Ingredient Spotlight: Caffeine
Y
ou’re accustomed to having it
in your coffee, your tea, and
your Diet Coke. And it’s surely
in whatever you’re sipping right now to
get through the first hour of the work
day. But what’s caffeine doing in your
skin care routine?
Over the years, research into the effica-
cy of caffeine in cosmetics has turned
up mixed results; but a review of today’s
leading research — “Caffeine’s Mecha-
nisms of Action and Its Cosmetic Use,”
published in Skin Pharmacology and
Physiology — pulled together some
pretty compelling findings.
The authors’ takeaways give us plenty
of reason to embrace this ingredient in
many of our favourite products. For
one thing, caffeine’s great at penetrating
the skin — which makes these other
benefits possible.
Fighting cellulite. Caffeine shows up
in cellulite creams and lotions because
it inhibits the accumulation of fat in
cells — specifically by messing with the
activity of phosphodiesterase, which
can prevent body fat from breaking
down. Goodbye fatty tissue deposits
that cause cellulite. Regrettably, caffeine
can’t always trump our own genetics,
diet and exercise. Some cellulite may be
inevitable, but caffeine can make a dent
in those dents.
Fighting free radicals. Free radicals
come from air, water, food and medica-
tion and are thought to cause, among
other problems, premature ageing. An-
tioxidants help fight free radicals and
— surprise! — caffeine is an antioxidant.
This means caffeine in your skin care
products helps take on free radicals and
the damage they cause, such as fine lines
and wrinkles.
Fighting dark circles. If your dark circles
came from your Grandma, you’re on your
own. But if they’re caused by lifestyle
factors such as dehydration or lack of
sleep, bring on the caffeine. Caffeine in-
creases the microcirculation of blood
within the skin — those circles are gen-
erally blood accumulating under your eyes
— and reduce puffiness and inflammation.
While we prefer conventional skin care
products that combine caffeine and other
vital ingredients for maximum impact,
there are the old-fashioned remedies too.
If you’re in a pinch, you can try these
caffeine-infused classics: homemade
coffee ground scrubs to invigorate your
feet and wet tea bags to treat tired eyes.
ISSUE #06 | 2018 | SkinHealthMagazine.com 25