Here’s What Coffee Does to Your Skin
Lifestyle6 Ways Coffee Can Benefit Your Skin
If you’re brewing a pot of coffee every morning and tossing a filter’s worth of used grounds in the trash, you’re doing it all wrong. While coffee is most commonly consumed in beverage form to boost your energy and metabolism—it’s also making some waves as an alternative remedy for your skin. Thanks to its rich antioxidants, coffee can help heal stretch marks, fight cellulite and tighten your skin. Next time you’re thinking about tossing those grounds, think about how much money you could be saving on your skincare routine.
1. Coffee grounds soften your skin.
Coffee seeds are Mother Nature’s best exfoliator for gently banishing the dead skin that makes you look like a crumpled old soul. Coffee scrubs don’t rely on harsh chemicals or potentially harmful ingredients, such as sugar or sand, to get the job done. In turn, your skin’s most important barrier is protected. With a smoother, more even-toned surface, your skin is better able to absorb the next step of your skincare routine, making it more effective and beneficial to your delicate canvas.
2. Coffee gets your blood flowing.
As if that first sip of the day doesn’t prove this enough, gently rubbing coffee grounds into your skin can help to stimulate overall circulation. While you’re flushing out toxins, you’re also minimizing uneven texture, cellulite and stretch marks by dilating blood vessels beneath the skin. Talk about a double whammy! To get the best results, lather it on while in the shower. The warm water will help it absorb better for quicker, noticeable results.
3. Coffee has a calming effect.
There's nothing like the smell of a fresh pot of coffee first thing in the morning. It signifies the promise of all-day energy and good vibes. While coffee is renowned for its stimulating effects inside the body, it can provide a calming effect when applied topically. Inhaling coffee’s aroma—before even sipping it—can perk you up. It triggers your brain into productivity mode. So take a whiff before you sip and you'll feel the magic within. Trust us.
4. Combine your favorite oils with coffee for extra hydration.
If you’re an avid exfoliator, you may have a love-hate relationship with your skin. While you’re ridding yourself of dead skin, you risk ridding yourself of all the important nutrients and oils your skin actually needs too. Try mixing your coffee scrub with your favorite botanical nourishment (almond oil, coconut oil, olive oil, vitamin E) for added hydration.
5. Coffee is the cure-all for puffy eyes and dark circles.
Caffeine reduces swelling and inflammation. As a topical treatment, this particular skin concern is targeted faster by constricting blood vessels under the skin. Eye creams containing caffeine are highly effective due to the far fewer layers of skin they have to penetrate. The caffeine content in coffee may also help treat stubborn dark circles under the eyes since it helps dilate blood vessels that contribute to those dark circles.
DIY Coffee Eye Mask
When coffee is combined with coconut oil, it helps tighten and smooth the skin under your eyes due to its anti-inflammatory effects. Here’s what you’ll need to cure those dark circles and puffy eyes.
- 3/4 cup freshly ground coffee
- 1 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
Combine all ingredients, add a few drops of water and apply this mask under your eyes. Let it sit for 15 minutes and rinse with cold water.
6. Coffee has anti-aging benefits.
Studies have shown that coffee can help you live longer—and it also helps maintain that youthful glow. Applying coffee directly to your skin can help decrease the appearance of sunspots, wrinkles and redness. It can also be used for post-suncare to treat sunburned skin.
DIY Coffee-Based Sunburn Relief
- Brew a fresh cup of coffee and dilute it with cold water.
- Place a washcloth in the water and wring it out.
- Gently blot the cloth on the sunburned areas of skin.
- Repeat several times a day until the redness subsides.
Rest assured, your daily cup is benefiting you from the inside out. So brew that delicious, intense cup you’ve been looking forward to since last night, and don’t be afraid to rub it in afterwards. Literally.
[Featured Image Credit: Nathaniel Kohfield via Unsplash]
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