The Beauty of Coffee
By Cal Orey
Do you know how helpless you feel if you have a full
cup of
coffee in your hand and you start to sneeze?
--Jean Kerr (Mary, Mary)(1)
As time passed, I can see myself back in time when I was becoming
well-rounded like a seasoned coffee tree on a coffee estate. As a working
writer amongst the masses of artists in the San Francisco Bay Area, I
did take time-outs for beauty and play fixes, which included socializing at no name coffee shops with an
artistic flair. It wasn’t Café Nervosa or Central Perk (like in Friends and Frasier American sitcoms) but it was quality time with people that
my mind and body craved. And that time-out can make you feel beautiful inside
and outside.
Shopping with a
caffeine fix at Hillsdale Mall on El Camino Real—The Gap, Macy’s, Bed &
Bath—was heavenly. Those hot café mocha lattes in a tall 16-ounce glass with
espresso, chocolate syrup, topped with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and a
straw are coffee to love. On a Friday night, my best friend and I would meet at
a coffee shop. The mental energy perks followed. Our complaints of the work week faded. Thanks
to the caffeine buzz, we ended up getting a free make-up session. Then, it was
time to shop. After splurging, we’d go across the street to Borders Bookstore. We bought a pastry and got another cup of
coffee. By 11:00 p.m. , it
was time to hit the different clubs, whether it was on the San Francisco Bay
Peninsula
THE BEAUTYIFYING MYSTIQUE OF COFFEE
I’m hardly alone in discovering beauty benefits of coffee and its versatile healing powers from head to toe. Since coffee is antioxidant, it protects the body inside and outside. What’s more, its grounds are used to improve the skin, something I have experienced.
Drinking coffee can help you get beautiful on the
inside, but treating your body on the outside with its healing powers can make
you look and feel great, too. And coffee—goes back to different uses by
Hawaiians and the Japanese. Both cultures are known to use coffee beauty uses
for reducing wrinkles and improving their skin. In fact, it has been said the
Japanese have bathed in coffee grounds fermented with pineapple pulp.
JAVA SPA TREATMENTS
It’s no beauty secret that coffee combined with
other natural ingredients can enhance your blood circulation, zaps stress and
anxiety, and help to make your skin feel silky and smoother. Coffee grounds
teamed with other natural herbs and extracts can help exfoliate, soften, and
even make your skin look firmer and glow. And this is why some spas around the
nation and world include coffee in their spa treatments. Here, take a look at some of the popular coffee-based
treatments.
Coffee
Therapeutic Anti-Cellulite Massage
Coffee extract promotes
circulation and tones cellulite-prone skin. Rosemary, mint and citrus calm the
mind and revitalize the spirit while peppermint oil relaxes and refreshes tired
muscles. This massage will leave you refreshed and rejuvenated.
Coffee
Contouring and Cellulite Wrap
Using the
beneficial antioxidant and improved cell metabolism of coffee, the wrap begins
with BodyCoffee Polish to exfoliate and refresh the skin to enhance the warm,
rich detoxifying body wrap. A hot shower with BodyCoffee Blossom Body Wash
Coffee
Scrub
An
exfoliating Spa ritual that works wonders on the appearance of cellulite by
improving micro-circulation with essential oils and ground coffee while
detoxifying the skin with Dead Sea Salts. An intoxicating Body Wash
(Courtesy: Cal-a-Vie Health Spa.)
DIY COFFEE RECIPES FROM HEAD TO TOE
Do it yourself products make it possible and
easy to enjoy those pampering health spa benefits in the comfort of your home.
And more people—both men and women—are discovering the beauty benefits of
coffee, whether it’s from the grounds or brewed coffee. Here, take a look at
some of the at-home treatments I tried from head to toe, and you’ll be thanking
coffee trees.
HAIR
Hair
Conditioner for Shine: If you’re a brunette, coffee
can be your choice of conditioner. A simple to do coffee treatment works like
this. First, use freshly brewed coffee (not instant), the stronger the
better—even espresso. Shampoo and rinse your locks while the coffee cools.
Apply the liquid to your wet hair; wait for about 10 minutes. Rinse. Note: Do not try this DIY treatment if you
have blonde hair or color treated hair. If you have any hesitation, consult
your hair stylist before you do coffee.
FACE
Coffee
Mask: Since I’m
fair and blonde, the hair rinse wasn’t an option. But I did opt for a java home
facial using coffee grounds and an egg white. In a small bowl, I mixed two
tablespoons of fresh, used coffee grounds from my morning brew. Then, I added
one whipped egg white. I applied this on my face and let it set for about three
minutes. I rinsed with cold water. Coffee grounds are a super exfoliant, like
sugar, and egg white (which I’ve used before) helps to soften skin.
SKIN
Coffee
Skin Anti-Cellulite Lotion: Before I showered, I turned to
an old favorite—olive oil. I combine
extra virgin olive oil with coffee grounds on my upper thighs and buttocks.
Being lean, I don’t have a lot of cellulite, but most women as they age will
get some dimpled fat—and, of course, smoother skin is something that is
appealing. After several minutes, I showered. I admit my skin felt softer but
since I don’t hunt for cellulite (like I did in my twenties); I cannot honestly
say it made a difference.
Coffee
Body Wash
FEET
Coffee
Foot Soak: That night, I used coffee grounds with honey.
I rubbed the rough and gooey concoction all over my feet. Twenty minutes later,
I rinsed my feet in warm water. My heels felt smooth so I treated myself to a
pedicure and painted my toenails with a coffee colored nail polish.
Both
spa treatments and do-it-yourself action can do the job. But it doesn’t stop
there, especially for bold and beautiful people.
More beautifying information in The Healing Powers of Coffee (Kensington)
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