Coffee grounds are known to be an excellent exfoliant for the skin. They’ve been lauded to be an excellent scrub to remove dead skin cells as they don’t get dissolved in water.
No wonder our lives are fueled by coffee!
It’s a versatile beverage that’s scientifically proven to promote good health and can help you stay away from several diseases when taken in moderation of course and it also has numerous benefits for the skin!
Coffee contains nutrients and antioxidants that are very beneficial for the skin and hair. You can use leftover coffee grounds to exfoliate, treat acne, balance pH levels and stimulate blood flow for overall healthier skin.
A study from 2013 also declared that coffee compounds help in promoting healthy skin.
Coffee contains a special antioxidant called Caffeic acid, which may boost collagen levels in your body and reduce the premature aging of skin cells.
Not only does coffee exfoliate the skin, but polyphenol compounds in it may even help to protect your skin from ultraviolet (UV) rays and blemishes caused by sun exposure.
Coffee is also known to help in the reduction of the appearance of cellulite on the skin too.
Having known the benefits of coffee on your skin, I’m pretty sure you’re already tempted to try it as soon as you can. Keep reading to know about ways you can use the coffee to beautify and rejuvenate your skin.
Is coffee scrub safe to use on the body?
Coffee scrub is not only safe to use on the body, but it also has properties to become an excellent addition to your beauty regime.
While drinking a cup of coffee gives you that internal energy boost, rubbing your skin with coffee grounds also promises a whole set of benefits that will make you fall in love with coffee even more – assuming you’re already a coffee lover.
Scrubbing your body with coffee helps remove dead skin cells and yields smoother skin. Coffee scrub may also help reduce the appearance of cellulitis.
The caffeine in coffee assists in dilating the blood vessels and reduces the formation of skin dimples.
Its stimulating effects improve blood circulation and help in tightening the skin thus, delaying skin aging.
Furthermore, coffee has a tissue repairing quality which plays an important role in regulating cell re-growth. This helps in retaining hydration and increasing the elasticity of your skin.
The following are some of the DIY Coffee Skin Care Treatments to use as a beautifying agent for your body:
Exfoliating Facial Mask
Combine 1/4 teaspoon of coffee grounds and 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt and mix to form a paste.
Gently massage your face and neck and leave it for five minutes.
Rinse well with water to reveal soft and bright skin. Use it twice a week.
Coffee and Sugar Body Polish
Mix 1/2 cup white or brown granulated sugar, 1/4 cup almond oil, and 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds.
Massage this mixture over your entire body while having a shower. Concentrate massaging especially on dry and rough areas like elbows and knees.
Wash well with water and fall in love with the silky, smooth feel of your skin.
Exfoliating Foot Scrub
Mix 1/4 cup each of coffee grounds, sea salt, and olive oil.
Feet need a little extra scrubbing than other areas of the body.
Use this scrub twice a week to give your feet a nice treat.
Lip Smoother
Mix a teaspoon of coffee grounds with some coconut oil.
Massage the mixture very lightly over the lips and wipe off with a damp washcloth to transform your dry lips into soft moisturized ones.
Reduce Puffy Eyes
Put a teaspoon of coffee grounds in a dampened paper towel and place it over the eyes for around 20 minutes to help reduce puffiness around the eyes.
Though all those I’ve mentioned coffee scrubs are easy to make at home, you can also try ready-to-use coffee exfoliators which are easily available in the market if you don’t feel like making your own coffee scrub.
Just follow all the instructions and discontinue using if you experience any sign of sensitivity to the product.
Does coffee age your skin?
While consuming too much caffeine in the form of coffee can age your skin, it’s fascinating to know that using coffee grounds as a scrub can have an anti-aging effect on one’s skin.
A study in 2014 confirmed that excessive caffeine intake accelerates the aging of your skin and slows down the wound healing process.
Some researchers also found out that more exposure to caffeine reduces newly synthesized collagen in the skin cells.
In short: the more caffeine you take, the more your skin ages.
Apart from that, many people prefer coffee with milk and sugar. Many studies prove that excessive intake of sugar also ages your skin through a natural process called glycation.
This study also confirms that too much intake of dairy products causes acne too.
In other words, even when you take caffeine in moderation to avoid its negative effect on your skin, the added milk and syrup in your latte and cappuccino might age your skin and cause acne.
While drinking too much coffee might age your skin, using coffee grounds as a scrub is likely to have a reverse effect.
Caffeic acid in coffee works well in boosting collagen levels and reducing the premature aging of skin cells.
It is also proven by researchers that coffee oil has almost the same effect on the skin as hyaluronic acid, an anti-aging skincare ingredient. It helps in increasing collagen and elastin, causing the skin to look and feel firmer.
Ultimately, it’s better to drink plain black coffee in moderation as I always remind you here, and use the coffee grounds as a scrub if you want to slow down the process of aging your skin.
You can also read more about what coffee can do to your skin in another post I’ve written.
The following table contains the dos and don’ts of using coffee.
| Do | Don’t |
| Drink just 1-2 cups of coffee in a day | Excessive consumption |
| Look for high-quality fresh beans | Buy low-quality beans and additions |
| Drink plain black coffee | Add sugar and dairy to your coffee |
| Use coffee grounds as a scrub | Massage aggressively on skin |
How do you exfoliate your face with coffee?
Here are 2 easy ways you can use coffee to exfoliate your face:
Moisturizing Coffee exfoliator for dry skin
Ingredients
Coffee grounds, Yogurt, Coconut oil
Instructions
- Mix 1 tablespoon of yogurt with 1/4 teaspoon of coffee grounds and a few drops of coconut oil.
- Use your fingers to gently massage this all over your face and neck and leave it on for fifteen minutes.
- Rinse well with warm water to reveal the soft and moisturized skin you’ve always desired.
- Use it twice a week.
Nourishing Coffee exfoliator for oily skin
Ingredients
Coffee grounds, Bentonite clay powder, coconut oil.
Instructions
- Mix 1 tablespoon of coffee ground with 1 tablespoon of bentonite clay until thoroughly combined.
- Add a few drops of coconut oil and stir until completely mixed.
- Apply this mixture in circular motions on your face.
- Let it sit for 15 minutes.
- Rinse off with warm water.
To sum it all up
Coffee grounds are an excellent option to use as a scrub and exfoliator for your skin. Its high content of nutrients and antioxidants can benefit your skin in so many ways.
Coffee scrubs can exfoliate, treat acne, balance pH levels and stimulate blood flow to provide overall healthier skin.
It also contains a special antioxidant called Caffeic acid, which may boost collagen levels in your body and reduce the premature aging of skin cells.
While drinking excessive amounts of coffee can contribute to skin aging, using the coffee grounds as a scrub has the opposite effect.
Adding milk and sugar to your coffee though may give you some skin problems.
If you want to attain the maximum benefit out of your coffee, drink it black and in moderation. And of course, you can use the coffee grounds as a scrub to exfoliate your skin.
While massaging the scrub on your skin, it’s important to be gentle and avoid aggressive motions as that might cause rashes to appear on your skin.
Coffee is great and so is your body. Just be mindful of how to use it to get the best out of it every day.
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- What Does Coffee Do to Your Body? (Read and Find Out)