64 UPCYCLED INGREDIENTS
compounds known to enhance epidermal barrier function and reduce transepidermal water loss. Enhanced barrier quality increases water retention within the superficial skin layers, promoting corneocyte swelling and more uniform surface topography, which translates into lower roughness measurements.5,6
Effect on wrinkle depth of skin following coffee oil cream application Result of wrinkle depth is presented in Figure 4D. Individual result shows that at day 14 and 28 a marked asymmetry toward positive responses is already evident. Approximately two-thirds of participants exhibited greater wrinkle reduction with coffee oil than placebo, and several individuals demonstrated substantial treatment advantages exceeding 50-90 units. This distribution indicates that the superior
average performance of coffee oil was not driven by a small number of extreme responders but reflected a broadly consistent treatment benefit across the study population. From a mechanistic perspective, the wrinkle-
depth response pattern suggests that coffee oil exerts biological effects extending beyond simple moisturization. Placebo treatment can reduce the appearance of wrinkles through increased hydration and temporary swelling of the stratum corneum, thereby making surface lines appear less pronounced. However, the predominance and magnitude
of oil-favourable responses indicate an additional contribution from the bioactive constituents of coffee oil.3
tocopherols, diterpenes (cafestol and kahweol), phytosterols, and antioxidant polyphenols that may support barrier repair and reduce oxidative stress, two processes closely linked to skin ageing. Improved barrier function enhances water retention and skin plumpness, while antioxidant activity may help limit reactive oxygen species- mediated degradation of collagen and elastin.3,7
Linking clinical efficacy with sustainability Beyond its benefits for skin texture and wrinkle reduction, coffee oil offers a significant sustainability advantage. Figure 5 showed a comparative LCA of coffee oil and other oil. It has shown that coffee oil had the lowest climate impact among the oils evaluated, generating only 0.84kg CO2
-eq per kg
oil, compared with 1.8kg for rapeseed oil, 2.39kg for palm oil and 5.24kg for soybean oil. While the clinical study demonstrated
improvements in skin roughness and wrinkle appearance, the environmental assessment confirmed that these benefits are achieved with a substantially lower carbon footprint. This combination of efficacy and sustainability is particularly relevant for modern cosmetic development, where ingredient selection must balance performance with environmental responsibility.
Conclusion Coffee oil derived from upcycled spent coffee grounds demonstrated clear anti-ageing benefits in this study. In an independent 28-day evaluation,
PERSONAL CARE MAGAZINE September 2026 Coffee oil contains essential fatty acids, A
8 6 4 2 0
-2 -4
Subjects (ranked) C
50 40 30 20 10 0
-10 -20 -30
1 2 34 56 7 8 9 11 12 14151617181920 10 Roughness over 14 days Coffee Oil Favourable ■ Placebo Favourable ■
120 100 80 60 40 20 0
-20 -40 -60
Subjects (ranked) D Firmness over 14 days Coffee Oil Favourable ■ Placebo Favourable ■ 0.2 0.1 1 2 34 56 7 891011121314151617 181920 0.0 -0.1 Subjects (ranked) Wrinkle Depth over 14 days Coffee Oil Favourable ■ Placebo Favourable ■ B Elasticity over 14 days Coffee Oil Favourable ■ Placebo Favourable ■
1 2 34 6 7 891011214 15 1617181920
1 2 3 6 7 8 91011 13 14151617181920
Subjects (ranked)
Figure 4: Improvement in skin efficacy parameters after 14 days of coffee oil cream application in 20 women aged 35-65
6.00 5.00 4.00 3.00 2.00 1.00 0.00
5.24
2.39 1.80 0.84 Coffee oil Palm oil
Rape seed oil Oil type (kg oil)
Soybean oil 1.10 Argan oil
Figure 5: Comparison of upcycled coffee oil with other types of vegetable oils for climate change impact category
a day cream containing 3% upcycled coffee oil (EspressOil) accelerated wrinkle-depth reduction within 14 days and improved skin smoothness, firmness and elasticity throughout the treatment period. The progressive response observed over 28 days indicates both rapid and cumulative improvements in skin appearance. Beyond its clinical efficacy, coffee oil also
offers a strong sustainability advantage. LCA data showed that upcycled coffee oil has a substantially lower carbon footprint than commonly used cosmetic vegetable oils. Combining proven skin benefits with a low environmental impact, coffee oil represents a sustainable and clinically effective ingredient for modern skin care formulations and circular beauty applications.
PCM
References 1. Kanlayavattanakul M, Lourith N, Chaikul P. Valorization of spent coffee grounds as the specialty material for dullness and aging of skin treatments. Chem Biol Technol Agric. 2021;8:55
2. Campos-Vega R, Loarca-Piña G, Vergara- Castañeda HA, Oomah BD. Spent coffee grounds: a review on current research and future prospects. Trends Food Sci Technol. 2015;45(1):24-36
3. Lin TK, Zhong L, Santiago JL. Anti-inflammatory and skin barrier repair effects of topical application of some plant oils. Int J Mol Sci. 2018;19(1):70
4. Draelos ZD. The science behind skin care: moisturizers. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2018;17(2): 138-144
5. Mukherjee PK, Maity N, Nema NK, Sarkar BK. Bioactive compounds from natural resources against skin aging. Phytomedicine. 2011;19(1):64-73
6. Proksch E, Brandner JM, Jensen JM. The skin: an indispensable barrier. Exp Dermatol. 2008;17(12):1063-1072
7. Papaccio F, D’Arino A, Caputo S, Bellei B. Focus on the Contribution of Oxidative Stress in Skin Aging. Antioxidants (Basel). 2022;11(6):1121
www.personalcaremagazine.com
Climate Change (kg CO2
)
ΔCoffee Oil - ΔPlacebo
ΔCoffee Oil - ΔPlacebo
ΔCoffee Oil - ΔPlacebo
ΔCoffee Oil - ΔPlacebo
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92
