TikTok Says 2025 Is the Year of Beverage-Inspired Beauty—Here’s Your Coffee-Spiked Buying Manual
Gen Z Says is a bimonthly column chronicling the latest trends in the fashion-and-beauty space through the lens of Who What Wear’s own Gen Z editors. Expect a download on the upcoming class of tastemakers, emerging designers, and shopping and style choices straight from the generation setting the trends.
Coffee culture is, in itself, an art form that may seem trivial to some, but for others, it’s a daily practice. It can be the simple act of selecting a mug before moving through the motions of filling a coffee pot or using a semi-automatic steamer, then taking the time to froth milk or finishing it off with syrups and spices. That little to-go cup tucked into a gloved hand that was once waiting for you at the end of a coffee shop counter represents a shared experience that, while not everyone may engage with, most know the significance of.
I grew up on the outskirts of Seattle, Washington, where ducking into a coffee house—accented by oversize leather couches, a fireplace or two, and soft jazz or grunge playing in the background—was an escape from the dampness of a Pacific Northwestern fall. I could pull out a book, bring my own mug for a fresh cup of coffee, and get lost in the coziness of it all. While I didn’t get to experience the magic of the Global Village Coffeehouse aesthetic that dominated the ’90s, I do enjoy scrolling through moody lighting, whimsical décor, and hand-drawn illustrations attributed to it on Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram, tinged with nostalgia.
As much of a social activity as grabbing coffee with a friend can be, I think it’s safe to argue that a large number of us coffee drinkers sip with the intent of indulging ourselves in some extra energy. Plus, it just smells amazing. Apart from that, coffee has various uses in beauty. For example, when used as a scrub for the skin, it offers gentle exfoliation for a bright and smooth finish. As an ingredient in haircare, it’s a star ingredient for jump-starting hair growth and supporting scalp health. Alternatively, smelling coffee in the form of a perfume or home fragrance can improve alertness, mood, and boost performance as you go throughout your day. Below, I’m sharing all of my favorite coffee-inspired beauty favorites that deliver all the caffeinated goodness I’m after.
Fragrances
d’Annam
Vietnamese Coffee Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: Aromatic spices
Notes: Roasted coffee, condensed milk, dark chocolate, tonka bean, amber
This perfume draws its inspiration from Vietnamese iced coffee, which is recognized for its brew of dark-roasted robusta beans (known for a heady, caramel-chocolate richness and bitter finish) and creamy condensed milk topped with ice. The D’Annam fragrance captures the drink’s most defining notes with intense roasted coffee balanced by hints of condensed milk and dark chocolate, underscored by smooth, sweet amber and warm tonka bean accord. When I can’t slip away between long writing sessions, this perfume gives me all the coziness of a coffee break without ever stopping the clock.
Maison Margiela
Replica Coffee Break Eau de Toilette
Scent Type: Gourmand foguere
Notes: Coffee accord, red apple accord, lemon essence, lavender essence, spearmint essence, orange flower absolute, milk mousse accord, sandalwood essence, cedarwood essence
I’ve spent a few rainy afternoons tucked away in Seattle coffee shops with a brightly colored mug and notebooks containing what I can only describe as the inner workings of my mind. A single spritz of this Maison Margiela fragrance is enough to call a number of them to memory. It opens with a coffee accord that, while it leans gourmand, also has some roasted and slightly woody facets to it. From there, we’re greeted by a herbaceous and floral blend of lavender essence, spearmint essence, and orange flower absolute. The fragrance is finished off with some creamy, gourmand notes in a milk mousse accord atop a cozy, woody base. In fact, this will be the fourth year in a row it’s been in my fall fragrance lineup.
D.S. & Durga
Brown Flowers Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: Floral musk
Notes: Acabia, dried cedrat, Queen Anne’s lace, brown orchid, coffee flower, sambac flower, aged musk, roots, coffee
If you know me, then you know I definitely have a thing for more niche fragrances that have a vintage quality to them. I fell in love with this D.S. & Durga eau de parfum at the beginning of 2025 because it smelled like both aged lipstick (one of my favorite scents in the world as a vintage collector) and the softly fragranced dried florals I’m fond of displaying on every visible surface in my home. This dry and warm perfume opens with a blend of acabia and dried cedrat before slipping into the decadent yet muted blend of brown orchid, coffee flower, and sambac. While it’s not as coffee-forward as the other fragrances of this edit, it’s the note that adds depth to the powdery softness of its dried florals.
