Coffee is widely famous for being a so needed daily morning companion. Actually, here in Melbourne coffee is even worshipped. Melbourne's roasters and baristas are some of the most accomplished, inventive and technical on earth. It seems with each passing month there’s a new brewing technique, new gadgets or a shift in the idea of what good coffee actually means. Melbournian coffee has become an art.
But coffee's benefits go beyond just as a caffeinated boost of energy. Caffeine has also been proved to have wonderful skin benefits, from diminishing under-eye circles, reducing inflammation and redness, to getting rid of cellulite.
Here are some of the benefits of including coffee to your skincare routine;
1. Skin Exfoliation
Coffee grounds work great as a face scrub thanks to their texture that helps exfoliating the skin by removing dead skin cells. The outcome? a smoother and cleaner face, plus on top of that, the coffee will help you preventing from skin dryness.
You can easily make a scrub with 1/2 cup of brown sugar and ground coffee, along with 1/4 cup of oil, macadamia sounds just perfect here. Mix well and apply it on to your face, massaging in circular motions. When you're done, rinse off thoroughly.
2. Skin Softening
Mix 2 tbsp of each cocoa powder and ground coffee, then add 3 tbsp of milk and a spoonful of honey. If your skin suffers from excess of oil, you may want to use Greek yoghurt instead of milk. Apply the mixture on to your face for about 30 minutes, and rinse off thoroughly with warm water. This mask is amazing to soften, tighten and re-hydrate your skin.
3. Cellulite Reduction
As the caffeine in coffee dehydrates your fatty cells, it diminishes cellulite making your skin looking much smoother. In fact, studies have shown that skin creams which listed caffeine as an ingredient are up to 17% more effective when it comes to cellulite reduction. To make your own body scrub, by mixing coffee, pure aloe vera gel, and vitamin E oil in a 2:1:1 ratio, then apply the mixture and massage onto your skin. Make sure that the coffee you use is finely ground to achieve the best results.
4. Treating Dark Circles and Puffy Eyes
Yet another advantage of coffee is its ability to reduce the appearance of puffiness and dark under-eye circles. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, caffeine can minimise the accumulation of blood under your eyes, therefore preventing dark circles. It is so effective that almost every product marketed as a way to erase dark circles has a certain amount of caffeine in its formula. However, be aware that dark circles and under-eye puffiness can be caused by a number of factors, including dehydration, sleep deprivation, genetics and allergies you would need to consider when treating this issue.
5. Anti-Oxidation
Coffee is very rich in antioxidants and surprisingly has a far higher content than even fruits and vegetables. This makes it a great remedy for skin damage caused by UV rays from exposure to the sun. Research has proven that applying coffee on the skin provides a layer of protection from harmful radiation. It does this by inhibiting a certain protein enzyme, thereby reducing the risk of getting skin cancer. Moreover, coffee’s diuretic properties make it great for treating a condition called Rosaceae, relieving the discomfort caused by redness and irritation due to sun damage.
6. Skin Tightening
Adding to the long list of benefits of coffee on skin is its properties that allow for skin tightening. Caffeine is great for minimising the appearance of fine lines around the face, and can also diminish puffiness in certain areas of the face. It is not a surprise that once again, coffee is added as an ingredient to many anti-aging beauty products that aim to tighten skin and reduce fine lines. Most importantly, caffeine has been shown to hinder the development of cancer cells in the body.
7. Skin Brightening
To give yourself a radiant glow mix coffee grounds and Epson salt in warm filtered water. Use this coffee water as a face wash for healthy and radiant complexion.
8. Anti-Inflammation
Caffeine has anti-inflammatory properties that make it a great way to get rid of any redness and swelling on your face.
DIY Coffee Wonders Mask
Here's a easy-to-do face mask ideal for all skin types that effectively rejuvenates and repairs tired and dull skin In the blink of an eye.
What You Need
1/2 cup of ground coffee
1/2 cup raw unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup unsweetened whole or almond milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice (olive or almond oil for dry skin)
1 tablespoon honey (additional lemon juice for oily skin)
Directions
Combine the coffee with cocoa powder and add them into the milk, mixing until you form a paste. Gently fold in the honey and lemon juice, then apply the mask directly on your face in a circular motion. Let the mask set on your face for 20 minutes, then rinse off. For best results, make sure the coffee is finely ground. You can keep the mask leftovers in the fridge for up to three days.
And enjoy a natural glow!
Sonia x