Millions of people rely on coffee to improve their focus and give them that boost of energy.
But what if this daily dose of wake-up juice is actually harming your skin?
Overthinking puts some very annoying questions in your head. But whatever it is, this is a relevant question. I mean do you need to invest in that expensive skincare because of your high caffeine intake?
Unfortunately, drinking coffee can age you. The caffeine in coffee affects the collagen synthesis of our skin by reducing it, thus accelerating its aging process. Also, with coffee having diuretic properties that can result in fluid loss, coffee can potentially rid our skin of moisture.
In this article, I will provide you with deep insights into this.
Does Coffee Age Your Skin?
Coffee can age your skin by making it look dull and dry due to the fact that drinking coffee, especially without water, can dehydrate you. However, the caffeine in coffee is used in several cosmetic products because it is abundant in antioxidants which can be used to protect the skin.
Drinking coffee does help to provide nutrients and antioxidants internally. Caffeine actually improves the overall look of your skin. The caffeine in the coffee fades away fine lines and wrinkles on the face when applied topically onto the skin.
With its anti-oxidant properties, it is beneficial for your skin when used in masks or creams. Many cosmetic companies and top brands have actually started using coffee beans or extracted caffeine in their products.
After beer shampoo taking the world by storm, the addition of caffeine has become a new ritual in beauty brands.
Does Drinking Coffee Make You Age Faster?
Coffee can make you age faster because of how caffeine affects collagen synthesis. Collagen is a protein mostly beneficial to our skin. Basically, it is the thing that helps us look younger. As we age, the collagen in our body decreases, and this process is accelerated by drinking coffee.
Coffee is a loved beverage and can be an essential part of the day. But if you start drinking enormous amounts of it every day there is certainly a downside of this energy trip. Coffee is a diuretic. This means that it increases the production of urine. Coffee pushes out all the water and sodium out from the body.
For some people like high-blood-pressure patients, it is beneficial. It aids in decreasing blood pressure. But for an average person, it can result in dull-looking skin with dry patches. Excessive consumption of coffee can deplete your body’s moisture levels resulting in dehydration. Therefore, aging you rapidly.
Also, drinking coffee decreases dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels. DHEA is responsible for the proper functioning of the nervous system, cardiovascular and immune systems. This is said to be an anti-aging hormone in our body whose production reduces with age. Therefore, coffee impacting DHEA in your body can make you look much older than your actual age.
Does Caffeine Destroy Collagen?
Coffee does not destroy collagen, but the caffeine present in coffee hinders the production of collagen and stops the absorption process rapidly.
Collagen is an insoluble and dense protein fiber that makes up 25% of the protein in the body. This includes; skin, tendons, muscles, cartilage, and bones. Drinking hot coffee promotes less absorption of calcium and bone-fortifying minerals. With its acidic properties, coffee inhibits the absorption of minerals thus losing collagen.
Together all of these factors contribute to diminishing collagen, and further blocking its production in the body. Premature aging can occur as a side effect with extremely saggy bone structure and skin.
Does Coffee Causes Wrinkles?
The diuretic properties of coffee, especially one that is high in caffeine, can cause wrinkles. Even your iced coffees in summer can lead to many wrinkles around your mouth.
As I mentioned above, the diuretic property of coffee is something to take note of if you are a heavy coffee drinker. It forces the body to get rid of sodium and water combined with minerals and vitamins. Your body becomes malnourished as a result. This malnourishment then results to dry flaky skin that is in utter need of moisture. This dryness of the skin causes wrinkles and makes the skin lose its elasticity over time.
Iced coffees are all the rage these days and you’re probably hooked on them too. Cold caffeine with an extra flavored kick is the best combination for summers. Sipping this on a sweltering hot summer day feels like the malibu dream. Unfortunately, the straw that you are sipping through boosts wrinkles around your mouth. Like how a chain smoker develops a puckered mouth due to the cigarette around their mouth all the time. The straw is like a cigarette in this case.
All these fine lines around your mouth would make you look older.
Can Coffee Cause Pimples?
Coffee alone does not cause pimples, but excessive amounts of coffee, especially with the addition of milk and sugar, can.
