Ground Coffee for Puffy Eyes

Ground Coffee for Puffy Eyes

You know that coffee can be a real pick-me-up in the morning. But did you also know that it can be a fixer for tired eyes? Facialists have been using coffee in their beauty and skin treatments for years, but you don't need to head to your local spa and spend a lot of money to get the same effects.

Coffee Grounds

This routine only works if the coffee grounds are used, so the next time you make a pot of coffee, put the grinds aside to cool after they're done brewing. Once they are no longer hot, scoop a little bit up with your fingers and carefully apply to the area under your eyes and on your lids. Close your eyes and relax for 20 minutes. When done, rinse the grounds off with cool water and pat dry with a clean cloth.

Coffee Mask

You can also mix coffee grounds with other ingredients to create a facial mask that will not only de-puff your eyes, but will also help brighten up your entire face. Mix two tablespoons of dry, unused grounds with three tablespoons of yogurt or heavy cream. Mix together until smooth. Apply to your face in a circular motion, being careful to avoid getting it into your eyes. Let the mask sit on your face for 20 minutes, allowing it to dry. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and pat your face dry.

How It Works

There are several scientific reasons why coffee has so many positive effects on the skin. The caffeine is very high in antioxidants and is easily absorbed into the skin. Once coffee grounds are placed on the face, they shrink blood vessels and remove water content, both of which help to deflate eye puffiness. Caffeine's anti-inflammatory properties also lessen the appearance of dark circles under the eyes. The grounds also reduce redness and tighten the skin, making it look brighter and firmer.

Other Beauty Benefits of Coffee

Reducing eye puffiness is just one of the many uses of coffee. It also works as an exfoliating agent on the skin; just mix some dry grounds in with a liquid skin cleanser (the rough grounds scrub away dry skin patches). Add a teaspoon or two of dry grounds to your shampoo -- when you wash your hair, it will help to remove product that may have built up over time. You can also rub used coffee grounds to areas where you have cellulite. The caffeine is said to speed up circulation which will improve the appearance of those pesky bumps.