Caffeine, in its pure anhydrous (without water) form, appears as a white and odorless powder. Its active ingredient is added to different skincare and eyecare products.
The main benefits associated with incorporating caffeine into the skincare regime involve skin brightening, reducing inflammation and wrinkles.
Caffeine is classified as a vasoconstrictor. It is recommended to apply it on puffy, red, or slightly inflamed skin in order to decrease the blood flow to the targeted area(s) and reduce the skin’s puffiness and inflammation.
In eyecare products, caffeine helps patients with eye puffiness, dark circles under the eyes, and eye bags. As mentioned above, puffiness is reduced due to caffeine’s vasoconstricting properties.
In terms of dark circles under the eyes, the active ingredient of caffeine tightens the fine blood vessels under the eyes, which makes dark circles less visible.
Eye bags are generally caused by skin dryness and premature aging. The vasoconstricting property can tighten skin for a temporary period of time and hydrate the dry areas. These effects will give a youthful and glowing look.
The mechanism of action is done through dehydration. The active ingredient of caffeine can temporally shrink fat cells and remove the water. Thus, it is recommended to use these skincare and eyecare products daily in order to maintain the best results.
Additionally, the active ingredient of caffeine has antioxidant properties. It helps to reduce the number of produced free radicals that lead to premature aging as well as the formation of wrinkles and fine lines. They are created due to sun damage, pollution, and smog, which damages the epidermis and weakens collagen’s properties.
Also, caffeine helps with collagen production. It has been hypothesized that green coffee bean oil facilitates the production of collagen and elastin via its amino acids.
It is recommended to use skin care products with caffeine once a day, preferably in the morning. Some redness may be noticed due to increased circulation.
Patients who have sensitive or highly reactive skin should pay extra caution to products that contain caffeine. This may lead to skin’s redness and additional sensitivity. In case of experiencing these symptoms, it is advised to stop using this active ingredient until the symptoms will clear out.
