5 Latte Ingredients That Are Perfect To Use for DIY Beauty Treatments

A popular coffee shop drink — especially during the chiller months — is a latte. This dreamy and creamy drink mostly contains espresso or chai tea and milk, but can include other add-ins such as cinnamon. These tasty ingredients are packed with nutrients, which make them perfect for creating DIY spa-inspired treatments for various beauty woes. Here are five rejuvenating recipes that will surely leave you looking gorgeous in a flash.

Nix crow’s-feet with a milk compress.

Whole milk’s creamy fats plump skin to “fill in” lines, while its lactic acid gently exfoliates so the area looks smoother and more youthful, stat. Bonus: The cold temperature of milk reduces under-eye puffiness on contact.

Try it: Soak two cotton rounds in whole milk and place over closed eyelids for 10 minutes, then remove and rinse.

Volumize lips with a cinnamon balm.

Cinnamon boosts blood flow to help “swell” lips, while its cinnamaldehyde promotes collagen production to plump up the pout long-term. And using with hydrating olive oil helps lock in lip-plumping moisture.

Try it: Mix one tablespoon of olive oil with 3 teaspoons of ground cinnamon. Apply to lips and let sit for 2 minutes, then rinse.

Reverse hair thinning with a coffee rinse.

The brew’s unique compounds strengthen hair follicles at the root to reduce shedding. And rubbing the rinse onto the scalp (massage increases circulation) helps spur new hair growth.

Try it: Pour one cup of cool, brewed coffee onto damp hair, rub onto the scalp for one minute and rinse after 15 minutes.

Soften rough patches with a chai tea scrub.

Together, the gritty consistency of dried chai tea leaves and the exfoliating compounds in its spices gently slough off dead, dry skin cells. Pairing with exfoliating brown sugar and moisturizing grapeseed oil speeds results and leaves skin supple and smooth.

Try it: Combine the contents of 3 chai tea bags, ½ cup of brown sugar and 3 tablespoons of grapeseed oil. Rub onto damp skin in circular motions for one minute before rinsing.

Slim a puffy face with an espresso rub

Espresso’s potent dose of diuretic caffeine helps expel bloat-causing fluids in the face and neck.

Try it: Mix ½ tablespoon of ground espresso and one tablespoon of coconut oil (it moisturizes), rub onto skin in upward motions, starting from the neck to the chin, then massage all over the face to the forehead; rinse.

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