Tip - Quit coffee for great skin

Most of us Aussies are firmly hooked on our coffee. Life just isn't the same without a few healthy doses of the black stuff throughout the day. And let's face it: getting through a busy workday, with all our family, home and social commitments is a tough call. So leaning on a cup of coffee is a very common habit. But if you're on a mission to get healthy, glowing, clear skin then you might have to consider giving up your coffee fix. Here's why: 1. Coffee is dehydrating. Water, water, water. That's the key for glowing skin. Coffee and caffeine are dehydrating, thus counteracting your water-drinking efforts. 2. Caffeine raises stress hormones. When our bodies are in a state of high stress, certain hormones are released that increase fat storage, overproduce skin cells and cause blocked pores - signs of unhappy, unhealthy skin. 3. Caffeine prevents detoxification. Excess coffee intake puts unnecessary stress on the kidneys and adrenal glands, preventing the body's natural detox process. Toxins build up making your skin appear dull and lifeless and making you feel sluggish and tired. 4. Coffee is expensive. Add up the amount of money you spend on coffee over the course of a year and you could be very surprised. Quitting will not only be good for your pocket, but you can spend your saved money on monthly facials instead and you bank account will still be better off. 5. Caffeine breaks down collagen. If there is one thing you need to focus on when on a mission for smooth, healthy skin it's collagen, the building blocks of your skin. Lose collagen and your skin starts to show signs of premature ageing. Some studies show that caffeine breaks down and inhibits collagen production, so cutting out coffee will really help from the inside out. Note: You don't have to go cold turkey. Cut back slowly on your coffee intake, using herbal teas as replacements. One to two cups per day is fine, but any more and you are in skin damage territory. Photo: Getty / Getty Images News / Sean Gallup