Here’s 5 reasons why your skin LOVES coffee:
UV protection
Caffeine has been shown to have protective benefits against cellular oxidation from UV damage. Given that ~80% of the early signs of ageing are contributed to by damage from time spent in the sun, it looks like coffee is just as essential in our skincare routines as sunscreen. Yasssssss!
Less wrinkles
Research has shown that using a small amount of spent coffee grounds on our skin can significantly reduce UVB-induced wrinkles. This study also showed over 35% decrease in the wrinkle area compared to the control group. This study was performed on mice but gives an excellent indication as to the positive benefits of coffee for human skin.
Increased collagen
Our bodies stop producing collagen at around 23 years of age. From this point our existing collagen stores actually start to diminish, leaving us with with fragile skin with less elasticity and more sag. The reduction in our collagen stores happens somewhat naturally with time, but also with oxidative-stress from our environment & lifestyle, including sun exposure. Eek! The good news is that we can improve our collagen levels naturally with a good quality collagen supplement.
The other good news is that when we apply coffee to our skin, it suppresses the effect of UV on the degradation of our collagen. In fact, it has been shown that people who apply coffee to their skin have around 40% more Type 1 collagen (the best type for our skin) when compared to the control group. This is great news and means that coffee based skin care can assist us towards stronger, firmer, plumper & more youthful skin.
Picture via: La Jeu Coffee
More hydrated skin
Whilst most of us know that drinking coffee can have a diuretic effect - meaning we lose water from our body. Applying caffeine to our skin has been shown to reduce epidermal thickness (the top layer of our skin)by 40% which resulted in a significant reduction in transdermal water loss by 27% and a whopping 48% reduction in skin redness that can result from UVB exposure. What a wonderful side-effect, that more hydrated skin can come from caffeine.Less cellulite
Yes! You definitely read that correctly. Caffeine is being used as an active ingredient in many anti-cellulite products as it prevents excessive accumulation of fat in cells. This wonder compound also stimulates the degradation of fat by enhancing the natural metabolic pathway that breaks down fats.
Want some caffeine in your daily skin care routine?
The new Nourished Daily Coffee Scrub Cleanse Bar is your new go-to daily coffee skincare product for your entire body. This cleansing scrub & soap bar is powered with upcycled coffee grounds and complemented with Shea Butter, Rhassoul Clay & Olive Oil for smooth, radiant & youthful looking skin. Keep it within close reach in the shower and use it with joy!Discover more natural Cleansing Soap Bars in the Nourished collection now.
Read more about the benefits of using a solid cleansing soap bar here
References:
Choi HS, Park ED, Park Y, Han SH, Hong KB, Suh HJ. Topical application of spent coffee ground extracts protects skin from ultraviolet B-induced photoaging in hairless mice. Photochem Photobiol Sci. 2016 Jun 8;15(6):779-90. doi: 10.1039/c6pp00045b. Epub 2016 May 19. PMID: 27195822.
Li YF, Ouyang SH, Tu LF, Wang X, Yuan WL, Wang GE, Wu YP, Duan WJ, Yu HM, Fang ZZ, Kurihara H, Zhang Y, He RR. Caffeine Protects Skin from Oxidative Stress-Induced Senescence through the Activation of Autophagy. Theranostics. 2018 Nov 10;8(20):5713-5730. doi: 10.7150/thno.28778. PMID: 30555576; PMCID: PMC6276298.
Herman A, Herman AP. Caffeine's mechanisms of action and its cosmetic use. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2013;26(1):8-14. doi: 10.1159/000343174. Epub 2012 Oct 11. PMID: 23075568.
