The Skin Benefits of Coffee

I turned 30 three days ago, and as a belated way of celebrating, I thought it would be fun to talk about one of my truest and dearest fun loves. No, it's not makeup or skincare this time; it's coffee! As much as I could wax lyrical about the warm, enticing smell, it's smooth, rich flavor, and the countless blessed memories I have had sharing it with loved ones, I thought it would be fun to research the specific skincare-related beneficial properties of coffee.

Antioxidants: Coffee is rich with antioxidants and when consumed or applied topically in its freshest and undiluted form, its antioxidant content can rival that of wine and grape juice, black tea, and even orange juice. Antioxidants are crucial to not only vitality and brightness of the skin but also its well-aging. Foods and beverages high in antioxidants help our bodies (and our skin) recover from the effects of environmental pollutants, poor air quality, the side effects of a diet high in sugar, and the visible signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles.

Acne-Fighting Ability And Assisting With Inflammation: Coffee is both anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory in nature, and also contains a lesser-known nutrient called chlorogenic acid or CGA. All three of these qualities have been shown to help reduce acne, especially acne caused by heavy oil production. Homemade face masks of yogurt mixed with coffee have been shown to help reduce the redness and speed the healing of spots, compounding on the anti-bacterial and possibly probiotic benefits of the yogurt. When using coffee for this type of face mask, however, it should be noted that using whole bean coffee is best as the whole bean has the largest amount of CGA, which is a primary component of what some believe may help to reduce and heal the acne.

An adjacent benefit to coffee for the skin is its success as an anti-inflammatory on both an internal and external basis. According to a study from Harvard, certain patients with rosacea see improvement in their symptoms from drinking four or less cups of coffee a day. Going back to the more topical side of things, many cultures prize coffee and olive oil or coffee and cold mixtures to calm and soothe the skin after sunburns in reducing redness and possibly longer-term damage and discolorations.

Wide- Awake Eyes: Just as a jolt of java can help us feel more ready to face the morning, coffee can also be a visible wake up for the eyes. Coffee naturally contains caffeine, which dilates blood vessels and can help firm the skin everywhere, but especially around the eyes to deflate puffiness and help with the appearance of undereye bags and circles. Many an eye cream, ones from brands like 100% Pure and Origins, for example use green coffee bean extract for these effects. And as someone who has used them in the past after many a sleepless night, I can tell you they do work a treat!

Coffee is just one of those things that brings a spark of happy into my day each day, so I am very pleased to know that enjoying at least a little of it may be helping my skin too! I hope all my fellow coffee lovers out there enjoyed this article. Cheers to your next cuppa!