Index / The Ordinary / Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG
The Ordinary

Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG
Eye Care

About this product

A lightweight eye serum with 5% caffeine and EGCG (green tea extract) designed to reduce the appearance of under-eye puffiness and dark circles.

Full ingredients

Guru Score

77%

Yay

18 experts · Strong agreement
18Gurus
16Yay
1Mixed
1Nay
#18 in Eye CareSee the ranking →

What they liked

  • Lightweight, absorbs quickly without greasiness
  • Helps reduce under-eye puffiness
  • Watery texture layers easily under makeup

What they flagged

  • May not visibly reduce dark circles
  • Feels wet for a few minutes after application

What the gurus are saying

This watery, fast-absorbing serum earns consistent praise for visibly reducing under-eye puffiness, though results on dark circles themselves are mixed. The caffeine constricts blood vessels to temporarily deflate swelling, while EGCG adds antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support; dermatologists and skincare experts note it hydrates without greasiness, layers smoothly under makeup, and at under $10 offers remarkable value. A few people report irritation from caffeine, so patch-testing first makes sense if you have sensitive skin or known caffeine sensitivity.
Synthesized from 18 expert reviews · most recent take September 2026

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored
Yay
"The caffeine depuffs, lifts, and firms. My top tip with this, if you buy this, it's only like £9. Get any moisturizer and put some of this in the palm of your hand, put a couple of drops of this in, work it together, apply it to the skin. It will give that instant lifting, firming, depuffing. It takes a good quality moisturizer to like a next level moisturizer. Honestly, best hack I can share with you. This in its own right is great. Mix it with your moisturizer and you get absolute perfection."
Top Pick: depuffer
All 14 takes from Mad About Skin
GREATEST NEW SKINCARE 2026 - 10/10 Skincare Favorites
"The original The Ordinary Caffeine Eye Treatment was quite greasy. This is an emulsion, so it doesn't have any of that stickiness or greasiness to it. It's just a beautiful, beautiful product. If you're going to use this, I would say use it early on in your routine, like straight after cleansing, because that's when you're going to get the benefit with the rest of your routine. And I absolutely love it. I feel like it's helping the rest of my skin care work a little bit better. So, I'm all in."
Major Update: THE ORDINARY FIRMING SERUM - Truth About The Ordinary Caffeine Serum
"Caffeine is great at just getting everything moving, helping with lymphatic drainage, and it really will help just wake up the skin. And I find that's where I find the greatest benefit from this. The Ordinary Promise because on the bottle they say it's an energizing serum reducing visible signs of fatigue. That's kind of what it does and that's definitely what I give it 10 out of 10 for. The lifting, firming, and dark circle treatment is just a nice to have additional benefits. But I think primarily this is just going to wake up the skin and give you that little boost to skin confidence as soon as you apply it. It's definitely become a staple in my skincare routine and it's always worth noting as well that caffeine, because it gets everything moving, will help the rest of your skincare you apply afterwards just work that little bit more effectively. It will aid the penetration. It'll help enhance the results that you see. So I would definitely recommend using this early on in your skincare routine. So cleanse the skin, apply this, and then you can go in with the rest of your serums, your lotions, and potions afterwards, knowing that you're just getting a little extra benefit from them without having to have a whole suite of new products. That for me has been a little game changer. I've had zero sensitivity, no dryness, no irritation, and it's genuinely a pleasure to use. Whilst it's not getting the hype that maybe I expected it to, I don't think it's selling in the quantities that maybe I thought it would, it's definitely one of those unsung hero serums that I would recommend everyone give a try to. You can keep this in the fridge. So in the summer where I definitely am puffier when I wake up in the summer than I am in the winter, that will just further enhance the benefits if you keep it in the fridge for that cooling experience."
Top 5 ULTIMATE SKIN FIRMING SERUMS - Best Anti Aging Routine Yet
"The caffeine is giving you that quick fix, the instant results. The EGCG is delivering you a boost to collagen in the long term. So this is really like a double whammy of a serum. Caffeine has been used for decades for its ability to depuff, lift, and tighten. And I think it's great that we now have a serum like this that's super affordable, easy to access. For the price point, I don't think you can go wrong. Other caffeine serums are going to deliver immediate but temporary results. Something like this has more long-term benefit, too."
GLOW LIKE A PRO - How To Use Vitamin C For The Ultimate Glowing Skin
"The best caffeine one is this. This is soon to launch by The Ordinary."
Crazy $9 SKIN FIRMING SERUM - Instant 15% Firmer Skin
