| What is it? | Caffeine is a stimulant, commonly found in coffee and tea. |
| INCI | Caffeine |
| Appearance | Fine white powder |
| Usage rate | 0.1–1% |
| Scent | Nothing very noticeable |
| pH | 6.9 (1% solution) |
| Solubility | Water |
| Why do we use it in formulations? | Caffeine increases circulation and reduces puffiness, making it a popular ingredient in products for mature skin and under-eye applications. It can also help reduce water retention, creating a slimming effect. |
| Do you need it? | No |
| Refined or unrefined? | It is best to purchase isolated, concentrated caffeine. |
| Strengths | Very effective de-puffing active. |
| Weaknesses | Not a good choice for anyone sensitive to caffeine. |
| Alternatives & Substitutions | I don’t know of anything terribly suitable; there are some caffeine extracts made from ingredients that contain caffeine (like tea or coffee) that are less concentrated than caffeine powder. If you want to use a plant extract instead of pure caffeine powder you will need to use more; the usage rate for caffeine is really low (0.1–1%) because it’s really concentrated, while the plant extract will not be. Please review the documentation provided for your extract to see what the recommended usage rates are, and adjust the amount called for to line up with the effective range of your extract; I would probably go with the maximum recommended usage rate as the extract contains caffeine, but isn’t pure caffeine.
Because caffeine is water soluble, replacing it with oils made from or infused with things that typically contain caffeine (coffee, tea, etc.) is not a good option—the amount of caffeine present is typically very low, while you may find the coffee scent to be very strong! |
| How to Work with It | Include in the water phase of your formulations; it can be hot or cold processed as needed. |
| Storage & Shelf Life | Stored somewhere cool, dark, and dry, caffeine should last approximately four years. |
| Tips, Tricks, and Quirks | I’ve heard stories from people who have applied large amounts of caffeine creams before going to bed and then being unable to sleep, so tread lightly with pre-bedtime applications! |
| Recommended starter amount | 10g (0.35oz) |
| Where to Buy it | Buy it from an online DIY ingredient supplier or Amazon. |
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