Parfums de Marly
Layton Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: Amber fougere
Notes: Apple, bergamot, lavender, jasmine, violet, geranium, vanilla, pink pepper, guaiac wood, patchouli, caramelized coffee
While on the hunt for a bright and elevated take on apple fragrances, I came across Parfum de Marly’s Layton Eau de Parfum, which also boasts a caramelized coffee note that adds complexity and richness to the luxury fragrance house’s fougere scent. While guaiac wood and patchouli might be what dominate its olfactory blend the most for me, it also combines tangy bergamot with a bouquet of lavender, jasmine, violet, and geranium. The amber in this is intensified with the presence of pink pepper. The addition of precious woods and vanilla is what keeps things grounded.
Home Scents
Sweet Water Decor
Fresh Coffee Candle
Scent Type: Gourmand spices
Notes: Caramel crème, mocha latte, Kona coffee, sugar cane, rum cream, citron peel
If I’m going to smell like coffee for the foreseeable future, what’s stopping me from selecting elevated home fragrances that also feature this season’s most defining note? Sweet Water Decor’s stunning collection of candles always calls to me once temperatures take a dip, and this time around, I’m snagging its Fresh Coffee Candle. This candle features sweet notes of caramel cream, mocha latte, Kona coffee, and rum, and delivers the scent of a freshly brewed cup of coffee without any bitterness in the mix.
Scent Type: Gourmand spices
Notes: Coffee bean absolute, dark vanilla, rum, cardamom, dark chocolate, brown sugar, oud, patchouli, ambroxan
The Maker also has a candle option for anyone who’d prefer to lean away from bitter coffee bean notes, instead preferring a sensual oud. This candle opens with a burst of coffee bean absolute before shifting into a blend of dark vanilla, rum, cardamom, and bittersweet dark chocolate. Then, we’re introduced to a cozy composition of brown sugar with essential oils that will add the perfect amount of sweetness and warmth to any space. I’m also in love with the vintage-inspired ribbed glass vessel the soy candle comes in since it captures the light beautifully.
Boy Smells
Roasted Candle
Scent Type: Earthy gourmand
Notes: Blackcurrant, jasmine petals, coffee absolute, amber, leather, cashmere woods
If you were wondering which of my favorite fragrance notes pairs the best with coffee scents, I’d say leather is a top contender. The Roasted Candle by Boy Smells combines the two with a leather-forward, gourmand blend balanced by a cashmere wood base. While I do love the use of the coffee absolute here, I love the unexpected blackcurrant and jasmine petal blend used for the opening notes. Whenever I light this yummy Boy Smells candle and let the scent drift from room to room, I’m reminded of lazy Sunday breakfasts with jam on toast and a cup of coffee sweetened with floral syrup.
D.S. & Durga
Breakfast Leipzig Candle
Scent Type: Warm gourmand
Notes: Javanese coffee, almond kutchen, pastry, tobacco leaf, butter, leather upholstery, fireplace
Speaking of breakfast, D.S. & Durga’s Breakfast Leipzig Candle deserves all the hype from my fellow coffee enthusiasts. Inspired by a Leipzig café where Bach wrote the Java Cantata in the 1700s with its smoking pipes, milk creamers, and leather, this candle is what perfumer David Seth Moltz would consider the brand’s first “overtly gourmand scent.” Opening with Javanese coffee and pastries, the fragrance then unfurls further, revealing layers of tobacco leaf, butter, aged leather, and smoke. Burning this candle makes me want to write my own cantata, or at least listen to one while I’m nursing a cup of coffee.
Makeup
Nyx Professional Makeup
Slim Eye Pencil in Cafe
Nyx Professional Makeup’s ultra-creamy Slim Eye Pencil applies smoothly without tugging or pulling on the skin. It’s offered in 19 ultra-pigmented and long-lasting shades and has a formula infused with coconut oils to hydrate and condition. If you’re in the market for a chic brown eyeliner shade to add to your makeup routine, try the shade Cafe: a matte, cinnamon color that’s visible on all skin tones. I also love how it can be sharpened with your everyday regular pencil sharpener for precise lines and designs.
