Coffee smells heavenly to most people and for many around the world but particularly in the USA, coffee is a morning must have drink. Why should you rub it on your skin though? Because it can help your skin look amazing, super models have been using coffee scrubs as a secret weapon for years before photo shoots to improve the tone and radiance of their skin plus reduce puffiness and inflammation. 

Inflammation is unfortunately something we all have even if we don't have arthritis or other auto immune conditions. Allergies, a late night, eating poorly or other things can cause inflammation, puffy eyes, cheeks, red marks and breakouts.

Coffee has been widely studied for its anti-inflammatory properties. Its caffeine content, coupled with potent antioxidant substances like polyphenols and hydrocinnamic acids, may be responsible for this effect. 

It is also packed with antioxidants which have been found to slow down the aging process and help protect against ultraviolet radiation and slow down aging of the skin caused by sun exposure. Antioxidants can also revive dull, tired skin by ushering nutrients into the pores. So it is particularly useful as a facial scrub but all over body is also great during bathing suit season!

Due to its coarse nature, coffee – especially finely-ground coffee like what Java Juvenation contains – makes an excellent exfoliator. These granules help slough away dead skin cells and, although research is still a little limited on this particular use, many models and those who have to appear before cameras swear by it. Exfoliating is beneficial when it comes to achieving glowing skin as well as for removing toxins.

It turns out that caffeine may be one of the best contenders in the topical fight against cellulite.

Aside from its ability to increase circulation – which can ultimately help smooth the appearance of cellulite – the caffeine in coffee has been tied to a lipolytic effect on fat cells (meaning it essentially breaks down fat). Studies have shown the effect to be quite substantial, detailing that:

According to a study by the National Institute of Health, “Emulsion with caffeine caused a reduction of 17% on the diameter of the fatty cells compared with the control … and emulsion … was considered to promote the lipolytic action on fatty tissue, acting as a complement to treat cellulite.”

In other words, applying a topical caffeine solution to skin caused a decrease in fatty cell size of 17 percent.

This is also an important factor when it comes to diminishing the appearance of cellulite, as excess fat beneath the skin layer tends to protrude in an uneven manner (which is what leads to cellulite’s rumpled appearance). The less protruding fat tissue you have, the less chance for cellulite appearance.

One thing to keep in mind here is that caffeine can actually enter your body through the skin, so if you are pregnant, have a sensitivity or high blood pressure, you might want to use a coffee scrub sparingly and check with your doctor.

Those puffy days we all have sometimes can be aided with coffee scrubs, the methylxanthine in coffee have a diuretic effect, which can aid in reducing edema, or swollen tissues due to excess fluid retention and it also helps to remove dark under eye circles. 

Always use a coffee scrub in your morning routine and not before bed because the absorption of caffeine may keep you awake at night.