I like to start my morning with a hot cup of coffee to help wake me up. But, did you know that caffeine can make your eyes look more awake too? Caffeine is now being used topically and is quickly becoming a popular ingredient in eye wrinkle cream.
I read a press release from the International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine that describes caffeine as “a new exciting product used in many topical creams both as an anti-inflammatory product as well as an antioxidant.” Antioxidants help prevent eye wrinkles, because they protect against the free radicals that cause eye wrinkles and other signs of aging. As an anti-inflammatory agent, caffeine also reduces puffiness under eyes.
Dr. Melissa Babcock is quoted in the press release as saying that “caffeine is best known for its ability to cause vasoconstriction (the ability to make blood vessels smaller) and therein to decrease redness in skin.” This indicates that caffeine can also decrease the appearance of dark circles, which are more apparent as we age because the skin around the eyes thins, allowing blood vessels to show through. Constricting these blood vessels and decreasing redness will also reduce dark circles under the eyes.
One eye wrinkle cream that I recommend that contains caffeine is Olay Professional ProX Eye Restoration Complex. In addition to caffeine, it contains tocopherol (vitamin E) and panthanol, which hydrate the skin, and peptides, which stimulate collagen production. The combination of these ingredients makes this Olay eye cream an effective “do-it-all” product to reduce eye wrinkles, dark circles and eye puffiness.
Better yet, there is a great deal on Olay eye products right now. Through March 8, 2009, if you purchase $50 worth of Olay Professional ProX products, you’ll get a $25 rebate!