Coffee Soap Scrub Bar - too strong for rhinos!

[annamaison]

I made a soap scrub bar using melt & pour soap, coconut oil, a titch of BTMS, and coffee grounds. Regular ole coffee that I would use in my automatic drip coffee maker. The bar turned out perfectly. But SO aggressive on the scrubbiness. As in, could scour the hide off a rhino. It's so scrubby, that I can use it on my feet - it actually files down calluses, but is completely unsuitable for using anywhere else. We're talking red welts and injury territory here.

Unlike sugar or salt, coffee doesn't dissolve in water. It's like scrubbing yourself with ground up walnut shells, or sea-sand!

Is putting coffee in a scrub a terrible idea? Should I be using espresso-grind for a gentler effect?

 

[Relle]

Putting coffee in for a scrub is OK, but the question is how much did you add to how much soap, too much can be too much.

 

[AliOop]

I agree with Relle. Also, yes, you should probably use a super fine grind. Even then, it will be quite scrubby, which makes it a wonderful additive for gardener's soap or mechanic's soap.

 

[Misschief]

I agree with both ladies. Coffee can be very scrubby. I've made a coffee soap that's fantastic as a kitchen soap. Coffee helps eliminate garlic and strong odors on the hands and is great for greasy hands but, yeah, very scrubby. I should make more of that soap. I love it as a kitchen soap.

 

[Ford]

Hi, agree with all of the above. It doesn't take much, should be as fine a ground as you can get. I have read, used grounds work best. I sub out 4 ozs water for almond milk. In my recipe. Scrub-a-dub....

 

[Relle]

Hi, agree with all of the above. It doesn't take much, should be as fine a ground as you can get. I have read, used grounds work best. I sub out 4 ozs water for almond milk. In my recipe. Scrub-a-dub....

It's melt and pour, not cp.

 

[FFLinOhio]

did u use fresh grounds or used grounds?
I dry my used grounds and then add them to my MP soap. I've had no problem with that.

 

[Soaper2024]

Shred it very small, then use it in a second larger batch to dilute it.

 

[akseattle]

@annamaison , I use espresso grounds because my espresso machine only grinds fine. To be honest, for me, I would like for those grounds to be more scrubby. I've considered trying regular coffee grounds from the machine at work. But, I think of myself as having not very sensitive skin.

Since there may be someone out there with tougher skin than you have, if you made multiple bars, consider giving the other bars to someone who doesn't think their skin is too sensitive.

I have some exfoliants that I haven't had a chance to try out yet in soap (ground walnut shells, ground lemon peel, and sand.) But, so far, what has gotten the best feedback are poppy seeds. These seem to be a good size- scrubby but not too scrubby. Also, unlike coffee grounds that can discolor a little if you don't rinse them really well (even used grounds) and then dry them, poppy seeds don't discolor and look good with any color you choose for your bar.

Don't be discouraged!! keep experimenting!!

 

[Nakia]

Your post gave me a good laugh "could scour the hide off a rhino" is such a vivid description! Coffee grounds can definitely be too harsh if they’re not finely ground. Using espresso grind or dried, used coffee grounds can make it gentler since they’re softer. If the bar is already made, you could grate it and mix it into a larger batch to tone down the scrubbiness. Also, combining coffee with a softer exfoliant like poppy seeds or ground oatmeal might help balance it out. Don’t give up, you’ve already got a great foot scrub and with a bit of tweaking, it’ll be perfect!