The Science of Coffee Berry in Skin Care

Coffee isn’t just for your morning energy boost – it can also be beneficial for your skin! While coffee beans are widely known for their high antioxidant content, the coffee berry – the fruit that surrounds the coffee beans – is an even stronger source of skin-protecting compounds. Because it is so rich in antioxidants, polyphenols, and other important nutrients, coffee berry can fight free radical damage, reduce signs of aging, and improve overall skin health and appearance.

Take a closer look at what coffee berry is, how it’s used in skin care, and whether or not it could be worth a try for you.

Coffee berry, also known as coffee fruit, is the red or purple outer covering of the coffee plant’s seed (which we call the coffee bean). It is harvested from the Coffea plant, primarily from species like Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora. Unlike coffee beans, which are roasted and used to make beverages, coffee berry is often discarded during coffee production. However, research has shown that this fruit contains higher antioxidant levels than the coffee bean itself, making it a highly beneficial ingredient in skincare (3).

Coffee berry is considered one of the richest sources of antioxidants in nature, even surpassing well-known sources like green tea, pomegranate, and blueberries. The active compounds in coffee berry work to neutralize free radicals, which are unstable molecules that contribute to skin aging and damage.

Here are some of our favorite products with Coffee berry and other coffee related extracts - 

The skincare benefits of coffee fruit come from its unique composition of bioactive compounds. These include:

• Polyphenols. Coffee fruit is rich in chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid, which provide strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These compounds help to protect skin from UV damage, pollution, and oxidative stress.

• Proanthocyanidin. These are potent flavonoids that help to strengthen collagen fibers, improving skin elasticity and reducing wrinkles.

• Carotenoids. Natural pigments like lutein and beta-carotene help to protect against blue light and UV-induced oxidative stress, reducing photoaging.

• Caffeine. Although less concentrated than in coffee beans, caffeine in coffee berry helps to reduce puffiness and improve microcirculation, leading to brighter-looking skin (4).

• Fatty acids. Linoleic and oleic acids help to support the skin barrier, keeping moisture locked in and preventing dryness.

• Vitamin E. This essential nutrient is a powerful lipid-soluble antioxidant and can reduce inflammation and irritation.

Each of the active compounds listed above contributes to coffee fruit’s anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and skin-rejuvenating properties. Some of the most notable skin benefits of coffee berry include:

• Antioxidant protection. The polyphenols in coffee berry neutralize free radicals, reducing the risk of premature aging caused by environmental stressors like UV rays, pollution, and blue light exposure.

• Anti-aging. By enhancing collagen production, coffee fruit helps to maintain skin firmness and reduces the appearance of wrinkles over time.

• Skin-brightening. Antioxidants like caffeic acid and ferulic acid help to reduce hyperpigmentation and brighten dull skin by inhibiting excess melanin production. Caffeine can help with dark circles and under-eye puffiness by constricting blood vessels (5).

• Anti-inflammatory. Coffee fruit has natural anti-inflammatory properties, making it especially beneficial for sensitive or acne-prone skin by calming redness and irritation.

• Improved barrier function. The essential fatty acids in coffee berry can help to strengthen the skin barrier, reducing water loss and keeping skin hydrated.

• Reduced hair loss. Some studies have found that coffee berry extract can help to significantly slow hair loss, thanks to its strong antioxidant profile, which slows enzyme activity responsible for hair loss (6).

When used topically, coffee berry is not known to cause significant side effects. It is generally well tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive skin.

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), coffee berry extract has a strong safety profile and is listed as a 1 on a scale of 10, with 1 being the lowest possible risk for cancer, allergies, and reproductive toxicity.

Currently, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Board (CIR) does not have a specific report on coffee berry extract. 

When reading ingredient lists, you will probably come across a number of variations of “coffee” as an ingredient. One of the more common ingredients is coffee seed extract, which comes from the same plant as coffee berry but is derived from the coffee bean, rather than the fruit that surrounds the bean. Both ingredients contain caffeine and antioxidants, but the antioxidant content of coffee berry exceeds that of coffee seed extract.

When looking for coffee berry on ingredient labels, you might also see it listed as Coffea Arabica Fruit Extract , while coffee seed is often listed as Coffea Arabica Seed Extract.

Coffee berry is a powerful natural antioxidant with strong skin-protecting benefits. Rich in polyphenols, proanthocyanidins, and essential fatty acids, it helps to combat free radical damage, reduce inflammation, and improve signs of skin aging. Coffee berry is most commonly found in products aimed at anti-aging and reducing inflammation. To know if these products could be right for you, take the skin type quiz below to find which of the 16 skin types you are.

1. Baumann L. Antiaging Ingredients in Ch. 37 of Baumann's Cosmetic Dermatology Ed 3. (McGraw Hill 2022)
2. Baumann, L. Ch. Cosmeceuticals and cosmetic Ingredients (McGraw Hill 2015)
3. Saewan, N. (2022). Effect of coffee berry extract on anti-aging for skin and hair—In vitro approach. Cosmetics, 9(3), 66.
4. Blanco-Llamero, C., Macário, H. F., Guedes, B. N., Fathi, F., Oliveira, M. B. P., & Souto, E. B. (2024). Bioactives in nutricosmetics: A focus on caffeine from tea to coffee. Cosmetics, 11(5), 149.
5. Kry, L., Temnithikul, B., Pawcsuntorn, T., & Pandii, W. The Efficacy and Safety of 3% Caffeine Cream on Reduction of Periorbital Hyperpigmentation.
6. Prinyarux, T., & Saewan, N. (2020). Anti-hairloss efficacy of coffee berry extract. Food and Applied Bioscience Journal, 8(2), 27-39.
7. Saewan, N., Jimtaisong, A., Panyachariwat, N., & Chaiwut, P. (2023). In vitro and in vivo anti-aging effect of coffee berry nanoliposomes. Molecules, 28(19), 6830.
8. Farris, P. (2007). Idebenone, green tea, and Coffeeberry® extract: new and innovative antioxidants. Dermatologic Therapy, 20(5), 322-329.