Most of us have a stash of powerful skincare ingredients hiding in plain sight – in our kitchen cupboards. From coffee grounds and cucumber to coconut oil and chamomile, see which everyday ingredients are great for your skin. 

Everyday ingredients that work for your skin

1. Coffee grounds

First up, we’re turning to the humble coffee bean. Coffee grounds double as a natural exfoliant, helping to keep skin fresh and smooth. Coffee is brimming with antioxidants like vitamin E, which helps to protect against free radical damage. 

UpCircle started with upcycling coffee grounds into a nourishing, multi-award-winning Face Scrub. This scrub buffs away dry, dead cells to leave you feeling soft, smooth and glowy. It’s blended with shea butter to nourish the skin post-scrub.

 

 

How to Use: Apply scrub to damp skin in gentle circular motions. Leave for a few moments, rinse with warm water and pat dry.

2. Turmeric

Anti-inflammatory and brightening, turmeric has been used for thousands of years not only for cooking, but in skincare too. 

Easily identifiable by its vibrant yellow colour, turmeric is a spice that comes from the turmeric plant, a member of the Zingiberaceae family, which ginger is also a part of. One of the active compounds in turmeric, curcumin, is a great anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant agent. This helps calm redness and reduce scarring of the skin. 

Those with dull skin or an uneven skin tone may benefit from turmeric as it reduces inflammation, fades acne scars, and supports collagen production.

Like what you hear? Learn how to make your own Banana and Turmeric Face Mask with our DIY face mask guide.

3. Oats

More than just a tasty breakfast, oats and oatmeal (the processed version of oats) have long been used for soothing irritated skin. 

Oats help to alleviate dry and dehydrated skin as the ingredient has highly moisturising properties, giving your skin the hit of hydration it needs. It’s also a cleansing agent, as oats contain saponins (naturally occurring compounds) which are both antimicrobial and antioxidant. See our guide to making a Vegan Oatmeal Face Mask.

For anyone who struggles with eczema, you’ll likely have been told to have an oat bath. This is because oats contain phenolic compounds, which are great at reducing inflammation and soothing the skin at the same time.

 

 

Our Cleansing Face Milk with Oat Powder + Aloe Vera is a bestseller for a reason. Formulated with creamy oat powder upcycled from the food and drink industry, this cleanser works hard to repair and restore the skin’s moisture barrier. Calming inflammation and irritation, this cleanser is suitable for acne-prone skin. 

4. Coconut oil

Many skincare products are formulated using coconut oil, a deeply nourishing ingredient. At room temperature, pure coconut oil is a solid, so you’ll typically see it sold in jars rather than bottles. 

Coconut oil is rich in fatty acids, which are a key component of ceramides – a type of lipid which hydrates and protects the skin. You’ll find skin is softer and plumper, as coconut oil can boost the levels of collagen in your skin. See the breakdown of fatty acids in coconut oil.

At UpCircle, we use the fatty acids derived from coconut oil (coconut alcohol) in our Face Mask and Natural Body Cream to deeply nourish the skin. We also use it in our Haircare Duo – remember, the skin on your scalp is still skin!

5. Cucumber

We know that this tasty snack is primarily water; it’s around 96% water and brimming with both vitamin C and caffeic acid to help hydrate and reduce inflammation. How does a Cucumber Face Mask sound? See how to make your own in our DIY face mask guide.

Caffeic acid is a type of antioxidant which contributes to the ability of cucumbers to soothe skin irritations and reduce swelling. This makes it great for cooling irritated skin and boosting tired, puffy eyes.

Our Eye Cream with Hyaluronic Acid and Coffee also includes cucumber fruit extract, which helps to brighten, refresh, and renew skin. This helps to reduce the appearance of dark circles under the eyes and fine lines.

How to Use: Apply a small amount on the contours of your eyes, both morning and night. The eye cream should be the first part of the moisturising section of your skincare routine.

6. Chamomile

As much as we love a mug of chamomile tea, that’s not all this ingredient is good for in the kitchen. The ingredient is anti-inflammatory and mildly antiseptic, making it useful when tackling redness and inflammation. 

Chamomile comes from the family Asteraceae and typically refers to daisy-like plants. It’s been used for generations for its medicinal and beauty properties, and it grows natively across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.

We upcycle chamomile extract in our Hydrating Face Toner. Skin-soothing chamomile stem extract, a by-product of the tea industry, is repurposed into a balancing face toner. Infused with hyaluronic acid and glycerin to moisturise and brighten the skin, this toner helps to revitalise and refresh the skin.

 

 

How to Use: After cleansing your skin, apply to fingertips or cleansing pad and gently sweep over your face or spritz over the skin.

7. Blueberries

Blueberries are a superfood and bursting with goodness. Rich in vitamin A and a source of pro-retinol, this ingredient both hydrates the skin and reduces visible signs of ageing. 

The linoleic acid content in blueberries helps to strengthen the skin’s natural barrier, so blueberry extract hydrates and plumps the skin, making it look youthful and radiant.

We use blueberry extract in our Night Cream with Hyaluronic Acid + Niacinamide. Protecting against blue light and working to replenish the skin barrier, our night cream is a dermatologically approved, unscented overnight moisturiser that you can count on. 

 

 

How to Use: Apply in the evening to clean, dry skin.

8. Honey

An ultimate multitasker, honey is hydrating, antibacterial, and healing for your skin. Raw honey is an ingredient that’s been used for centuries to work to keep skin soft and supple. 

A natural humectant, honey draws moisture into the skin and helps to retain it by preventing water loss through the skin (transepidermal water loss). This keeps the outermost layer of the skin hydrated and healthy. 

Honey is great for dry, acne-prone skin due to its intensely hydrating properties and because it is a powerful antibacterial and antimicrobial agent. It also works to speed up wound healing, which can help with acne breakouts.

We do need to consider that this ingredient is not vegan-friendly, which doesn’t fit with some people’s ethics. Your skincare must match your values, which is why we don’t use honey in our formulations. 

See our full collection of vegan and cruelty-free skincare at UpCircle.