As much as you love a hot cappuccino, it is playing a part in causing your acne. I am not saying that coffee alone is responsible for pimples or acne. But many other things which are added to your cup of delicious coffee are the sneaky little things causing it.
Drinking coffee regularly interferes with your body’s hormonal balance. Hormones like cortisol are increased. This is a stress hormone that can trigger the skin to produce more oil and sebum. This potentially could cause breakouts and pimples. Along with this, it causes inflammation and insomnia. Both of these can affect your skin and cause pimples.
Furthermore, studies have shown that people who drink whole milk in their coffee are more prone to breakout and acne. This also produces an insulin-like substance that spikes up the acne process. In addition to this, research says that added sugar in the coffee shoots the blood sugar level causing more pimples or breakout.
Do take a look at this video below as she explains everything about coffee causing pimples.
Will Giving Up On Coffee Improve My Skin?
Giving up coffee can definitely improve your skin. Slowly but surely, quitting caffeine will improve your overall skin appearance.
Caffeine may energize and elevate your mood. But large amounts of caffeine have adverse effects on the skin.
Coffee has many other components which contribute to damaging the skin, like dairy and sugar. So, omitting coffee just for the downside of caffeine is not the solution to the bigger problem. It will give you noticeable results but you might need to give up dairy and sugar to achieve flawless skin.
Also, only giving up coffee would also stop your source of anti-oxidants. Chemistry professor Joe Vinson says that coffee is the biggest source of antioxidants for Americans due to their daily consumption of it.
You see, nobody has flawless skin. But we strive to make it better looking with diet and skincare products. Caffeine can help you achieve this. When used in cosmetic products for applying on the skin itself, it is known to improve your skin.
You can enjoy your daily joe with the following tips. They will help in boosting your skin’s health and reduce the risk of pimples.
- Reduce caffeine intake: One way to go about this is by reducing the overall intake of caffein throughout your day. Coffee is a good source of it but sodas and energy drinks also have caffeine. Try and avoid all these things. Plus, instead of having 3-4 cups of coffee reduce it to 1 or 2 cups of coffee in a day. If you think you cannot commit to this, try decaffeinated coffee. They have less than 3% caffeine and can help your body regain the lost nutrients.
- No sugar means no sugar: Cut back on your sugar intake. Start by decreasing the sugar in your coffee. Add little to no amounts of sugar in it. Alongside this also avoid any sodas or sugary drinks. They contain high amounts of caffeine and sugar.
- Use low-fat or skim milk: Thankfully we have a lot of alternatives to whole milk. You can get 2% or skim milk to add in your coffee. Also, almond milk and soy milk work great in Frappes if you are planning on going to Starbucks.
Drinking Coffee versus Applying Coffee
Coffee works very differently when indigested or applied to the skin. Both ways it has some great benefits. But for your skin, it is better if applied orally through various beauty products like serums, creams, masks, and lotions.
I have prepared a chart for you to understand the benefit of coffee’s topical use versus drinking. The timeline given for these results is 30 days. The quantity is 8 Oz of coffee or coffee products every day.
| Issues | Drinking Coffee (effects) | Applying Coffee/Caffeine Products (effects) |
| Cellulite | 5% increase | 10% decrease |
| Sunburnt skin | No effect | 45% improvement |
| Soothing effects | 95% | Wakes up the skin to remove dullness |
| Aging | 15% increases | 10% decreases |
| Inflammation | 9% increases | 35% decreases by the Chlorogenic acid |
| Acne | 27% increases | 65% reduces |
| Wrinkles | 33% increases | 55% tightens the skin |
| Dark-circles | 45% increases | 60% decrease the appearance |
So What Do I Have To Say?
In summary, coffee can age you. Because of its effect on collagen synthesis, coffee can accelerate your aging process and can also potentially cause wrinkles.
However, the caffeine in coffee is enriched with minerals and anti-oxidants. This provides a great source for our body. But consuming above normal levels can quicken the aging process overall. Instead of leaving coffee completely, I think you should choose an alternative that best suits your requirements. Also, using cosmetics that has caffeine can improve the health and texture of the skin.
This isn’t a call to give up on coffee completely as coffee does have several health benefits. Plus, drinking coffee in moderate won’t affect you too much. As long as you pace yourself and stay within your limits, coffee shouldn’t be a worry to your skin.