Ingredient of the Week: Coffee Extract

Most of us love it and many cannot imagine starting off the day without it: coffee is not only the number 1 beverage to consume, but is also a secret weapon against cellulite and bags under the eyes.

How many cups of coffee do you consume to get your day off to a good start? Two, three, or more? Our skin should be able to start the day on its own unless it is supported with refreshing and stimulating cosmetic products that are rich in coffee extracts.

The raw material that contains the wondrous properties for our skin is coffee bean (Coffea arabica Rubiaceae) extract. Apart from its fragrant scent, it contains a host of antioxidants, delivers moisture, softens the skin and enhances suppleness. Coffee slows down skin aging, firms the skin, helps with swollen eyes and bags under the eyes whilst stimulating fat-burning and hair growth.

Energy boost for the cells

Special focus should be placed on the blood flow enhancing effect of caffeine: caffeine ensures that our cells are provided with sufficient oxygen and nutrients. Thus, our skin receives enough energy that is urgently required for cell renewal. Improved blood flow also has the pleasant side effect that other active ingredients are better absorbed as a result.

Caffeine-rich products support the phasing out of fat cells, responsible for cellulite, that are located around the area of the legs and buttocks. The characteristic dents of orange peel are minimised because coffee flushes out water stored in the skin to give it an instant firmer-looking appearance.

This effect is also utilised in products targeted at puffy eyes: swelling and bags under the eyes are often the results of accumulated lymphatic fluid. Caffeine serves to better remove this.

These wonderful properties make the popular pick-me-up a treasured component in natural cosmetics. We use the coffee extract in our Stunning Eyes Beauty Oil and Anti-Cellulite Body Oil.

If you would like to test the revitalising effectiveness of coffee yourself, simply whip up an at-home body scrub using coffee grounds.

Recipe: DIY body scrub with coffee grounds

Mix 3 tablespoons of your favourite plant-based oil (we love using almond, grapeseed or olive oil) with 3 tablespoons of coffee grounds. Apply to wet skin when under the shower, massaging in circular motions then rinse. That's it!