While we all understand the importance of caffeine for our productivity levels in the morning, there are a few other aspects that the ingredient can seriously benefit, namely our body and skincare routines. From smoothing skin, to fading scars, to helping treat acne and eczema, caffeine in skincare is the underrated skincare ingredient we never knew we needed. We chatted to Co-Founder of cult Aussie skincare brand Frank Body, Jess Hatzis-Walker, about how they discovered caffeine as the next big thing, how to integrate it into your routine, plus who should be looking to use it in the first place.
How does it work as an ingredient?
“Coffee is full of antioxidants that can ‘wake up’ the skin,” says Jess. “In it’s freshly roasted and ground form, [it] is also a great natural exfoliator. [It works to buff] away dry, dead skin cells, leaving you feeling smooth and supple.” It also “has the same pH level as the skin, which means it won’t leave you feeling oily or dry, explains Jess. Exfoliation, in this way “can help smooth over lumps and bumps…help to fade marks, scars, pigmentation”, as well as work to treat a range of skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis and rosacea.
The type of coffee, however, is more important than you might think. Frank Body specifically, uses ground and roasted Robusta Coffee, “which has the highest caffeine content and is most beneficial for the skin.”
So, how on earth did you find out about this super ingredient?
“The Original Coffee Scrub started where all great love stories start: in a cafe,” says Jess (and we don’t disagree). “Two ladies came into Steve Rowley’s cafe and asked for leftover coffee grinds to use as a natural body scrub. The idea was simple enough to start; a single product with a marketing strategy that saw the customers do the dirty work. Literally from there, it grew,” she says.
Who should be using caffeine based skincare and how often would you recommend?
As Jess explains, caffeine is basically suitable for anyone, but especially those looking to target skin conditions such as pigmentation, acne, eczema, psoriasis and rosacea. “Most of our coffee-based skincare range can be used daily…with the Coffee Scrubs and Scalp Scrub recommended for use 2-3 times per week. Like any good skincare routine, consistency is key to seeing results,” she says. The combination of natural ingredients also means it is easier to target specific concerns.”We create different formulas for different skin benefits,” says Jess. “Our A-Beauty Scrub combines coffee with native Australian ingredients such as Kakadu Plum and Finger Lime, for their brightening and exfoliating properties, while our hair mask combines coffee with Peppermint and Rosemary for their cleansing and antibacterial qualities,” she says. Vitamin E, as Jess also explains is also one of nature’s most nourishing and hydrating ingredients. “In combination with the other ingredients in the Original Coffee Scrub, it works to hydrate and smooth long after you’ve scrubbed.”
Not only clever in the marketing department, Frank Body has seen insanely positive customer feedback (which you can see more of on @frankfeedback). So, if you’re looking for effective and natural (which let’s be honest, who isn’t), caffeine could be your new go-to…just make sure to patch test first. You can thank us and Frank, later.