"That one I always find quite drying. If I used it on consecutive days, my under eye would be quite dry. It'd look quite crepey. Caffeine can be drying if you use the wrong form. Form that they've used in here actually doesn't do that. So, it won't dry or dehydrate the skin. This is a big win for me because the only reason that I wasn't using the ordinary caffeine eye serum over my whole face was because it would leave me feeling stripped, dry, and tight, which I just didn't want. This doesn't do that. And it also is packed full of humectants and hydrators. So, it really does nourish and hydrate rather than dehydrate, which is a huge, huge win. Caffeine, if you've used it in the past and it's left you feeling dry and a little crusty, don't worry, you won't have that problem with the form of caffeine in here. And it just works that little bit better. The 3% concentration studies show that's what caffeine works best at in terms of concentration. So, I love that they followed the science and really build that into the formula. Last, but by no means least, on the pros, it's an emulsion. And this is music to my ears because The Ordinary have always had quite greasy formulas. They use a lot of oil based and squalane based formulas which can be quite greasy, difficult to work with. Not this. This is a beautiful emulsion that just sinks straight in."
Breakthrough SKIN FIRMING ROUTINE - One Product Changes It All
"This is the Ordinary Caffeine 3% plus EGCG 1% face serum. This is going to be a bestseller on day one. I was lucky enough to be able to try this out before the launch and I love it. It depuffs, it tightens, and it lifts. I'm all about a quick fix and this one I find gives an instant firming and lifting because of that caffeine. It's great for waking the skin up and just delivering a really nice tightening, lifting, and depuffing action. Caffeine is great, absolutely wonderful as an ingredient, but quite often we'll go in with a higher concentration. And I find that 3% is perfect to deliver all of that lifting, depuffing, and energizing action without causing the dryness and the irritation. This is going to be a little bit of a revelation when it launches. This is probably one of the best launches from the Ordinary that I've had in a long time and a just a great place to start your skincare routine. I put in probably three or four drops. That works for me. Four drops covers all my face and neck."
My All Time FAVOURITE EYE CREAM Seriously Levelled Up
"I really like the Ordinary caffeine 3%."
The Drugstore Seriously Levelled Up - BEST BUDGET SERUMS 2026
"The reason I love this is it lifts and firms in the immediate. So you're not waiting months for the results. It does it like that. That's your short-term win. In the long term, the EGCG in here is actually going to help boost collagen and elastin and just tighten and firm everything further. So you're getting those quick wins, those long-term payoffs for like $8. It's so affordable. This is budget friendly, done right, firming, lifting. And the caffeine in here will also help to depuff, will also help to energize the skin. So if you wake up feeling a little lackluster and maybe like your skin could do with a bit of a boost, this is the product to use. Caffeine is also fantastic around the hairline as well. If as part of your anti-aging regime you're looking to boost hair density, minimize hair loss, the caffeine in here is really going to stimulate that hair growth and just really support with any other treatments you're using."
SKINCARE LIVESTREAM - Celebrating 700k Subscribers and Talking Skincare
"Caffeine is great. The Ordinary do great caffeine serum that works really well under the eye. Love it."
#1 EYE CREAM 2026 - Best Remedy For Dark Circles
"I find that this is the one that I'm reaching for most frequently because dark circles definitely something that I experience and most products that I've tried targeting dark circles have done next to nothing. This is the first one that I've tried that's actually worked. I used to use the ordinary caffeine serum which worked really really well too but I found it dried out my under eye because of the formulation. This gives you that dose of caffeine without the associated dryness. So it's a great alternative for that for anyone that found that the ordinary one just left them a bit crepey and a bit dry under the eye. What I do is I use this twice a day, [...] morning and evening for the very best results."
NEW YEAR LIVESTREAM - Deals, Giveaways, Skincare Chat and More..
"For deep under-eye puffiness get The Ordinary Caffeine Solution, the best depuffer around. Put a little under the eye and it is really effective, and it is only about 9 pounds so you get an amazing eye treatment without breaking the bank."
Im 40 - My FULL ANTI AGING SKINCARE ROUTINE (This Actually Works)
"If your budget doesn't stretch to the Medicate exosome serum, which is honestly my absolute favorite, you could do it with The Ordinary Caffeine 3% instead, a beautiful emulsion. Caffeine also helps increase the penetration rate of your products, so whilst exosomes and caffeine are very different, the outcomes are very similar. You could absolutely use this in place of the other one if you wanted to do it more affordably, there is nothing wrong with that and you'll still get some great results."
£8 MIRACLE SKIN FIRMING SERUM - The Ordinary Caffeine Serum Final Update
"This is formulated with 3% caffeine alongside 1% EGCG, and six months in I'm still using it and have been really impressed. I went in as a skeptic because caffeine products have always dried my skin out and caused irritation before, but this one didn't. The caffeine gives immediate firming, lifting and de-puffing, particularly along the jawline and under the eyes for dark circles, while the EGCG is doing the heavy lifting for more long-term firming and lifting results over time. It's a beautiful emulsion that disappears without a trace and works well under makeup. At about £8 it's an absolute bargain, genuinely one of their best products at one of their cheapest price points, holy grail territory. It's not a facelift in a bottle and the firming effect is temporary rather than a proven long-term treatment, but for the price this is a 10 out of 10 for me and I'd definitely recommend people give it a go."
SKINCARE AWARDS 2026 - Best New Skincare Of The Year
