If you’re still feeling a bit sluggish transitioning from the holiday season to routine, kick-start your system with a shot of caffeine. From a coffee-infused skin scrub to a stimulating surge of caffeine extract applied topically to temporarily tighten your limbs or under-eye area, this antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory ingredient is a versatile addition to an increasing range of skincare.
For another way to get into coffee, look out for its rich tones to make an appearance in lipsticks this winter, in everything from cappuccino nudes and mocha shades to coffee-berry reds and for those who like it strong there’s always espresso.
If you drink more coffee than is good for you, try making your own scrub with leftover coffee grounds, sea salt and oil. A tidier way to divert from internal to external consumption would be by checking out our surprisingly varied menu of coffee choices.
1. Frank Body Lip Scrub and Balm duo $14.99
From a beginning making coffee body scrub sold affordably in a brown paper bag, Frank Body has grown into an Australian success story now including facial care and all containing coffee extracts. This duo uses grains to exfoliate lips and then coffee seed oil as part of a balm to keep them soft and smooth. frankbody.com
2. Kiehl's Powerful Wrinkle Reducing Eye Cream $72
Caffeine is included in this cream to help reduce puffiness alongside copper, calcium
and ceramides to smooth and strengthen skin in the delicate eye area. From Kiehl's Britomart and Smith & Caughey's.
3. Frank Body Original Body Scrub $14.95
This brown bag of scrub from roasted and ground robusta coffee was the start of the success story that is Frank Body, a Melbourne company with coffee at the centre of a fun, young range. The line now extends to facial care, using green coffee extract in cleansers and more finely textured scrubs. frankbody.com
4. Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream $49
Seven peptides combine in Pep-Start to help maintain the delicate eye area over time, with caffeine added to energise skin and deter puffiness, aided by the device's roller action. In selected department store and pharmacies from Monday.
5. Clarins Daily Energizer Wake-Up Booster $38
With green coffee, white tea and redcurrant extracts, Daily Energizer is a capsule range of cleanser, moisturisers and booster, meant to refresh age 20-something skin. This gel smoothes, hydrates and tones for a radiant look using an extract of seeds from mature fruit of the coffee shrub. From selected salons, pharmacies and department stores.
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This primer, which helps ensure a better non-caking canvas for concealer, has caffeine to diminish puffiness and boost radiance, while also using other ingredients to optically blur fine lines. From Smashbox, Ponsonby Rd and selected Life pharmacies or smashboxcosmetics.co.nz
7. Evolu Invigorating Body Scrub $34.99
Comprising 20 per cent coffee grounds, this natural scrub also contains harakeke flax extract to help lock in moisture and calming kawakawa so skin is left supple after its sluicing. Pair with Evolu's lush tropical body butter, another recent addition to this local range. From department stores and Life pharmacies or see evolu.com
8. Priori CoffeeBerry Revitalising Cleanser $85
This cleanser is a personal favourite, developed by one of the skincare industry' stand-out scientists, Dr Joe Lewis, who did much to establish and harness the high antioxidant properties of coffeeberry and other botanicals. The granular, gel-like texture makes for an envigorating but gentle cleanser. Salon stockists ph 0800 105 107.
9. Verite Spa Organics Coffee Bean and Cacoa Sugar Body Polish $38
As rich as a luxury chocolate smelling of orange and vanilla, this mix of botanical oils, organic coffee and raw cacoa exfoliates and moisturises. Polish the body in small circular motions focusing on rough or drier patches before rinsing off. Stockists see veritespa.co.nz
