Infusing Oil With Coffee


If you have been following this blog or my Instagram account, you've probably noticed all kinds of different infusions and straining techniques going on throughout much of last year. (I've been working on material for an upcoming book.)

Some of what I've been experimenting with has been coffee in oil, and that's what we're going to do today: make coffee oil!



Why Coffee?

Coffee contains caffeine which offers fabulous toning, firming, cell-regenerative and cellulite-busting properties.

But.

Don't expect any amount of this to be present in your coffee oil.

Why?

Because caffeine is mainly water-soluble, and we're doing oily things here.


So Why the Heck Bother Infusing Oil with Coffee?

Because oil will not only capture, but also hold the scent of the coffee. This infusion may not be rich in caffeine, but if you happen to love the smell of freshly ground coffee beans, get ready for a bit of nose candy. A coffee-infused oil can add depth and richness to the scent of your products. And even though there are coffee fragrance/essential oils available, this method allows you to create your own favorite all-natural coffee-infused oil.

Which Kind of Coffee?

You can choose and use any kind of coffee bean you like. I've tried several kinds of roasts and bean types, tested both finely ground and coarsely ground. There are noticeable differences depending on which coffee bean type and which grind you work with. (That upcoming book I just mentioned above will have more detailed info).

Meantime: choose your fave roast and go for it!

Ingredients

For this small batch, I used:

  • 30 gr ground coffee beans 
  • 100 gr oil 
  • 4 drops vitamin e


The arrow in this pic illustrates quite clearly why trying to play photographer while pouring oil is not always the best idea.


Method


  • Weigh coffee and add to sanitized jar (choose one with a tightly fitting lid).
  • Add oil and e vitamin
  • Cap the jar and place in a warmish area for 4-5 weeks (some swear by a sunny window sill - others say keep out of light. You can achieve both by placing the jar in a light-proof bag)
  • Agitate the jar daily (this is why a tightly fitting lid is a real good idea)
  • When your oil is ready, strain through cheesecloth or paper filters. Depending on how finely ground the beans are, you may need to strain an extra time or 2 to remove as much sediment as possible
  • Bottle your infused oil
  • Remember to label and add the date
  • Rejoice at your fabulous oil-infusing capabilities


Below: a couple of different coffee types after straining. The oil was crystal clear to begin with and really picked up the color of the coffee.

I wish I could offer you a scent button. Both of these are deliciously rich!




Have fun! 


Do Tell

Have you ever made coffee infused oil? What did you use it for?


Learn About the Chemical Composition of Coffee 

Coffee - emerging health effects and disease prevention
Composition of Coffee Oil
Chemistry of the Coffee Bean
The Lipid Fraction of the Coffee Bean

Comments

Robin said…
Oh I did do this recently, but I forgot all about it in my cupboard. I didn't add antioxidant and it has been about 3 months I wonder if it is still good. I used jojoba and that has a longer shelf life. My plans were for using it in a lip balm and eye serum. Can't wait to get to my studio later to check it out now. Thanks for the reminder:)
LisaLise said…
HI Robin - It could very well be fine - even after all this time. Jojoba is pretty stable. I'll bet it's lovely! :)
Signe said…
What a nice idea! Need to try it sometimes, and try if the scent can survive trough soaping process too. I've never bought coffee essential oil because of the price, but this I could give a chance. And if you are missing that caffeine part, you can always use caffeine pills with this oil.
María said…
What a great idea for a lip balm! With chocolate for a mocha twist... Yum!
LisaLise said…
@Signe - Surviving the soaping process is an interesting question! I'd love to hear how you get on if you give this a try.

@María -OMG - adding a bit of chocolate to the mixture just made this must try. Thanks for the inspiration!
Ashley T. said…
I LOVE coffee infused oil and am overjoyed to see someone talking about it! I infused a bit of sweet almond oil with some and combined it with cocoa butter for a lip balm. It was SUPPOSED to be a mocha lip balm, but it mostly smelled like coffee. No complaints from me or my family though :]
LisaLise said…
HI Ashley - Great idea mixing with cocoa butter for a lip balm. I've gotten quite addicted to my coffee-infused oil and have been trying it out in several things. :)
Maudie said…
Hi LisaLise, I did some coffee infusions earlier this year, one in Shea butter and the other in a blend of Argan and Macadamia oils. I used the coffee oils in two different Eye Creams. The one in Shea butter was a bit trickier to filter initially, as it needed some gentle reheating. But all in all I would definitely do some more work with coffee infusions. They lend a lovely and subtle fragrance that blends well with some essential oils.
LisaLise said…
Hi Maudie - Thanks for sharing. Your idea of infusing into shea sounds lovely! I'll bet it has a wonderful scent. As a huge fan of Macadamia oil, I can just imagine how luxurious it must feel to apply. :)
Summi said…
Yes I had made this but didn’t added vitamin e , I use it for whole eye area, it kinds of brighten & keep the dark circles & eyebag at bay!
I infused it in almond oil (cp)
LisaLise said…
Hi Summi -Sounds like your infusion was a success! Thanks for sharing :)
Kat said…
Your comment about the caffeine being water soluble makes me wonder about using coffee as water content in a lotion. I may try this.
LisaLise said…
Hi Kat - you might also consider adding caffeine. It's available as a powder for cosmetics use and I've had good results with it :)
Unknown said…
Hi LisaLise, as a newcomer to natural beauty, I am so inspired by your blog. Firstly, I want to thank you for doing a fantastic job with this blog. In the meantime, I did a coffee infused oil while searching, I did come across optional extras like adding pinch of cardamom or even a small chopped vanilla pod to make it more flavoured. Also what do you do with the coffee left overs, after you strain the infused oil? many thanks!
LisaLise said…
Hey there Unknown - Thank you so much for your kind words! As for the coffee leftovers - these are great in a body scrub or if you have a garden, add it to your composting area. :)
Tuna Yoney said…
Hello LisaLise,

Sorry for the name appearing as 'unknown' google account didn't work i guess. My name is Tuna Yoney. Thanks for the reply and I like the coffee scrub idea. Next time I make coffee infused oil, I'll give a try for the scrub.
LisaLise said…
Hi Tuna Yoney - No worries about the name -- this platform seems to change regularly and that can make it difficult to know how to do what it wants. Best of luck with your infusions!
Unknown said…
Hi Lise, I have just purchased some whole green coffee beans (Coffea robusta), and I am wondering if it is a good idea to macerate this in Rosehip Oil for use in anti-aging facial formulations? Many thanks, Amanda
LisaLise said…
HI Amanda - Using rose hip seed oil for maceration is going to be a judgement call. The oil is heat sensitive and also prone to oxidation so I'm not sure how you would be able to get the best out of both your coffee and the oil by combining them in this way. If it were me, I would most likely macerate the coffee into an oil with a long shelf life that was heat tolerant, then combine the macerated oil with the rosehip seed oil for the end product.
Amanda O'Keeffe said…
Hi Lise, thanks so much for your reply, I always trust your valued insight!
LisaLise said…
Most welcome Amanda :)
Anonymous said…
Hi Lise, i was wondering if the oil type would impact the scent? say if i were to use olive oil?
LisaLise said…
Hi Anon — Coffee has a pretty strong scent and I am pretty sure it would be fine in olive oil — go for it