Apothecary

Smell the roses. Smell the coffee. Whatever it is to make you happy.

Rita Moreno

A few years ago, I purchased a gorgeous, glossy leaved Arabica coffee plant from my local nursery.

I planted it in a sheltered spot, in my sandy soil, but with a generous helping of compost. I doted on it, eagerly anticipating the fragrant white flowers that would be followed by red berries in the winter, each berry with two coffee beans inside.

But, one particularly hot summer dashed those dreams, and my beautiful coffee tree’s leaves burned, it withered and died.

I live just outside of the “Bean belt” the space between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, where the subtropical coffee tree thrives. I believe coffee trees perform much better in the hills of Perth, if they can be planted in a more subtropical microclimate.

I don’t drink a lot of coffee (it makes me jittery), but I love it.

My new favourite way to consume coffee is using this Green Coffee, Cardamon and Pink Grapefruit Body Polish! With just 4 ingredients, this mildly exfoliating polish not only smells amazing, but it is also stimulating and makes my skin feel awesome.

Green Coffee

Green coffee is simply hulled and dried coffee beans that have not gone through the roasting process. Green coffee is much higher in anti-oxidants than roasted coffee, and its ingested extract is reputed to have a positive effect on your metabolism, weight loss, memory enhancement, liver health, blood pressure and blood sugar and cholesterol.

Did you know that you can absorb caffeine through your skin?

I discovered this when using a henna hair treatment that had a healthy dose of coffee added to the blend, for colour and to presumably mask the pungent smell of the henna. The treatment was meant to sit on my scalp for a few hours, but I rinsed it out after just thirty minutes. I developed a throbbing headache, much like the ones I get when I would have a strong coffee or two.

Green coffee has about 5 times less caffeine than roasted coffee, so I haven’t had any trouble with this recipe! It does feel stimulating, but not buzzy.

There is some evidence that caffeine absorbed via the skin has an anti-inflammatory effect. This finding prompted the addition of caffeine to all kinds of skin care products from eye-gels to caffeine-infused weight-loss tights.

I’ll tell you straight up. This body polish won’t miraculously make you skinny.

Green coffee smells grassier and more floral than its roasted counterpart, much less overpowering, but still distinctly coffee. You can find green coffee at specialty coffee roasters, cafe supply stores and even at some whole goods stores.

Cardamom Pods

Thankfully, have a much easier time growing cardamom in my garden. It does need to be well watered and kept in dappled shade to ensure its tender leaves are not scorched by the sun. Mine have yet to fruit, but the leaves are deliciously aromatic. A single leaf added to cooking rice flavours and perfumes the dish.

Like green coffee, there are a swag of reputed health benefits for the ingestion of cardamom, including the improvement of erectile dysfunction, dental diseases and as an antidote to poison! When pregnant with my children, cardamom essential oil was the best thing to whiff when waves of nausea swept over me!

Cardamom is the third most expensive spice after saffron and vanilla, the small green pods smell deliciously spicy, resinous, sweet and aromatic. It pairs beautifully with the green coffee.

I buy whole cardamom pods at my local independent grocer who has an amazing array of spices. You can substitute pre-ground powder if you can’t find whole pods.

Pink Grapefruit

Ahhhhh pink grapefruit. I bet you can almost smell them right?

Pink grapefruit is one of my all-time favourite scents, sparkling, fresh and uplifting. This recipe uses the zest, but don’t let the fruit go to waste!

Pink grapefruit is one of the lowest calorie fruits, high in fibre and dense in nutrients like Vitamins C & A, Potassium, Thiamine, Folate and Magnesium. Plus, it’s delicious!

If you are not fortunate enough to have a tree of your own, pink grapefruits are in season year-round in Australia. Like all citrus, Pink grapefruits don’t ripen once picked and they can take up to 10 months to ripen on the tree. Choose fragrant, heavy fruit. Since we will be using the zest in this recipe, it is essential to source pesticide-free or organic fruit.

Epsom Salt

The fourth ingredient is simple, Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate).

If you are a gardener, you’ve likely used an Epsom salt solution to fertilize and improve flower blooming, to enhance a plant’s green colour and help plants grow bushier.

The Epsom salt has a couple of functions in this recipe, firstly as a preservative, to prevent the other ingredients from spoiling. Secondly, Epsom salts are also absorbed through the skin and are reputed to help with aching muscles, stress reduction and skin repair.

You can find Epsom salt at the supermarket in the medicinal aisle.