Rhode
Peptide Lip Tint Nourishing Glaze in Espresso
Lately, I’ve been loving deep, chocolate-brown lips, and Rhode’s Peptide Lip Treatment Glaze in the shade Espresso has been a go-to. The tinted product hydrates and replenishes the lips with a high-shine finish with a nourishing blend of smoothing and plumping peptide, moisturizing shea butter, and vitamin E (a must for protecting the lips against external aggressors). I love how sheer and buildable the formula is and how I can achieve a pillowy-soft lip in seconds. I have this one in a few colors, but Espresso is by far my favorite.
Summer Fridays
Lip Butter Balm in Iced Coffee
I love toting around an iced coffee when I’m dashing to and from events and meetings, so of course, I would use a lip butter balm that’s the exact shade of the drink when there’s enough milk so as not to take away from the bitter taste of the beans. When Summer Fridays came out with its Lip Butter Balm, I was quick to stock up on as many as I could. It’s a nourishing vegan lip treatment that uses a combination of hydrating butters and waxes to soothe and support the lip barrier with a combination of shea and murumuru seed butters to condition parched lips, while vegan waxes boost shine levels. The best part? It doesn’t leave behind any stickiness.
Juvia’s Place
The Coffee Shop Palette
Featuring shades of tan, auburn, and rich dark chocolate, this coffee shop–inspired palette by Juvia’s Place is an extension of the brand’s best-selling Chocolates Palette. It’s perfect for creating a flawless eye look every time. This palette combines subtle nudes with sparkling hues with 16 shade options. Each one delivers eye-catching pigment with no creasing or fallout, making it ideal for delivering everything from effortless eye looks to bright and bold makeup moments.
Skin
The Ordinary
Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Serum
Key Ingredients: 5% concentration of caffeine, epigallocatechin gallatyl glucoside (EGCG)
The Ordinary’s effective, water-based serum targets dark circles, puffiness, and lines around the eyes with a brightening and soothing yet potent formula. This one’s star ingredient is a 5% concentration of caffeine epigallocatechin gallatyl glucoside (EGCG), which improves the look of tired eyes while providing a brightening effect. The caffeine reduces puffiness, while the EGCG smooths away dark circles in a lightweight formula that can work well for sensitive skin and fit seamlessly into any routine.
Augustinus Bader
The Eye Patches
Key Ingredients: TCF8, acetylated hyaluronic acid, fermented polysaccharide
Eye patches come in all shapes and sizes, but these from Augustinus Bader stand apart from the rest because of their highly effective formula. The hydrogel patches are steeped in a nourishing formula boasting a combination of caffeine and antioxidants for a lightweight and refreshing effect. Not only do they hydrate and lock in moisture for a smooth under-eye area, but they also reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and other signs of aging. I like to keep these within reach at my desk for when my under-eyes feel dry.
Shaishaishai
Caffeine Shot Toning Booster
Key Ingredients: Caffeine, niacinamide
A caffeine-infused toner is a must for hydrating, brightening, and providing gentle exfoliation to the skin without disturbing the barrier. It’s enriched with caffeine to reduce puffiness and inflammation, while the addition of niacinamide evens the skin tone. It also includes PHA and LHA, which sweep away dead skin cells for a radiant finish. If your skin responds best to lightweight, nonsticky formulas, you’ll want to snag this one because it’s lightweight, watery, and absorbs quickly into the skin for a hydrated and refreshed complexion.
Tula Skincare
‘Spresso Energizing Eye Balm
Key Ingredients: Caffeine, prebiotic and probiotic extracts, hyaluronic acid, watermelon, and apple
Tula Skincare’s new ‘Spresso Energizing Eye Balm delivers a wide-awake appearance to the eyes with a formula enriched with prebiotic extracts, caffeine, and hyaluronic acid. This one comes in five shades to add a visible glow to all skin tones while instantly cooling and brightening the under-eye area. It also helps energize and firm the under-eyes so you can say goodbye to those fine lines and dark circles.
