CULT BUY: The $5.99 coffee scrub that rivals its Insta famous counterpart.

Exfoliating is one of those tasks I know I should be doing, but have never been able to commit to.

But when the weather started heating up and I realised my skin resembled that of a dehydrated snake’s, I decided to give it a go.

If I’m honest, those glamorous, fun Instagram coffee scrubs modelled by people wearing high cut bikinis intimidate me a bit. As someone who’s just finding her feet in the beauty world, I needed something cheap and easy I could add to my weekly chemist haul before investing in an expensive product.

Enter: Coffee Bar. It’s a coffee scrub… in a bar.

A cheaper alternative to cult favourite, Frank Body Scrub, Coffee Bar claims to be the perfect way to rid yourself of dry, scaly skin.

Because I am indeed a dry, scaly human, I gave it a crack to see how this budget friendly option holds up.

Did I mention I’m available in Caramel Espresso? For your body. #coffeebar #assimpleasthat

A post shared by Coffee Bar || Body Exfoliant (@coffeebarau) on Aug 8, 2017 at 11:02pm PDT

Pros

The smell:

The freshly ground coffee smell hit me right in the nostrils when I opened the packaging up. I also got a whiff of caramel – you can try the coconut macchiato, vanilla latte and chocolate cappuccino variations too.

The texture:

It feels like coffee. Which is nice because some generic ‘coffee scrubs’ don’t feel much like coffee at all.

As per the instructions on the packaging, I used the product halfway through my weekly ‘maintenance’ shower – the shower when you do all the things.

After putting conditioner through my hair, I stepped out of the shower and rubbed the bar (which I wet slightly) in circular motions on my calves, thighs, backside and upper arms.

The product becomes granular once it’s applied to the skin, giving you the Frank Body effect you see on their Instagram feed. The bar also contains Cacao Seed Butter and Olive Fruit Oil, which Coffee Bar recommends letting absorb into your skin for a few minutes.

After rinsing off, my skin felt quite soft – albeit a little raw as I have sensitive skin that’s not used to being exfoliated. I eased up on the pressure the following time, which helped with that.

The practicality:

The palm-sized bar is the perfect size if you’re travelling, on the go, or just trying to keep the number of products in your shower to a minimum.

The oval, soap shape is also very easy to use and target specific ‘problem’ areas like the backs of your thighs or upper arms. Holding the bar in my hand also made it feel like I wasn’t wasting any product or accidentally dropping any down the drain.

The price:

It’s $5.99. And you can pick it up in-store from most Chemist Warehouse stores. Yep.

Friday night pamper alone with just your bath, and Coffee Bar, what could be better, right? #coffeebar#assimpleasthat

A post shared by Coffee Bar || Body Exfoliant (@coffeebarau) on Dec 8, 2017 at 2:08am PST

Cons

There weren’t many, except for perhaps for the ‘structural integrity’ of the product.

Unlike the Frank Body granulated scrub which can be stored in the resealable bag, the Coffee Bar is literally like a humble bar of soap. And just like soap, the more you use it, the more it wears away.

The bar started to break apart after the third or fourth go. Although I was able to push it back together, the bar doesn’t have a super long lifespan.

A colleague of mine had a similar experience, saying she felt like the bar broke apart quite quickly and didn’t keep well in the shower.

I started storing mine out of the shower in the plastic container to combat this, as I found keeping the bar dry helped maintain its structure.

Verdict?

Despite it’s lack of stamina, I will 100 per cent be using this product again. A once-weekly exfoliate is all I really need, which means I can justify replacing it when it falls apart every six weeks or so.

My skin felt soft and moisturised immediately after use, and by the time I finished my first bar, I definitely noticed less dry skin on my legs. It also helped with the annoying red bumps I sometimes get on the backs of my legs in summer.

Although it doesn’t quite have the hype and prestige of using #frankbod, the Coffee Bar is a great alternative for anyone who isn’t an influencer and is just starting out in the world of scrubs, lotions and potions.

And you’ll change from a $10 note. You gotta be happy with that, right?