You might be surprised to know that in 2006, there were over a hundred and forty skin products on the United States market boasting caffeine as an ingredient. That's up from only twenty-one such products in 2003. Coffee may have had a hard time during the twentieth century, while the US FDA tried to decide whether it was good for you or bad, but now we're realizing how much coffee can do for us. More and more of the beneficial properties of coffee are showing up, especially in the skin care market.
Caffeine and coffee are primarily used in skin creams and lotions because of their firming and tightening abilities, as well as their antioxidant properties. Applying caffeine to the skin is effective in three ways. It acts as a diuretic, a vasoconstrictor, and an antioxidant. Among other manufacturers, products from L'Oreal, Neutrogena and Avon have all included caffeine.
For years, caffeine has been used in products sold to reduce cellulite. It's clear that caffeine dehydrates fat cells by somehow energizing them which in turn causes the sodium/potassium component of the cells to vacate. Consequently, water disappears as well. Bottom line - skin on buttocks and thighs becomes smoother.
Caffeine's ability to constrict small veins also means that it's a favored ingredient when it comes to gels meant to reduce puffiness and dark circles near the eyes. It's also used for tightening skin in this area. It's a good idea to remember that no cream, gel or lotion can give permanent results. However, caffeine containing products can create a noticeable improvement for a few hours.
With the explosion in coffee based skin products, it now is seen in body scrubs, face creams and fragrances. A number of products even smell like coffee and contain ground coffee intended as an exfoliate. Some purveyors have even gone so far as to suggest that the absorption of caffeine through the skin will yield the sort of alertness you can expect from drinking coffee.
Dermatologists would disagree That's because no product currently on the market has enough caffeine to produce that kind of result. On top of that, skin absorption is quite slow, making it questionable whether or not enough caffeine will penetrate to create any reaction at all. Smell is a different story, though. Coffee scented products can perk us up just because we associate their odor with wakefulness.
A few promising studies in rodents have suggested that coffee's caffeine can kill skin cancer cells. These results have appeared promising, but similar effects have not been translated to humans. There are, however, plenty of caffeinated sunscreens. That's because this substance can have some sun blocking effects.
There are even a few people suggesting that it's unnecessary to invest in expensive commercial skin care products. They say that you can get the same kinds of benefit by making your own body scrubs and homemade soaps using brewed coffee, coffee grounds and more. There are eve recipes out there, letting you shower with your espresso, too. - 15252
Caffeine and coffee are primarily used in skin creams and lotions because of their firming and tightening abilities, as well as their antioxidant properties. Applying caffeine to the skin is effective in three ways. It acts as a diuretic, a vasoconstrictor, and an antioxidant. Among other manufacturers, products from L'Oreal, Neutrogena and Avon have all included caffeine.
For years, caffeine has been used in products sold to reduce cellulite. It's clear that caffeine dehydrates fat cells by somehow energizing them which in turn causes the sodium/potassium component of the cells to vacate. Consequently, water disappears as well. Bottom line - skin on buttocks and thighs becomes smoother.
Caffeine's ability to constrict small veins also means that it's a favored ingredient when it comes to gels meant to reduce puffiness and dark circles near the eyes. It's also used for tightening skin in this area. It's a good idea to remember that no cream, gel or lotion can give permanent results. However, caffeine containing products can create a noticeable improvement for a few hours.
With the explosion in coffee based skin products, it now is seen in body scrubs, face creams and fragrances. A number of products even smell like coffee and contain ground coffee intended as an exfoliate. Some purveyors have even gone so far as to suggest that the absorption of caffeine through the skin will yield the sort of alertness you can expect from drinking coffee.
Dermatologists would disagree That's because no product currently on the market has enough caffeine to produce that kind of result. On top of that, skin absorption is quite slow, making it questionable whether or not enough caffeine will penetrate to create any reaction at all. Smell is a different story, though. Coffee scented products can perk us up just because we associate their odor with wakefulness.
A few promising studies in rodents have suggested that coffee's caffeine can kill skin cancer cells. These results have appeared promising, but similar effects have not been translated to humans. There are, however, plenty of caffeinated sunscreens. That's because this substance can have some sun blocking effects.
There are even a few people suggesting that it's unnecessary to invest in expensive commercial skin care products. They say that you can get the same kinds of benefit by making your own body scrubs and homemade soaps using brewed coffee, coffee grounds and more. There are eve recipes out there, letting you shower with your espresso, too. - 15252
About the Author:
Robert Cooksey has developed number of websites addressing the topic of skin care and sales of Skin Care Products, and specifically providing a series of detailed articles covering Skin Care Techniques.
