Throughout history, people have searched for ways to stop the hands of time and reverse it’s damage to our beauty. As far back as the 15th century, people went to spas and soaked in mineral baths for the specific reason of restoring their youthful looks.
The Fountain of Youth was a fable. It was believed that anyone who drank its magical waters would be restored. Today, science tells us that there is no element that will undo the natural effects of nature. But, there are products that help slow it down. There are treatments that are temporary but do give positive results.
Caffeine in food and drinks
Caffeine is found in plants that we use to make coffee and tea. It is added to many other food and non-food items. When consumed it stimulates the nervous system, which is why it is so popular in our morning routines. Caffeine puts a little pep in your step as they say.
Taken in small amounts, it is considered safe. Consumed in excess it could cause dehydration, nervousness, and a host of other side effects.
Caffeine in beauty products
Scientist has long used caffeine in studies to create products It is known in the scientific community that caffeine constricts small blood vessels and reduces inflammation. Caffeine contains a lot of antioxidants.
When you apply a caffeine-containing cream to your skin, the blood vessels contract which reduces the puffy bags under your eyes and lightens the dark circles under your eyes. Caffeine draws the fluid from your body (remember we mentioned it can cause dehydration if overused). That fluid plumps up sagging skin and wrinkles. The results can be very dramatic. People rush to buy these products because they work. But it is a temporary fix.
Short-lived victory
Caffeine in beauty products does work in all the ways mentioned above. But the human skin cannot actually absorb the caffeine from the cream. However, caffeine does penetrate the skin to a degree. This is a surface only treatment. In some cases, it will work for a few hours.
How long it lasts depends on the cream and individual reactions to it. Often the results stay only until the cream wears off, then you must reapply the cream. Some people have a higher tolerance for caffeine. They can drink 3-cups of coffee without a problem while others get shaky after 1-cup of coffee. There is no way to know how long the results will work for you. It will only be known once tried. You will see the recommended amount of cream to use, but how your body responds will be your factual caffeine allowance.
Can we make friends with the sun?
We all know, the sun can damage skin. We are told to wear sunscreen every time we are going to be in the sun for any period of time. However, science has been testing the idea of using caffeine to stall and maybe one day to reverse the results of ageing skin caused by UV rays.
In studies done on mice, using a caffeine based cream caused cells that were damaged by the powerful UV rays of the sun to self-destruct.
The studies are in their infancy, but if the power of caffeine can be harnessed and can cause damaged cells to die away, it is within the realm of possibility that there could be a cure for skin cancer in our near future.
Perhaps we will eventually find our cure for ageing. Along the way, if we find a cure for cancer, acne, allergies, warts, psoriasis, and skin infections that would be awesome.
Time is not your friend or your enemy
We are a society that demands instant gratification. We want what we want when we want it. Developers are quick to push the hands of time when it means profits for them.
The full scope of the effects of caffeine used in a beauty cream is not clear. That does not mean it is not effective. It simply means there is more to learn.
A quality product developer will use the best ingredients. He will use the data provided and use caution to ensure he does no harm. Buy good products from names you can trust. If a company you have never heard of starts making claims that sound too good to be true, they probably are not true. Take the time to research the product you are about to put all over your face.
In Conclusion
Many people believe that sugar is bad for you. They insist it is the culprit for obesity in every country. It is blamed for tooth decay, organ problems, and more.
The truth is, sugar gives your cells instant energy. Used in proper amounts, sugar is not bad for you. It is when it is overused or misused that it becomes a problem.
We are not suggesting that you load your pantry with sweets, you may continue to use sugar-free treats as part of your diets. Just understand the concept that within limits it has good effects and used in excess, it causes problems.
There is great promise in the use of caffeine in skin care. As long as you are using a quality product, you should see results. It is not a cure for ageing, but it is helpful. Just use it as part of your beauty regime, not your entire beauty regime.
Excellent article by our Guest Author Ashley Lipman.
