I can’t drink caffeine (Truth is, I hate the way it tastes, smells and makes me feel.) but I’ve wondered about its beauty benefits recently as it’s been seen in everything from eye cream to butt cream.
Some manufacturers claim
their products can take away under-eye puffiness or dark circles; others promise
to smooth away cellulite. Sounds good, but do they work?
ShopSmart, from the publisher of Consumer Reports, got the lowdown on what
caffeinated products can and can’t do for you from a group of experts and
researchers, including dermatologists and plastic surgeons in their July issue.
Eye
creams
- The claims:
Products such as Garnier
Nutritioniste Skin Renew Eye Roller
, $13, Kiehl’s Eye Alert, $21, and LancômeHigh Potency Daily Moisturizing Eye Treatment
, $36, reduce dark circles andpuffiness.
- Experts say:
If puffiness is the result of water
retention, a caffeinated eye cream might help dehydrate the area. As for those
dark circles, the deeper they are, the less likely it is that they will
disappear. Caffeine’s ability to constrict blood vessels can help, but it only
works on the skin’s outermost layer.
- Bottom line:
Don’t expect miracles, but you will
probably get an immediate tingling or cooling sensation, and you might notice
that bags look less severe and under-eye circles might appear a bit lighter over
time.
Face
creams
- The claims:
Products such as Murad Environmental
Defense Kit
, $82, and Topix Replenix Cream CF, $63, are supposed to protect skinagainst premature aging and reduce redness.
- Experts say:
Caffeine might improve the look of
your skin and protect it from sun damage, but you should still use sunscreen.
Recent studies have found that caffeine might also help sunscreens and
antioxidant ingredients in skin creams work longer and more effectively. And
there are no known negative effects of applying caffeine to your
skin.
- Bottom line:
Applying a skin cream containing
caffeine every morning before you head out into the sun might not be a bad
idea–but those creams are super pricey!
Body
scrubs
- The claims:
Bella Luccè claims that its Bali
Kopi Coffee Scrub
, $25.50, will exfoliate and smooth lumpy skin; OPI claims itsCappuccino Massage and Espresso Scrub Kit
, $23, will stimulate cellturnover.
- Experts say:
You’ll see softer, smoother skin,
thanks to the exfoliating capabilities of the coffee grounds, but you don’t get
enough penetration to tighten skin.
- Bottom line:
Though store-bought exfoliators
work, don’t toss out your own coffee grounds! Recycle them as a home-made scrub.
Just add a little olive oil to make a paste.
Cellulite
creams and gels
- The claims:
Bliss Love Handler, $36, Revitol
Cellulite Solution
, $40, and Clarins Super Restorative Redefining Body Care,$88, stimulate skin and improve firmness, reducing the appearance of
cellulite.
- Experts say:
To see a payoff, caffeine must be
able to penetrate the skin cells, and some preliminary evidence is
intriguing.
- Bottom line:
These products are effective only as
long as they are being used, and it generally takes four to five weeks to see
any difference.
Shop Smart is the shopping snob’s answer from Consumer Reports. It’s all about shopping– I’m kind of obsessing over it!
I will sure give these stuff a try. I hope they would work wonders for my eyes cause I always sleep late.
http://journeytobeauty.blogspot.com/
I use Topix Replenix Serum CF every day. It’s a gel that is great in the morning under your moisturizer. The green tea extracts in it are also great for soothing irritated skin. You can usually find it online at places like Dermstore.com for less that $63.
I used to buy it from SkinWest.com for much less, but they last few times I ordered from them, my products were always on back order (but I wasn’t notified that they were backordered until a week later when I wondered why my express shipping order was…)
This is a great post! It’s always good to know if fads actually work, or if they are just marketing ploys. I love the idea of using your own coffee grounds to exfoliate instead of paying the high prices! I’m interested in trying the creams for under eye puffiness, but I’ll definitely go for the most inexpensive until I get a feel for if it really works!
thanks for the info! I’ve been looking for some products like these that are somewhat better for the environment…. I found some really good brushes for makeup on this blog called guffly, but had yet to find a good exfoliator… thanks!
thanks for the info! I’ve been looking for some products like these that are somewhat better for the environment…. I found some really good brushes for makeup on this blog called guffly, but had yet to find a good exfoliator… thanks!
I read in some magazine (might have been COSMO) that using ground coffee from your coffee jar and rubbing it on your thighs stimulates blood circulation thus reducing the appearance of cellulite. I belive it and i think its true.
As for those who like body scrubs i make homemade scrubs 100% naturale. I use 100% essential oils. I eliminate fragance oils and use the real thing.