UpCircle claims “clean,” but their new face cream is made from recycled coffee oil — and I needed to know if that’s actually green or just a marketing spin on trash.
Here’s the thing: the skincare industry loves a buzzword, but this brand is literally scooping spent grounds from London coffee shops. That’s either genius or the most elaborate greenwashing I’ve seen this year.
It’s a 50ml pot for £24 — mid-range, not cheap. The pitch: your face gets the antioxidant benefits of coffee without the caffeine jitters or the environmental guilt.
Recycled Coffee Oil
Cold-pressed from used grounds — sounds gross, smells like a latte, feels nothing like one.
Refillable Glass Jar
The lid twists off and you can buy refills. Rare for this price point.
Vegan + Cruelty-Free
Certified, not just claimed. They have the logos to prove it.
Photo: Content Pixie / Unsplash
The star is the coffee oil — rich in fatty acids and antioxidants that calm redness and fight free radicals. But it’s the supporting cast that does the heavy lifting.
Shea butter and squalane give it that slip, while hyaluronic acid pulls in moisture. No fragrance, no essential oils — which is rare for a brand this “natural.”
- Coffee Seed Oil: Antioxidant powerhouse that soothes inflammation
- Shea Butter: Deep moisture without the greasy film
- Squalane: Lightweight hydration that mimics your skin’s own oils
- Hyaluronic Acid: Plumps fine lines by holding 1000x its weight in water
Photo: Fleur Kaan / Unsplash
Thick. Like a proper night cream, not a day moisturizer. It absorbs in 45 seconds — no white cast, no sticky residue, just a soft matte finish that surprises you.
By week two, my cheeks felt bouncier. The redness around my nose? Calmer. But the real shocker — it didn’t break me out. I half-expected the coffee oil to clog everything.
Photo: Sonia Roselli / Unsplash
After 3 weeks: my skin looks like I slept 8 hours — even when I didn’t. The dehydration lines on my forehead softened. My t-zone still gets oily by 3pm, so it’s not a miracle worker.
The greenwashers would stop here, but I’ll be honest — the packaging is genuinely recyclable, and the refill system isn’t just for show.
Photo: Fleur Kaan / Unsplash
UpCircle isn’t greenwashing — they’re actually doing the work. It’s not perfect, but it’s real.