Caffeine-Infused Nail Polish: Miracle Ingredient or Gimmick?

There has never been a better time to drink coffee. Espresso, cold brew, pour-over — you name it, coffee geeks have distilled it into art. And now, if you’re among the bean and beauty-mad, you can even wear your socially sanctioned caffeine addiction, thanks to Nails Inc.’s Caffeine Hit collection.

The series consists of four neutral autumnal shades: Espresso Martini (a rich dark brown), Afternoon Mocha (a milk chocolate brown), Chai Kiss (a creamy, rosy nude) and Rise & Grind (a glittery rose gold).

Monday feels Beautiful shot by @jbone89 . #nailsinc #theinceffect #caffeinehit #coffee #monday

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Not only do the shades perfectly complement your morning cup of joe, all contain the very same star ingredient: caffeine. Nails Inc. alleges that the stimulant nourishes and strengthens your nails (just as it does your hazy mind) although, thus far, we’ve found little scientific evidence to back that claim. If your nails are especially weak, we’d highly recommend switching to chemical-free polish and perhaps taking some vitamin E or biotin supplements (with your doctor’s permission, of course).

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The range also includes an exfoliating hand and foot scrub. Whether it rivals that of Australian-based natural beauty brand Frank (a crowd favorite, known for its thousands-long waiting list) remains to be seen, but at least in the exfoliator realm, coffee grinds’ benefits are well established.

Scrub away the weekends sins with our Caffeine Hit scrub made from natural coffee grains it works to stimulate blood flow and lift away dead skin cells, to reveal instantly radiant, refreshed skin SHOP NOW @sephora $15 . #nailsinc #theinceffect #caffeinehit #coffeescrub

A post shared by Nails inc (@nailsinc) on Sep 24, 2017 at 8:40am PDT

“They are great exfoliators, and just about everyone can use them,” dermatologist Papri Sarkar told Allure. “It’s the combination of exfoliation, to remove dry skin, and potent moisturizers that makes these scrubs so moisturizing. It also helps that you’re applying it in the shower, so your skin is already wet when you apply it. That’s the only way to get a true, lasting moisturizing effect: water, then some form of sealant.”

Caffeine, meanwhile, is known to stimulate circulation and help remedy certain skin conditions, like the appearance of cellulite. “I really like the idea of coffee products for skin care, because caffeine is able to penetrate the skin barrier pretty well, and it’s been shown to play a role in decreasing the size of fat cells or adipocytes,” added Sakar, although she hesitated to name caffeine a firming agent (and didn’t speak to its effect on nails).

Truth be told, even if the polishes don’t actually spur nail growth, the fall-perfect hues alone have us sold. Shop the collection in the slideshow below.