
1. Coffee to Sooth a Sunburn
Yup, apparently, caffeine can actually help inhibit some forms of skin cancer - not melanoma, unfortunately - at the molecular level(!) when applied topically. (See, e.g., News Medical). The DIY remedy is to brew coffee, soak a washcloth in it, wring it out, and gently blot it over sunburned skin. I didn't have a burn to test this on but I tried it anyway to see if it would feel soothing - it did! If anyone tries it on a sunburn, let me know how it works for you!
2. Coffee to Voluminize Your Hair
Caffeine in coffee can supposedly also stimulate the scalp and voluminize hair. The DIY recommendation is to mix a bit of conditioner with a handful of coffee grounds, work it through your hair, leave it for 5 minutes, and then rinse it out. I used a dollop of Grown Alchemist Damask Rose, Chamomile and Lavender Stem conditioner (organic, sustainable and NO animal testing or animal derived ingredients) with a handful of used espresso grounds. I washed my hair, applied the concoction, waited 5 minutes and rinsed. And rinsed. And rinsed. And rinsed. Umm, yes. So, ok. This worked BUT it is remarkably time consuming to get coffee grounds out of your hair, especially when you have thick hair. This treatment is probably best for people with thin hair (go figure; it is a voluminizing treatment!). My hair did not need more volume and I looked like I needed to be heading off to Texas when I was done. Maybe it would have been more "normal" if I used regular coffee grounds instead of espresso. I probably won't repeat this one but, if you have thin hair, go for it!
3. Coffee Face Masque to Brighten and Tighten
Mix equal parts coffee grounds and cocoa powder with twice as much whole milk and a teaspoon of honey to lock in moisture. It's more like liquid than paste but if you brush it on your face with a makeup brush, it dries quickly and was surprisingly mess-free. You let it dry about 15 minutes and rinse it off. Definitely felt nice (and smelled wonderful) and left my face soft and glow-y. I liked this one a lot!