It's not enough to drown in venti caffe lattes and Red Bull. Want to really wake up? It's possible literally to bathe and clothe yourself in caffeine. A little Vanilla Toffee Spazzstick lip balm will put some caffeine on your kisser. Mints and shampoo, bath gel and dozens of eye creams contain the same substance that has offered a jolt for as long as people have been tired.
From Europe comes the latest — Skin Kiss Caffeinated Tights. Don a pair of these, and your body heat will activate fine capsules of caffeine woven into the fibers. The goal here isn't energy — it's slim legs, which the Skin Kiss people claim you will get if you wear the tights for 28 days.
Bennett Alan Weinberg, co-author of the book "The World of Caffeine: The Science and Culture of the World's Most Popular Drug," is not surprised. He calls the substance "practically a miracle drug." He says that unless one is sensitive to caffeine, it does a world of good.
"It has benefits for health and well-being," Mr. Weinberg says. "It has disease-fighting properties. The deleterious effects are practically nil, unless it makes you edgy."
The reason caffeine is being added to so many products is based on research — some well-documented, some not so much. It is a fine line for the cosmetic products in particular as they are not subject to as much government scrutiny and regulation as food.
Take caffeine shampoo, for instance. The German company that makes Alpecin conducted its own studies, which show using it can slow hair loss by providing energy to roots grown thin from male-pattern baldness.
A host of anti-cellulite creams at various price points contain caffeine. A 2007 article published in the Journal of Clinical Dermatology says most of the women in a 34-person study using such products saw their average thigh measurement decrease by a half-inch.
The science, as reported by cosmetic companies, says this: Caffeine rubbed on the skin works to improve the appearance of cellulite. The caffeine revs things up and helps rid the body of unwanted fluid.