Haircare
BondiBoost
Anti-Frizz Flyaway Wand
Key Ingredients: Aloe vera, caffeine, glycerin
Did you know that adding caffeine-infused formulas to your haircare routine can promote scalp health and hair growth? The Anti-Frizz Flyaway Wand by BondiBoost, for example, helps tame flyaways and control frizz without leaving strands stiff or crispy using a formula powered by vitamin E– and fatty acid–rich caffeine, nourishing aloe vera, and glycerin as its conditioning humectant. It helps you style your hair to perfection with scalp- and strand-loving ingredients.
The Inkey List
Caffeine Stimulating Scalp Treatment
Key Ingredients: Caffeine powder, Redensyl, betaine
Sometimes, your scalp needs some gentle exfoliating to encourage a healthy, natural growth cycle while stimulating the scalp and hair follicles, and this caffeine-infused treatment by The Inkey List will do the trick. As an overnight growth repair serum, it uses a formula that uses caffeine powder and other nourishing ingredients to reduce hair loss and improve thickness. In addition to its formula being lightweight and nongreasy, it’s a leave-in treatment that works overnight for flawless results by morning.
Briogeo
Destined for Density Peptide Hair Serum
Key Ingredients: Density-Boosting Complex (caffeine, CoQ10, and green coffee oil), copper peptides, biotin
If your goal is to boost the density of your hair strands, consider adding this Briogeo serum to your product lineup. It’s scientifically proven to increase hair density, and the lightweight formula is enriched with a concentrated complex (caffeine, CoQ10, and green coffee oil) to promote microcirculation of the scalp and support hair growth. The serum also has copper peptides to support a healthy hair life cycle and biotin to increase hair elasticity while strengthening hair follicles and strands.
Act+Acre
3% Stem Cell Peptide Scalp Treatment
Key Ingredients: H3-Grow+ Complex, growth peptide, caffeine
Here’s a daily scalp treatment from Act+Acre that supports scalp health in the advanced stages of hair loss to promote thicker-looking hair. It’s ideal for all hair types and textures, as it uses a patented hair-growth complex to create the prime environment for optimized follicle function, as well as a growth peptide to boost strand elasticity. The addition of caffeine is used in this one to invigorate the scalp and fortify follicles, combating any loss of hair density.
Manicures
DND
DC Coffee Bean Nail Polish Duo
My search for the perfect coffee bean nail polish shade began and ended with Coffee Bean by DND. Available to purchase separately or in a gel polish and lacquer set, the glazed coffee brown shade has a splash of red mixed in that makes it ideal for all skin tones. For the best results, it’s recommended that users follow a professional three-step gel system, with the gel polish cured under an LED lamp.
Nailberry
L’Oxygéné Nail Polish in Coffee
Nailberry’s L’Oxygéné Nail Polish the Coffee is an opaque, warm, rich brown with a stunning gloss and subtle aroma of fresh coffee beans. Flattering on all skin tones and nail lengths, it can be used as a year-round nude (although, I’m partial to wearing it in the fall and winter) or as an eye-catching accent color that exudes elegance. It’s also the ideal polish selection for achieving a flawless at-home manicure, as the polish uses a patented single-sweep formula and has a streak-free finish.
Duri
Nail Polish in Irish Coffee
If you’ve never had an Irish coffee cocktail, all you need to know is that the flavor is complex, layered, and beautifully boozy with hot coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar, and lightly whipped heavy cream. Duri’s Nail Polish in Irish Coffee captures the dark brown shade of the coffee beans used in the drink with opaque coverage and a long-lasting, glossy finish. It’s my go-to for all the vampy manicures I always request during the winter months.
Londontown
Lakur Nail Polish in Midnight Mocha
One of Londontown’s newest Lakur Nail Polish shades, Midnight Mocha, offers everything I could want in a mocha manicure. It’s described by the brand as a “decadent espresso” and delivers high-impact color, a gel-like wear, and effortless application with the help of a formula infused with clean ingredients. While its self-leveling pigment provides a cushiony finish, the combination of naturally derived, fortifying, soothing, and hydrating ingredients keeps nails healthy.
