula. I have been looking everywhere for a way to make the sugar scrub cubes without having to use a melt and pour base. Because most of the bases have ingredients that I just don’t want to put on my skin or sell to my customers. I’m so excited to try this out and I was wondering since I plan on adding shredded african black soap to this recipe should I just use more cocoa butter and oil to account for the addition of another “dry” ingredient? Thanks so much again. You have helped me resolve a major conflict I was having with not wanting to use preservatives but wanting to provide a sugar scrub to go with my body butter bars :)
Hi Anndreisha! So happy you like the recipe! That’s a great idea about adding the shredded African black soap! I love that idea! I’m not exactly sure what modifications would need to be made, but I think you’re on the right track with more oil and cocoa butter to start. I would try some mini test batches & see how it goes! :)