It’s National Coffee Day! Perk Up Your Beauty Routine With These Coffee-Infused Products

Does the smell of coffee instantly perk you up? Then rejoice, you java lover, because it’s officially National Coffee Day! In anticipation of the caffeine-filled festivities, I stopped by NBC Austin’s “Studio 512” to chat about coffee’s beauty benefits. From exfoliating body scrubs to de-puffing eye creams, here are some of my go-to coffee-infused beauty products. Time to give that beauty regimen a jolt!

SHEAMOISTURE GROUND COFFEE SCRUBS

Ground coffee is ideal for polishing off dead skin cells and smoothing dry and rough patches. For one, coffee is naturally rich in antioxidants that help to repair and protect the skin, and it has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce redness and prevent any irritation. Plus, caffeine temporarily dehydrates fatty cells so as to reduce the appearance of cellulite and give the skin a more toned and taut appearance.

SheaMoisture’s Coffee Scrubs ($14.99 at ULTA stores and Ulta.com) —available in 100% Pure Virgin Coconut Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Raw Shea, and Dragon’s Blood & Coffee Cherry — all contain ground coffee, as well as fatty acid-rich, certified organic shea butter ethically sourced from 15 women’s co-ops in Northern Ghana. The scrubs contain no suflates, phthalates, parabens, or mineral oils, and they’re really gentle when smoothed onto the skin. Plus their smell is guaranteed to wake you up and give you a burst of energy, so you can revive your skin and add some pep in your step at the same time!

IT COSMETICS CONFIDENCE IN AN EYE CREAM

Know how you feel more alert after that morning cup o’ joe? Well, your tired-looking eyes will look more alert after your skin soaks up some caffeine too! What makes caffeine such a popular ingredient in eye cream formulations is its ability to tackle both puffiness and dark circles.

In terms of swelling, caffeine constricts the blood vessels under the skin and it helps to relieve water retention, so it reduces puffiness and sends those under-eye bags packing. And, since it boosts circulation, caffeine prevents blood from pooling under the eyes, which is the cause of dark circles.

Developed alongside plastic surgeons, the ultra-hydrating IT Cosmetics Confidence in An Eye Cream ($38 at ITcosmetics.com) contains caffeine to reduce puffiness, but it goes way beyond deflating the under-eye area so as to deliver anti-aging and moisturizing benefits. Formulated with IT Cosmetics’ proprietaryAnti-Aging Armor Rejuvenating Concentrate, this eye cream also contains collagen and hyaluronic acid to plump skin and fill fine lines instantly; a ceramide complex to strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier and prevent moisture loss; anti-inflammatory and skin-brightening licorice extract; and softening and hydrating avocado oil.

And, since it has an apricot tint that’s universally flattering, the eye cream helps to give the complexion warmth. The color-correcting pigments in the formula, meanwhile, help to scatter light and give the under-eye area a radiance boost.

IT COSMETICS BYE BYE UNDER EYE CONCEALING POT

Next, we have the Bye Bye Under Eye Concealing Pot, ($28 at ITcosmetics.com) which provides the same amazing, weightless, full coverage as the award-winning Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer while also providing line-minimizing and skin-smoothing benefits. Available in six shades — Light, Medium, Medium Tan, Tan, Deep, and War, Deep — this concealer effectively covers up dark circles, blemishes, redness, and spots without ever caking, cracking, creasing, or settling into fine lines. In fact, it actually helps to smooth out fine lines thanks to the hydrolyzed collagen, peptides, and hyaluronic acid in the formula. And, as with the Confidence in an Eye Cream, this smooth and creamy concealer relies on caffeine and green coffee extract to minimize puffiness.

The results: instant coverage and long-term anti-aging benefits. Score!

100% PURE CAFFEINE MASK &  BRIGHT EYES MASK

Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, coffee can be quite useful in treating sun-damaged and reddened skin. That’s the goal of the 100% Pure Caffeine Mask ($7 at 100percentpure.com), a hydrogel mask made of 95% organic aloe water and 5% plant cellulose and infused with green coffee extract, vitamin C, and hyaluronic acid. After applying this mask to clean and dry skin for 15 minutes, your complexion will feel soothed and replenished.

To wake up tired-looking eyes, meanwhile, 100 % Pure offers the Bright Eyes Mask ($7 at 100percentpure.com), a targeted hydrogel mask treatment that’s also infused with green coffee extract and is designed to be pressed directly unto the under-eye area (hence the comma-shaped mask patches).

HERBAL ESSENCES BIO:RENEW VOLUME ARABICA COFFEE FRUIT SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER

I unfortunately ran out of time before I got to chat about coffee’s hair benefits but, luckily, I can do so here!

A recent study found that caffeine can thicken strands and promote hair growth by stimulating circulation along the scalp and blocking the effects of DHT, the hormone responsible for damaged follicles and hair loss. As a result, we’re starting to see and influx of  hair care products that contain coffee extract  — among them the Herbal Essences Bio: Renew Volume Arabica Coffee Fruit Shampoo and Conditioner ($5.99 each at drugstores and mass market retailers), which are paraben- and gluten-free and which contain Arabica coffee fruit, as well as sea kelp, aloe extract, and panthenol.

The shampoo and conditioner are designed to strengthen strands, make them more resilient, give hair more body, and stimulate new growth.

EDIBLE BEAUTY & VELVET COFFEE BODY BUTTER

Designed to firm and smooth the skin along your legs, arms, stomach, and hips, the Edible Beauty & Velvet Coffee Body Butter ($50 at EdibleBeautyAustralia.com) effective blasts cellulite and contours the silhouette. The indulgent body butter contains coffee, which prevents water retention and tightens blood vessels to reduce the appearance of dimpled skin, as well as a number of detoxifying and moisturizing ingredients — among them:  pink grapefruit, which detoxifies the skin and is a natural source of salicylic acid and vitamin A; gotu kola, which is rich in triterpenoids that boost cellular regeneration and repair connective tissues; shea butter, an excellent skin moisturizer with anti-aging benefits; and meadowfoam oil, an excellent emollient that strengthens the skin’s moisture barrier.