At what topical caffeine concentration does the speaker say you'll probably see benefits?

Shereene IdrissBoard Certified Derm, Founder and Chief Nerd

YouTube Channel

30 Jan 2026 · 1 min

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Short YouTube clip (Shereene Idriss) advising against applying instant coffee granules under the eyes because the granules can cause micro-tears, inflammation, and premature breakdown of thin under-eye skin. The speaker acknowledges caffeine can reduce redness and puffiness via vasoconstriction, recommends commercial caffeine eye products (The Inkey List, The Ordinary) and cites ~3%+ caffeine as a likely effective concentration; offers caffeinated tea as a gentler DIY alternative.

Questions this video answers

Around 3% or more.

Chapters

Shut up. It is not. Yes it is. No, it's what keep the instant coffee for your your morning cup of coffee because your skin is super thin underneath your eyes and these instant granules, although not all instant coffee is created equal. The granules are rough. Rough for the delicate under eye surface of your skin and in the long run you can get micro tears. What does that mean? It means inflammation and premature breakdown of your skin. The delicate skin underneath your eyes. But low key. Does it work? Sure, there's benefit to caffeine. How? Because caffeine is basically a vasoconstrictor constricting and tightening your blood vessels, reducing redness and inflammation. But here's the deal. They exist in skincare. The Inkey List has a caffeine eye cream. The Ordinary also has an under eye caffeine cream. Anytime caffeine is at the percent of 3% or more, you're probably going to see benefits from it. But if you just can't help yourself and really need a diy, caffeinated tea is the.