Can Caffeine in Beauty Products Be Good for Your Skin and Hair?

It feels like every week we read another headline about how caffeinated drinks are either good or bad for us. But what about caffeine in beauty products? Sure, it’s probably not going to hurt you, since it’s been used for eons, but what kind of benefits—if any—can it deliver?

Caffeine is a naturally occurring substance that stimulates the central nervous system, hence its use as a “pick-me-up.” It’s typically found in three different types of beauty product: ones that promise to boost hair growth, under-eye depuffers, and cellulite treatments.

How is it supposed to work? Dermatologist Dr. Shannon Humphrey says that generally there isn’t enough data around this, but one idea is that it increases microcirculation—blood flow to the skin. “That may be bringing more blood flow to the hair follicle and increasing hair growth,” she says. Increased blood flow might also mean that waste products are taken away for the skin more efficiently, reducing under-eye bags and making dimpled thighs look smoother.
“There’s also a mechanism that’s been demonstrated with caffeine for lipolysis. It does actually kind of activate lipase, which is the enzyme that dissolves fat,” she says, saying that it might therefore be rational to include it in a topical product for cellulite, but it won’t be “magic in a bottle.”

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Dermatologist Dr. Neera Nathan points out that cellulite isn’t just related to fat—it’s also related to how fat is tethered by collagen, which neither depuffing nor lipolysis will do anything for. In addition, “It is present in almost 100 per cent of women—literally almost 100 per cent,” she says. “It does not need to be treated. It is normal.”

 

Nathan works closely with hair-growth brand Vegamour and says caffeine has an anti-inflammatory effect that may be helpful for hair. “Inflammation at the hair root, no matter what the cause, is what’s causing hair loss,” she says. “Caffeine has antioxidant properties, and antioxidants can combat free radicals—the bad actors from the environment and our own bodies that otherwise can cause inflammation to harm hair follicles.”

She also references some newer research that was published in the British Journal of Dermatology in 2021 that indicates that caffeine can modulate the “cortisol axis” in hair follicles. Hair follicles produce cortisol as a response to stress and it can lead to hair loss, and the new study suggests that caffeine may be helpful for stress-induced hair loss. A further study compared a topical caffeine serum to 5 per cent minoxidil treatment—the gold standard treatment for hair loss—and found that they were equivalent, Nathan says. In addition to topical applications, she’s a fan of scalp massages to help with hair growth. “There was a study that showed that four minutes of a standardized scalp massage per day actually increased hair thickness,” she says. “And then we know massage is one of the many tools, whether on your face or on your scalp, that can help increase penetration [of products].”

Dermatologist Dr. Lisa Kellett says that most of these purported benefits for caffeine are interesting, but they all need more research. She also put on our radar a new possible application: it might offer skin some photoprotection—protection against UV light. “There have been studies that support caffeine as an agent that opposes UV light-induced carcinogenesis,” she says. “After you irradiate with UV light, it might promote the deletion of damaged keratinocytes [epidermal skin cells].” In lay terms, that means that it could act as a sunscreen—adding to the arsenal of sunscreen ingredients we already have.

One great thing that we know for a fact about caffeine as a skin-care ingredient—it’s safe, well-tested, and unlikely to provoke a negative reaction. Here are seven products to try.

Body Proud Smooth Talk Exfoliating Body Serum

As well as caffeine, this serum contains niacinamide to restore moisture, and exfoliating acids, and it has a refreshing green tea scent.

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CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream

Peptides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide join the caffeine in this light cream designed to address crow’s feet, puffiness, and dryness around the eye area.

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Epic Blend Coconut Coffee Scrub

Not quite your traditional caffeine product, this includes ground coffee along with raw sugar and sea salt to physically exfoliate. There’s also moisturizing coconut oil in the mix.

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Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Vitamin CC Sticks

These are designed to be used under concealer to correct dark circles. They come in three shades and contain two forms of vitamin C and light-reflecting pigments as well as caffeine.

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SkinCeuticals AOX+ Eye Gel

Apply this serum on the under eyes and brow bone, avoiding the inner corners, then follow with sunscreen. It contains an antioxidant combination of phloretin, L-ascorbic acid and ferulic acid. If you’re using retinol, the brand recommends applying this in the morning and your retinol in the evening.

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Vegamour GRO Hair Serum

The brand’s bestselling product promises to make hair look denser and reduce signs of shredding and fallout. It has turmeric, which is said to increase hair density, biotin to fortify strands, and mung bean/red clover for the scalp.

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Vichy Liftactiv H.A. Anti-Wrinkle Day Moisturizer for Dry Skin

Not just for the eye area, this promises to work on your whole face, with hyaluronic acid, rhamnose for firming and probiotics to rebalance the skin’s microbiome.

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