STOCKTON JOHNSON/THE LICENSING PROJECT
You know it as the sole reason you’ve been able to get out of bed for the past year, but caffeine’s got another job now: taking over the haircare industry. And unlike some of the other buzzy ingredients you see all over IG, this new glut of caffeine-spiked shampoos, conditioners, and treatments has pretty powerful science behind it.
The main takeaway is that
caffeine stimulates blood flow to your scalp, explains Bridgette Hill, a trichologist and colorist at Paul Labrecque Salon and Skincare Spa in NYC and Palm Beach. And that’s crucial because blood is what feeds your scalp the oxygen and nutrients it needs to stay healthy. If it’s not getting enough—and this can def happen, mostly due to genetics or diet—your hair follicles and strands suffer, leading to dryness, thinning, or straight-up hair loss. Yeah, not ideal—and why caffeine-infused products might be an important add to your routine.