With a love for cosmetics from a young age, my curiosity knew that there was much more to the goop inside the jar than meets the eye. I graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Analytical Chemistry and moved to California to chase my dreams of becoming a cosmetic chemist, passionate about developing results-driven skincare. Now, I am the Product Innovation Manager for Youth to the People. My primary experience is in research and development, with a focus on both sustainability and the formulation of skincare, bringing natural ingredients to the forefront of the cosmetics market. I’m here to answer all your skincare questions.
Question: What does caffeine do for skin?
Answer: Yerba mate is amazing; the tea made of its dried leaves and twigs has one of the highest antioxidant counts found in ingestible teas, and it also has the highest amount of caffeine. Caffeine itself is an antioxidant, and as we know, it is also a powerful stimulant. In yerba mate, this high caffeine content is also partnered with other impressive antioxidants like polyphenols and saponins that when ingested can keep excessive stimulation, or that jittery feeling, at bay so you can remain focused and energized.
At Youth To The People, we have been able to test the antioxidant content of our proprietary yerba mate and guayusa extract blend. Through our extraction process, we’ve found that the caffeine content of our super-tea extracts is two hundred times more than the caffeine found in a typical cup of coffee. We make sure to consciously formulate with these extracts to ensure their efficacy in our Yerba Mate Resurfacing Energy Facial.
When it comes to skincare, the antioxidant effects of our high-caffeine yerba mate and guayusa extracts act topically as a diuretic and a skin-brightening ingredient.
Caffeine naturally has a diuretic effect, meaning that it will help to filter excess water away from the target area where it is applied. Fluid tends to build up when we sleep, so utilizing caffeine as a skincare ingredient in the morning will help contour our facial features, as well as brighten our skin. Puffiness and fluid retention can lead to premature aging by creating areas for wrinkles to deepen and fold. The stimulating effects of caffeine do play a part in combating premature aging when applied topically by tightening areas that are prone to puffiness upon waking up.
Combining the antioxidant effects of yerba mate and guayusa with gentle exfoliation helps to massage the lymphatic system in our faces, filtering away that fluid build up, and energizing our skin instantly.
Caffeine is also an amazing anti-redness ingredient because of the way it interacts topically with our inflammation receptors, as it has the ability to calm and soothe reactive skin. Combined with exfoliation, the high-caffeine yerba mate and guayusa extracts in the Yerba Mate Resurfacing Energy Facial will help to even both the texture and tone of skin—in just two minutes.
