Caffeine Eye Creams - How & Why They Work

theeyeedit
Mar 2, 2021
2 min read

For most of us, our mornings are not complete without a caffeinated beverage; fuelling us with a burst of energy needed for the day. Nowadays, we can find caffeine in things aside from foodstuffs; particularly within the cosmetic industry. Caffeinated cosmetics are all the rage at the moment, especially eye creams - designed to help mimic that 8 hour sleep, fresh faced glow.

Let's start by explaining why these creams could be a great addition into your arsenal of skincare. The skin around our eyes is much thinner than the skin on the rest of the face; allowing it to be easily irritated and susceptible to environmental damage. To make matters even worse, the under eye, is the first area on our face to start showing signs of ageing. Let's face it, that's something that we all want to put off! Whether you're a skincare newbie or a veteran, eye creams should be a staple in your kit.

So, what is it that these caffeine eye creams claim to achieve? They're advertised mainly for their ability to reduce appearance of puffiness, but also to fight dark circles and fine lines. Let's have a look at how they work...

1. It's ability to cause vasoconstriction...

Caffeine is a natural stimulant, which in it's topical form, has a powerful ability to cause vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels). The narrowing of vessels under the applied area essentially pushes blood back into the circulatory system, rather than leaving it localised within the under eye area. This diversion of blood flow leaves us with the desired effect of de-puffed peepers.

2. Caffeine is an antioxidant...

It is well known that the caffeine that we ingest has potent antioxidant properties, and the same goes for it's topical counterpart. Antioxidants are the powerhouse molecules which fight free radicals; which in turn prevents premature ageing and fine lines.

If your under eye is puffy from poor sleep or you're noticing more lines than ever before, a caffeine based eye cream would be my recommendation to you. However, if your main concern is dark circles, a caffeine eye cream may not be the way forward. Eye creams can be marketed to combat dark circles, but caffeine spiked eye creams aren't the answer based on the intrinsic and topical action of the caffeine itself. Instead, look towards improving sleep quality and hydration, as well as limiting overexposure in the sun.

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