Ingredient 101

COFFEE TALK

The surprising benefits of adding coffee grounds and oil to your skincare routine By Lora Grady

THERE’S NOTHING QUITE like starting your day with a good cup of joe to put a little pep in your step. Now you can add coffee to your morning skincare routine to perk up your skin, too. Thanks to its antioxidants (specifically flavonoids and carotenoids) that take on free radicals, it turns out coffee can help reduce signs of aging over time.

“Cofee and cofee extracts have long been used in dermatology,” says Dr. Sonya Abdulla, dermatologist at Toronto’s Dermatology on Bloor. “It has a number of benefits,” she says, including decongesting, exfoliating and firming. The exfoliating effect reveals a more luminous complexion. Coffee also contains caffeine, of course, which has a constrictive effect on blood vessels, so it can reduce puffiness and inflammation. Thanks to their texture, used coffee grounds also have an exfoliant benefit on their own— but Dr. Abdulla cautions that coarse grounds can cause micro tears in the skin. After their initial use, coffee grounds can actually be repurposed and reformulated for use in skincare products, she says. In fact, “studies show that processed coffee grounds may actually be more potent.”

Enter Alberta-based brand Ground-Up Eco Ventures. They use upcycled coffee grounds to make their sustainable essential coffee oil. With the fatty acids and vitamin E contained in the oil, “it’s like a one-stop shop for skincare solutions,” says president and founder Shawn Leggett.

Dr. Abdulla points out that coffee in skincare is particularly helpful for under-eye concerns like puffiness and dark circles, as well as redness, rosacea and acne. It might also help improve the appearance of cellulite or other textural skin changes.

Coffee oil has a pH similar to that of human skin, says Leggett, so it works well with all skin types. If you’re looking for a way to make your beauty routine more sustainable and socially conscious, it’s worth adding some coffee (on top of your daily brew!)

ESPRESSO YOURSELF

Made with coffee bean particles, this mask warms and gently exfoliates to reveal more radiant skin.

THE BODY SHOP Nicaraguan Coffee Intense Awakening Mask, $6, at The Body Shop.

This facial exfoliator, formulated with fne walnut shell powder and coffee oil, deeply cleanses and buffs away dry skin.

DR. BOTANICALS Coffee Superfood Renewing Facial Exfoliator, $32, at Hudson’s Bay.

Take on acne, fne lines and puffness with this coffee oil that has antioxidant, anti-infammatory effects.

GROUNDUP Essential Coffee Oil, $20, at GroundUpEV.com.