How effective is coffee for your skin ?

There has been a surge in the number of people opting for home remedies to treat various skin woes over the past few years, especially since the pandemic hit. Basic ingredients such as turmeric, gram flour and aloe vera are back in demand, and how! Coffee, too, has become increasingly popular when it comes to skincare, and a number of companies are coming up with coffee-based creams, lotions and body scrubs. Experts share what makes this bean so popular among skincare enthusiasts.

Research says coffee bean extracts can be responsible for skin cell energy preservation. “It also helps to avoid sunburn and treat redness that can occur as a result of overexposure to the sun. For under eye dark circles, topical application of coffee increases circulation of blood which heals the skin from from within,” says Tarun Sharma, CEO, mCaffeine, skincare brand that makes products from coffee.

Sharma adds, “When oil and dust get accumulated in skin pores, it clogs them and becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, resulting in acne. Coffee extract or powdered beans act as an excellent facial scrub, which helps exfoliate dead skin cells and deeply cleanses clogged pores, thereby effectively treating acne.”

“Caffeine is an energy booster for the skin,” says cosmetologist Pooja Nagdev, stating that when we apply coffee as a face mask, it replenishes freshness on our face. “Coffee holds vitamin C and D3, which acts as a booster to the skin,” she adds.

“End of the day is the best time to apply a cooling coffee mask, for around 10 to 15 minutes,” says dermatologist Dr Indu Ballani.

Two popular variants of coffee are arabica and robusta. High quality arabica beans help stimulate blood flow, reduce appearance of stretch marks, age spots, etc. Moreover, it acts as a natural detox by removing dead skin. Robusta, on the other hand, helps remove bacteria and impurities in the skin and regulates blood circulation, which leads to reduction in signs of ageing and skin conditions.

“Using an appropriate base with coffee is equally important, to receive the desired results. Some of the bases that can be used with coffee are honey, lemon, rice powder, milk, cream, turmeric and banana paste. All of these can be combined in appropriate amounts based on your skin texture, and applied on the face and neck. Excess of anything will stop giving you desired results, and that is what may happen if one uses coffee mask uncountably,” cautions Nagdev.