Caffeine and skin

Cafe, java, kava – in a word, coffee!  Caffeine helps perk us up in the morning so it’s hard to go without.  Caffeine and skin – can you have the best of both worlds?

Other names for coffee

The world loves coffee and no doubt you’ve heard of Cup of Joe, Morning Brew, and maybe even Brain juice.  Some of these names are quite funny because when you have a jolt of caffeine, you do feel a little energized.  When I wake up in the morning, I’m very groggy.  I may have slept really well and woke from a deep sleep or maybe I didn’t sleep as well as I wanted to.  Either way, having that Liquid Energy does help start my day.

But, I’ve always wondered if caffeine and skin can go hand in hand.

Other forms of caffeine

Maybe coffee isn’t your caffeine of choice.  Perhaps you love tea or some other caffeinated beverage.  Generally, I prefer coffee in the morning and a cup of tea in the afternoon if I need a little ‘pick me up’.

Still, others may pick up those super caffeinated beverages.  Just the thought of those sends my heart racing.  Whatever you prefer, is caffeine good for your skin?

Caffeine and skin

I’m not going to tell you to stop drinking coffee or tea.  If I did, I’d be a hypocrite because I do like the taste of it.  It really does help me get the day started / keep me going in the afternoon.  But I will tell you not to overdo it.  (This is also the reason why those super caffeinated beverages may not be a good idea.)

The reason why you want to drink coffee and tea in moderation is because caffeine is a diuretic.  This means that it makes you have to pee more, which is dehydrating.  The more you drink, the more you pee.  If you are peeing more and getting dehydrated, that means your skin is getting dehydrated – and that’s not good for your skin.

Caffeine for face

If you want to have a great complexion without dark bags under your eyes, try one cup of coffee in the morning and a cup of green tea in the afternoon (but not after 2 PM – unless you want to stay awake at night).  In between, have about 8 cups of water (depending on your weight).  So, here’s how I would schedule it – this doesn’t have to be a hard rule, but just to give you an idea of what I do:

• 7:30 AM – I have a cup of lemon water with apple cider vinegar – this helps me cleanse my liver!
• 8 AM – I have my breakfast with 1 cup of coffee.
• From 9-12 – I drink about 2 cups of water
• Around noon, I eat lunch – drink another cup of water
• 1:30 PM – cup of tea (green or otherwise) – did you know green tea is good for your skin?  It’s also great for inflammation!
• From 2 – 6PM another 3 cups of water
• Around 8 PM, a cup of herbal tea (which means – 0 caffeine)

That’s 8 cups of water in a day:  The lemon water counts as 1 cup, plus the 2 cups of water from 9-12, plus the 1 cup at lunch, another 3 cups in the evening, along with a cup of herbal tea.  All that water can help remove toxins, which will help your skin with acne and other inflammation.  So, caffeine and skin can work together.

Side note about caffeine

Like I mentioned, I don’t want to tell you to stop drinking coffee or tea.  There are some things in life that are little luxuries and I feel like this is one of them.  But – everything should be in moderation.  Plus, if you’re like me, if I have more than 2 cups of caffeine in a day, I don’t feel right.  This is especially true if I have too much coffee – it upsets my stomach and gives me acid reflux.  For this reason alone, I tend to stay away from too much caffeine.

I am still human, though – there are those days when I’m just bumming around on a Saturday and a Caffe Latte sounds so good.  Or, if you’ve ever suffered from a migraine, the extra caffeine may help.  Either way, listen to how your body feels and what it’s telling you…

• If you have dark circles (racoon eyes), you may be dehydrated so skip the java and have some water.
• Can’t sleep at night, go with a cup of herbal tea and soothe yourself to sleep.
• Got a migraine, OK – have that cup of coffee in the afternoon but don’t make it a daily thing.
• Upset stomach after your 3rd cup of coffee?  Pay attention to your body – your body and skin will thank you for it.

Lastly, you can use ‘used’ coffee grounds as an exfoliator.  Get that dead skin off with all those antioxidants and increase your blood flow by re-purposing your coffee.  That’s a great way to reduce and reuse for your planet!  And, that’s just another way caffeine and skin work together!