Green Coffee, Cardamom and Pink Grapefruit Skin Polish

250g Green Coffee Beans (pre-ground if you don’t have a coffee grinder)

5g of Cardamom pods (or 10g of pre-ground Cardamom powder)

Finely grated zest of 3 pesticide free, Pink Grapefruits.

300g of Epsom Salt

Add cardamom pods to a coffee grinder with the green coffee beans. Process to your preferred texture in several batches. Green Coffee beans are firmer than their roasted counterparts, so this might take some time!

Set aside in a bowl. In a blender, add the pink grapefruit zest and process with the Epsom salts until the mix resembles wet sand. Add the processed cardamom and green coffee and blend to incorporate.

Put in a sealed jar and keep in a cool, dark dry space. It will keep for ages and the perfume is best after a few days once everything has a chance to blend.

To use, grab a generous handful and use in the shower. I use this on my thighs and bum, elbows and shoulders a few times a week. I leave on for a few minutes before rinsing off.

Please avoid using this polish on more delicate skin like your face or breasts.

You can add this mix to an amount of oil before you use, but it’s not my preference because I hate being in a slippery shower, getting the oil residue on my towels and cleaning up after! As soon as I dry off after my shower I apply body oil anyway.

If you suffer mild dandruff, this polish can be even used in your hair, as the Epsom salts can cleanse the scalp. Rub a small handful through wet hair and leave on for a few minutes. Just be sure to rinse your hair thoroughly.

You could also use this polish as an uplifting bath soak, just secure a handful in some muslin cloth tied with string like a teabag to avoid all the bits swilling in your bath tub!

If you notice any irritation at all, discontinue use.

I hope you give this a try, be sure to get in touch and let me know what you think!

and i said to my body. softly. ‘i want to be your friend.’ it took a long breath. and replied ‘i have been waiting my whole life for this.

Nayyirah Waheed

This year, I am introducing a new category to A Farm of Your Home blog, Apothecary!

Plant based remedies and body care have been a passion of mine for many years and something I wish to explore further this year.

I am not a doctor or health practitioner, yet many plants have long enjoyed a reputation for healing and encouraging wellness. Obviously serious, persistent ailments require the attention of your chosen medical professional.

I personally believe that health comes from the inside out. I don’t believe in miracle cures or silver bullet solutions. Our bodies are complicated systems, with layered and nuanced functions that impact on the other.

My medical experience that sparked this interest has been with acne.

Currently, beauty is valued over wellness in our society.

Warped, I know.

Yet this was clearly reflected in the treatment I sought. The cost was often high, in terms of actual money spent on medications, and the effect these medications would have on the rest of my body.

For years, I consulted with specialists, took every pill, slapped on every potion and lotion with little long-term success.

In fact, many side effects were pretty awful and too numerous to mention.

In many instances, one problem would be solved, and another created. My acne would disappear, but my skin was so dry and delicate, my eyelids and lips cracked and would bleed at the creases!

My skin was the enemy. The treatments were aggressive and punishing.

I knew people would stare and the not-so-nice ones would feel free to comment as if I wasn’t already well aware of the terrain of my own face!

I came to regard my skin as a bit of a useful social filter. The superficial people had no time for me, but the genuine people did and were able to see past my acne-mask. I discovered physically beautiful people aren’t spared neuroses about their appearance either.

When consulting with doctors, specialists, dermatologists, I was very rarely asked about my diet or my environment or how I felt. One dermatologist recommended I get my face sunburned so it would peel. Another cheerfully told me to eat as much chocolate as I wanted because my diet had nothing to do with my skin.

Obviously, that advice was bonkers. Upon reflection, I was likely dehydrated, underexercising, overheating, stressed and eating so poorly that my skin protested!

My acne could have been much reduced with little intervention if those areas had been addressed before reaching for the prescription pad.

But it has only been years of living in my own skin, experimentation and observation, that I feel more confident in a whole body, inside out, more than skin deep approach!

And so I encourage you to do the same. Pay attention. Experiment and observe your own body and do what works for you.

My skin now is very sensitive. After years of skin-assault, it needs gentle, loving care! I’m in my 40’s and I have wrinkles. Yes, pimples still show up. I know nothing I do is going to wind back the clock and make me look 25 again and that is ok.

Finally, I’m happy in this skin.

Every Friday, I’ll be sharing apothecary remedies and preparations for you to try. Where possible, I will be sourcing plants from my own garden, and seek out organic, whole ingredients. When it comes to topical preparations, I think less is more. I hope you’ll try the ones that appeal to you and let me know what you think. If there is anything you would like to try in particular, let me know!