“I’d rather take coffee than compliments just now.”
Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
Take me to the January iTOVi Sale!
Some mornings, you wake up to birds chirping, a perfectly cleaned house, and glorious rays of sunshine dancing on your bedspread.
Other mornings, you’ve hit snooze one (or three) too many times, can’t find any of your left shoes, and have to run out the door before even running a hairbrush through your hair.
No matter your morning, most of us can agree on one essential step in our morning routines: COFFEE!
That surge of caffeine that jolts through your body while you’re enjoying your perfectly cooked omelet or scarfing down a questionably old granola bar is a morning necessity.
We all love our reliable cup of joe to get us going in the morning, but sometimes we may want to spice it up a little. Adding in a drop or two of essential oils is a great way to do so!
Pre Oil-in-Coffee Checklist:
- Make sure your essential oils are of the highest quality and food-grade, or safe for ingestion.
- Try 1-2 drops, essential oils are highly concentrated and can be overpowering, plus you want to see how your body responds.
- Be careful with any personal health conditions/allergies. Some essential oils may not be suitable for everyone, or even mixed with certain medications.
- If it makes you nervous, or your oils aren’t food-grade, you can diffuse them on a coaster or nearby diffuser to get a similar experience
Some of our favorite oils to add to our coffee are:
- Cardamom
- Orange
- Ginger
- Cinnamon bark
- Peppermint
- Spearmint
- Lavender
Not a fan of coffee? These extra drops of flavor work great in tea or hot chocolate as well!
Homemade Peppermint Mocha
Add an exhilarating and festive touch to your morning coffee with this recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 cup brewed coffee
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/8 cup of sugar (can be adjusted based on taste)
- 1-2 drops of peppermint essential oil
Directions
Heat the milk in a small saucepan and whisk it vigorously as it starts to bubble then add the brewed coffee. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and cocoa, and then add the dry mixture to the milk and coffee. Blend until a creamy mocha forms. Pour the mocha into your favorite coffee mug and stir in 1 to 2 drops of peppermint essential oil. Enjoy!
Coffee Facial Scrub
If you aren’t a fan of drinking coffee, you can still use coffee to your benefit! This coffee scrub combines clove and cinnamon essential oils moisturize and exfoliate your skin and gives off a lovely, crisp, fall-inspired scent!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- 1/2 cup ground coffee
(caffeinated)
- 2/3 cup unrefined virgin coconut oil
- 1/4 teaspoon of argan
or vitamin E oil
- Clove and Cinnamon essential oils
Directions
Combine the brown sugar, white sugar, ground coffee, and 1/4 teaspoon of argan or vitamin E oil in a medium-sized mixing bowl (argan and vitamin E oil are both known for their moisturizing properties).
Add 5 drops of clove essential oil and 5 drops of cinnamon essential oil. If you have sensitive skin, we recommend doing a patch test of these oils first. Both clove and cinnamon have powerful anti-inflammatory and antibacterial qualities that make them great companions for a natural skincare routine, but they are quite intense when used at their full strength, so be sure to stir them thoroughly into your scrub mixture so they are properly diluted.
The final ingredient to add is 2/3 cup of coconut oil. Be sure to use unrefined virgin coconut oil that has a real coconut smell to it. (Refined coconut oil may clog pores and do more harm than good to acne-prone skin.)
Thoroughly mix all of the ingredients together until there are no brown sugar lumps floating around. Store in an airtight glass container, such as a mason jar.
When you’re ready to use it, scoop out a tablespoon’s worth and gently apply it to your slightly damp face. Using small circular motions, rub the mixture into your skin for about one to two minutes and then wash your face off with clean water. Apply moisturizer afterwards for best effects.
Use this coffee scrub once or twice a week in your skincare routine and you can kiss that dry, dead skin goodbye, and say hello to a glowing, baby-smooth face!
Want more fall recipes that call for essential oils? Check out this and this!
