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Beauty

Coffee’s 4 Secret Beauty Benefits

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Waking up to a warm cup of coffee is the one thing most of us look forward to in the morning. It’s gives you the mental boost you need to start the day right. But coffee isn’t just for waking you up! It might be your newest beauty secret. When used topically, the benefits of coffee can refresh and rejuvenate your skin and hair too.

Soften rough spots with a coffee scrub.

The grittiness of coffee grounds gently sloughs off built-up dead, dry cells on your skin’s surface. And pairing it with hydrating coconut oil locks moisture into skin.

Try it: Mix 2 Tbs. of coffee grounds and 1 ⁄2 Tbs. of coconut oil. Rub onto damp skin while showering for 1 minute; rinse.

De-puff eyes with a coffee compress.

“Tannins in coffee help expel trapped fluids that pool underneath the eyes,” says New York City dermatologist Debra Jaliman, MD. Plus, using java cold constricts blood vessels to further alleviate swelling.

Try it: Add 1 ⁄2 cup of chilled coffee to a bowl and soak 2 cotton rounds in the liquid. Place on top of closed eyes and let sit for 10 minutes before removing and rinsing skin.

Banish belly bloat with a coffee wrap.

A natural diuretic, coffee absorbs into skin to flush excess water and trapped toxins that swell the stomach for a slimmer midsection, stat. Adding in olive oil (it moisturizes) and peppermint oil (it boosts the lymph system to keep fluids moving) speeds results.

Try it: Mix 1 ⁄4 cup of ground coffee, 3 Tbs. of olive oil and 4 drops of peppermint essential oil. Rub on the stomach and loosely wrap with plastic wrap. Let sit 15 minutes; remove and rinse.

Reverse thinning with a coffee massage.

Both the caffeine in coffee and the motion from rubbing it onto the scalp increase blood circulation to encourage new, healthy hair growth and prolong the growth phase, says Dr. Jaliman. Even better? Unique compounds in the brew strengthen hair follicles at the root to reduce the shedding that makes hair look thinner all over.

Try it: Pour 1 cup of coffee onto damp hair, then massage the scalp for one minute. Let sit for five minutes, then rinse.

The benefits of coffee go far beyond the morning pick-me-up. Get the most out of the bean by using it to awaken your beauty as well!

A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.

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