Caffeine

Caffeine

Low hazardMolecular weight 194.19

What does Caffeine do for skin?

A methylxanthine; adenosine receptor antagonism and PDE-related. Studies on puffiness and vascular shadows are small and use combinations.

Dose on file: stand-alone N/A; combination pad 3%

Is Caffeine safe in skincare?

Low hazardHazard 2/10

CIR safe as used

Based on

  • Reference: CIR

    Safe as used · CIR: safe as used at reported concentrations.

  • Reference: Korea MFDS

    Country limits · 1 rule across 1 country

Is Caffeine classified as a carcinogen?

Only four bodies count here: IARC, EU CLP, US NTP and California Prop 65.

Not classified by IARC, EU CLP, US NTP, or California Prop 65.

How is Caffeine regulated?

Cosmetic ingredient

Not found on any prescription-drug, professional-treatment, or US OTC monograph list, so it is treated as a cosmetic ingredient. This is a passive default ("not on any known restricted list"), not an individually verified positive finding.

Is Caffeine safe during pregnancy?

  • Pregnant

    Not enough data

  • Nursing

    Not enough data

  • Planning

    Not enough data

No data found for topical caffeine in pregnancy or nursing.

Caffeine benefits for skin, by concern

These raw scores are only shown here, in the ingredient dictionary.

  • Dark Circles and Periorbital Vascularity3.0

    Dose on file: stand-alone N/A; combination pad 3%

    A combination pad of 3% caffeine + 1% vitamin K in 11 people (Ahmadraji 2015). An RCT of 3% caffeine gel alone (n=34) showed no significant difference from the base for eye puffiness (Amnuaikit 2011). There is no controlled evidence for caffeine alone on vascular dark circles.

    • Reference: Ahmadraji and Shatalebi, 2015
    • Reference: Amnuaikit T et al., 2011
    • Reference: Rajabi-Estarabadi A et al., 2024

Products that list this ingredient

575 products in our catalog list this ingredient. Here are the 12 with the most reviews.

Sources (5)

  • Reference: Ahmadraji and Shatalebi, 2015
  • Reference: Amnuaikit T et al., 2011
  • Reference: Rajabi-Estarabadi A et al., 2024
  • Reference: CIR
  • Reference: Korea MFDS

Red does not mean poison. Preservatives that stop a product going off, UV filters and fragrance can land on yellow or red depending on their score.

Green does not mean right for you. Skin and allergies differ from person to person. Treat the color as a starting point.