While coffee and skin care might seem like a strange combination, you may be surprised to learn that in 2006, there were more than one hundred forty products on the US market. That's up from only twenty-one products three years previously. Coffee got a bad reputation in the twentieth century, with the FDA unsure whether it was beneficial or harmful. Now that we're moving into the twenty-first century, we're finding out more and more about the beneficial effects of coffee. That's showing up extremely well in the skin care industry.
Primarily, coffee and caffeine are finding their way into skin lotions and creams because of antioxidant properties and tightening and firming qualities. Caffeine applied to the skin operates in three ways - as an antioxidant, a diuretic and a vasoconstrictor. Among others, Avon, Neuturogena and L'Oreal have included caffeine in some of their products.
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 vaso-constricting characteristic also makes it a favorite ingredient in eye gels for reducing puffiness and dark circles as well as tightening skin around the eyes. Of course, nothing eliminates cellulite or troubled skin around the eyes completely. The best you can hope for is noticeable improvement, perhaps only for a few hours.
Now, the explosion of coffee use in skin products means that you'll find it in fragrances, face creams and body scrubs. Lots of products not only smell like coffee, but also have ground coffee in them as an exfoliant. Some manufacturers even suggest that absorbing caffeine through your skin could produce some of the same alertness effects that drinking a cup of coffee does.
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. - 15485
Primarily, coffee and caffeine are finding their way into skin lotions and creams because of antioxidant properties and tightening and firming qualities. Caffeine applied to the skin operates in three ways - as an antioxidant, a diuretic and a vasoconstrictor. Among others, Avon, Neuturogena and L'Oreal have included caffeine in some of their products.
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 vaso-constricting characteristic also makes it a favorite ingredient in eye gels for reducing puffiness and dark circles as well as tightening skin around the eyes. Of course, nothing eliminates cellulite or troubled skin around the eyes completely. The best you can hope for is noticeable improvement, perhaps only for a few hours.
Now, the explosion of coffee use in skin products means that you'll find it in fragrances, face creams and body scrubs. Lots of products not only smell like coffee, but also have ground coffee in them as an exfoliant. Some manufacturers even suggest that absorbing caffeine through your skin could produce some of the same alertness effects that drinking a cup of coffee does.
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. - 15485
About the Author:
For more information about skin care, please visit websites created by Robert Coooksey, including Details About Skin Care, and a series of detailed articles covering Treatment of Wrinkles and Acne.
