Caffeine
An antioxidant used mainly in eye care to reduce the look of puffiness and dark circles, and in body creams for the look of cellulite.
caffeine, coffee, Coffea arabica
Dark circles · Body texture & stretch marks
What it does
Just like a cup of coffee, caffeine helps wake our skin up, leaving it looking brighter and temporarily tighter. Often used in eye products, caffeine can help reduce the look of puffiness and dark circles in the delicate under-eye area.
How it works
Applied to the skin, caffeine briefly constricts tiny blood vessels, which is why it can calm the look of puffiness and dark circles; it is also an antioxidant. It can help skin look less puffy, and in body creams it can temporarily smooth the look of cellulite, though a realistic expectation is improvement, not eradication.
MG says
For morning puffiness, look for caffeine in an eye cream such as Auteur Definitive Eye Cream. A little goes a long way: I apply it with my ring fingers, using gentle compressive movements from the outer corner inwards along the orbital bone to help move stagnant lymph.
Cautions
Caffeine is generally well tolerated. Around the eyes, apply along the orbital bone and keep products out of the eyes themselves, and patch test first if your skin is sensitive.
