SHARK TANK APPROVED 
It’s no secret most of us love our coffee.
Regular, dark roasts, breakfast blends, flavored swirls, lattes, you name it.
“Let’s grab a coffee” is a statement used more today than ever before. It isn’t just the caffeine pick-me-up factor either. It is also the pleasure of sharing stories over a cup-of-joe with a friend. It eases the mind and gives you comfort.
Coffee can actually be an added to our skincare routine too.
People are often surprised when I tell them about the many benefits coffee has.
READ: 4 Reasons to Use Coffee In Your Beauty Routine
If you add a few coffee grounds when you wash your hands, it can remove lingering odors, from things like onions or garlic. It is also a great grease cutter for mechanics or repairmen.
Not to mention, there is a reason why there are often cups of coffee beans at the makeup store in the fragrance section. This is because sniffing coffee beans in between smelling perfumes will “cleanse” the nasal passages. That way you get the true scent of a cologne rather than a mix of the ones you have tested with your nose.
In addition to these great uses, there are also recipes and products that use coffee to achieve certain things in a beauty routine.
Let’s take a look at a few things even us sensitive-skinned redheads can buy or make to give our glamour procedure a “boost”:
1. Facial Moisturizer:
Studies have been done to prove caffeine from coffee beans (even already used grounds) are absorbed through the skin when used topically. Caffeine causes damaged skin cells to die, rejuvenating the skin to bring the newer, younger cells to the surface. It can also reduce puffiness from tired skin and poor circulation.
Another good thing for us redheads to know is caffeine absorbs the damaging UVB rays from the sun. We gingers know that the more sunscreen we can get from our beauty products, the better! I have found two facial moisturizers I love. They work awesome to keep my skin soft while giving me the benefits of caffeine as well:
‘Redhead Friendly’ Approved Coffee Induced Moisturizers: Origins GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturizer and The Body Shop Spa of the World Ethiopian Green Coffee Body Cream
2. Face Mask:
A coffee mask is a great way to inject some oomph into a dull, tired redhead complexion. Since many of us coffee drinkers like the boost in the morning, our skin appreciates it, as well.
If you want to make your own, you can add some ingredients to the basic mask recipe to address specific skin problems you may have.
A basic mask recipe:
4 tbsp FINELY ground coffee (you can use fresh beans or used is just as good),
1 tbsp raw honey and 6-8 tbsp unflavored yogurt.
Stir until well blended.
Apply the mask all over your face, avoiding the eye area. Let dry and rinse after 20 minutes with lukewarm water.
If you want to brighten a dull complexion, add 2 tsp fresh lemon juice.
If your skin is very sensitive or oily, add a tablespoon of finely ground plain oatmeal to calm the skin.
If you need some extra hydration and moisture, add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to the original mixture. (If you have a nut allergy, olive or sunflower oil works just as well.)
If DIY skincare isn’t for you, you can always find a good retail mask if you search.
‘Redhead Friendly’ Approved Coffee Induced Face Mask: Yes to Coconut Energizing Coffee Super Eye Mask is a great option.
3. Eyes:
The one part of our skin that probably tells the world we are tired is the area under our eyes. Lack of sleep or excessive stress can leave the skin around the eyes dark and droopy which contributes to wrinkles, puffiness and dark circles.
Making your own eye mask is a great way to fight off those tell-tale signs. Not to mention, making your own eye mask is easy and economical with HUGE benefits:
Take some used, dried grounds and grind them in a coffee grinder till they are almost a powder.
Mix 2 tbsp of the coffee grounds
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp of coconut oil
½ tsp raw honey together in a small container
In the evening, pat the mixture under your eyes in the shape of a V from corner to corner and let set till dry for about 20 minutes. Make sure you do not get too close to the lashes. (Use the diagram below as a reference.)
Rinse at the bathroom sink with cotton balls soaked in lukewarm water. Pat dry.
If you are looking for a good caffeinated eye cream that you can use daily with the same advantages for all-day help, I love:
‘Redhead Friendly’ Approved Coffee Induced Eye Cream: 100% Pure Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream
4. Body Scrub:
Everyone is jumping on the coffee scrub bandwagon. Not only does coffee and caffeine exfoliate the dry skin while in the shower, but the caffeine temporarily reduces cellulite.
Warning: If you scrub your body really hard, it will irritate your redhead skin which will hurt it in the long run. Be gentle!
There really isn’t a need to go out and buy a special coffee scrub. In fact, I find it easier to just combine my shower cleanser with my exfoliator:
In a small plastic container (8 oz.), mix your favorite body wash with two tablespoons of dried, used coffee grounds and a teaspoon of olive oil. (If you can, run the used grounds through a coffee grinder if you have one so they are a bit finer and less irritating.)
Shake to mix well before each use.
‘Redhead Friendly’ Approved Coffee Induced Body Scrub: Tree Hut Shea Moisturizing Body Wash is inexpensive and smells GREAT with the coffee grounds.
5. Lip Balm:
When I first read about this, I thought….. what? Other than flavor, what good can coffee do in a lip balm? I was very pleasantly surprised! Finely ground coffee beans can be added for an extra topical anti-inflammatory and antioxidant kick. This is especially helpful during cold months when lips tend to get extremely chapped, cracked and swollen. A touch of very finely ground beans can be just what your winter kisses need.
If you want to do it yourself, take a simple lip balm (like a plain Chapstick), “unscrew” it until you can remove all of the product.
Put Chapstick contents in a small glass bowl and add a ¼ tsp extra finely ground coffee (instant coffee is a great option for this).
Also, add a ¼ tsp of cocoa powder used for baking. (Cocoa powder is known for its antioxidant properties as well).
Melt in a microwave 10 seconds at a time, stirring with a toothpick in between sessions.
When it is completely melted (be careful—it is HOT!), pour the melted balm back into the stick (make sure you unscrewed the base all the way back down) then put in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
You now have an effective and tasty lip balm.
If that is too much work for you, other options are:
‘Redhead Friendly’ Approved Coffee Induced Lip Moisturizers: HURRAW! Coffee Bean Lip Balm or Frank Body’s Lip Scrub + Lip Balm to achieve soft, moisturized lips.
Coffee has been a part of our day—morning, afternoon and evening—for years. Now with the scientific studies and technology we have, we can see that it has many benefits on the surface too. Don’t let those coffee grounds go to waste. Re-using them will not just help the environment but will also help slow down the appearance of aging to your skin.
Then when you AND your body is awake and glowing, inside and out, you will be ready to Rock it like a Redhead!
