By Dr. Phoenyx Austin

When most people think of coffee, they think of that nice little pick-me up drink in the morning. And sometimes they think of those hella-overpriced concoctions at Starbucks. Seriously, $4 dollars for a cup of coffee?!? I do admit that I am a recovering Iced Caramel Macchiato addict since early 2002. But let me tell you, once I realized that I could take annual trips to the Bahamas with what I was spending at Starbucks, that love affair with Mr. Caramel Macchiato came to a screeching halt.

But here’s the thing, my addiction is a lot bigger than Mr. Macchiato. Because what it really comes down to is the fact that I love the aroma and the exhilarating feeling I get from just smelling a cup of fresh brewed coffee. So even though I no longer indulge in overpriced coffee, I must admit that I like to get my caffeine/coffee fix from other places- like my body butter! Yup, there’s a wonderful, yummy smelling butter that always gives me that coffee-fix when I need it. Plus, is keeps my hair and skin oh, so moisturized. So what butter is this exactly? It’s Coffee Bean Butter!

Coffee Bean Butter is made from… you guessed it, coffee beans! The butter is made by roasting coffee beans, mixing vegetable oils, and a bit of cold pressing. The entire manufacturing process is pretty detailed, but after all is said and done, what you end up with is a rich coffee aroma-ed, creamy latte colored and velvety smooth butter. The butter is fantastic in itself, but what will instantaneously draw you in is its rich smell of fresh brewed coffee. And for many coffee lovers like myself, just the smell of this butter is enough to give you that extra boost of mental and physical energy in the morning, or whenever you put it on.

Coffee bean butter is very popular among women, especially those that use it for hair care. What women seem to inquire most about coffee bean butter is its caffeine component. Why women care about this is because they’ve most likely heard about the positive effects that caffeine can have on hair growth. In studies, it’s been shown that caffeine does stimulate hair follicles, and thus can stimulate hair growth. One important thing to recognize is that many of these studies have been done on men, not women. Here’s a link to one of those studies.

I did a bit of research myself to find out if there is actually a coffee bean butter, caffeine, and hair growth link. What I discovered is that most (if not all) of coffee bean butters don’t actually contain an appreciable amount of caffeine. Here’s why: The caffeine component of the coffee bean is actually a water soluble component that is extracted during the manufacturing of the butter. So, if you’re specifically looking to use coffee bean butter in hopes of stimulating hair growth, it might not be a sure bet. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t give it a shot!

I will say that coffee bean butter is one of my regular go-to hair butters. I’m happy with it, and I love the sheen and luster my hair has after use. And besides just smelling incredible, coffee bean butter does contain powerful antioxidants, natural sunscreens, and is rich in plant compounds like phytosterols, which promote moisture retention in skin and hair. The butter also penetrates and absorbs quickly so you won’t have a greasy feeling after application.

Finally, if you are a fan of whipping/mixing, a few butters that mix exceptionally well with coffee bean butter include: virgin coconut oil, shea butter, coffee bean butter, cocoa butter and mango butter.

Do you use coffee bean butter for your hair/skin? How has it worked for you? What are some of your favorite butters?

This post was written by Dr. Phoenyx Austin. Dr. Phoenyx is a physician, author and media personality. She writes on natural hair, women’s topics and well-being. Be sure to pre-order her fabulous new book If You Love It, It Will Grow! A Guide To Growing Long Afro-Textured Hair. If you have any questions/comments you can find Dr. Phoenyx on her blog, Facebook and Twitter.