"The caffeine depuffs, lifts, and firms. My top tip with this, if you buy this, it's only like £9. Get any moisturizer and put some of this in the palm of your hand, put a couple of drops of this in, work it together, apply it to the skin. It will give that instant lifting, firming, depuffing. It takes a good quality moisturizer to like a next level moisturizer. Honestly, best hack I can share with you. This in its own right is great. Mix it with your moisturizer and you get absolute perfection."
Nay
"The Ordinary Caffeine Solution can help to reduce the appearance of dark circles if it works for you, but it definitely doesn't work for me. I get real irritation with caffeine, so that's one that I'm definitely going to give a miss."
Yay
"The Ordinary caffeine and EGCG face serum is nine bucks. If you're not sensitive to caffeine, it is something that instantly helps with puffiness, firming skin up. It helps tighten the skin and stimulates blood flow. Especially if you have under-eye puffiness or feel a little swollen, something like this will instantly help. The results are temporary and not long-lasting, but it is something helpful that day if you're feeling self-conscious."
All 6 takes from No BS Beauty
New Skincare For May
"The Ordinary has a caffeine eye serum. It contains caffeine, which helps with puffiness like under eyes, and it also contains EGCG, which works similarly in skin to help with puffiness and anti-inflammation. It also contains a little bit of salicylic acid and vitamin E. I'd probably use this more as an eye serum than a face serum. It doesn't look like a must-have to me, but maybe it's interesting if you've got a little bit of puffiness. Some people do get kind of puffy when they eat certain foods, so it might be worth it. Some people are very sensitive to caffeine though, so that's another thing to consider."
Dr Idriss The Depuffer Redness Reducing & Depuffing Roll-On Serum Review, How to, and Dupes
"You might be better off going with something like The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG, although that can be kind of on the drying side too."
All About Eye Bags & Undereye Puffiness - Causes & How to Treat Them
"The Ordinary Caffeine Solution, which is N bucks. [...] This is a liquidy serum. You can just pat under your eyes. You can use it morning or evening. [...] It gives pretty quick results. The caffeine controls the microcirculation of the blood vessels in your eyes. Caffeine is also a great antioxidant. So, this one will help give you fast results. If you just want to use in the morning, that's probably just fine, too. It [...] contains caffeine, hyaluronic acid, and EGCG, and the caffeine is the main active in this one. The main exciting ingredient. So, this one will help."
The Only Products From The Ordinary I've Repurchased - And I've Tried Them All!
"Their caffeine serum, I didn't love it because I found caffeine to be kind of drying on my skin, so all their EGCG serum, this stuff to me felt a little too hydrating or slippery and it took a long time to absorb, so I didn't absolutely love that one."
New Skincare From CeraVe, The Ordinary, Rovectin & More - First Impressions Morning Routine
"This is supposed to be an anti-inflammatory serum with caffeine to help with puffiness, plus a little vitamin E and salicylic acid, though the directions actually say not to use it on the eye area, which is odd since that's where people notice puffiness most. It has a milky texture, no scent, and feels nice and not greasy, though my face felt a little tacky. This product wasn't screaming my name and it didn't overly impress me, but my skin isn't really puffy so it wasn't made for my skin type. If you have puffiness and aren't sensitive to caffeine, there's nothing wrong with it, and people with more puffiness might have a better experience with it than I did."
5 Ingredients to Boost Collagen & Firm Skin! Anti-Aging Products I'm Using that Reduce Saggy Skin
"The Ordinary caffeine and EGCG face serum is nine bucks. If you're not sensitive to caffeine, it is something that instantly helps with puffiness, firming skin up. It helps tighten the skin and stimulates blood flow. Especially if you have under-eye puffiness or feel a little swollen, something like this will instantly help. The results are temporary and not long-lasting, but it is something helpful that day if you're feeling self-conscious."
Yay
"This is one of the rare scenarios where I would recommend The Ordinary's caffeine and green tea serum. This is something I would often recommend for people underneath the eyes for depuffing, but it could also be used as an overall facial serum for someone who is feeling tired in the morning. It's a very simple complementary product from The Ordinary, and I love the price point."
All 3 takes from Doctorly
Skincare QnA and Chill
"The Ordinary they have the caffeine and green tea serum I recommend it all the time for the scalp. It's very watery, it's aesthetic, you get it on there, leave it on there twice a day, and I mean it's very inexpensive. It seems like a very easy recommendation."
Life Changing Hair Products You Need Right Now
"I've also used the Ordinary green tea caffeine one. It's just such a simple product, and it blocks DHT a little bit. It's so watery, so easy to get into your hair, very inexpensive, and it's just this two ingredient powerhouse to complement what you're already doing."
Why Your Face Looks TIRED and How to Fix It | Dermatologists Explain
"This is one of the rare scenarios where I would recommend The Ordinary's caffeine and green tea serum. This is something I would often recommend for people underneath the eyes for depuffing, but it could also be used as an overall facial serum for someone who is feeling tired in the morning. It's a very simple complementary product from The Ordinary, and I love the price point."
Yay
"Another one is from The Ordinary. It's got caffeine and green tea extract. Again, helps to temporarily depuff and improve the vascular component of dark circles."
All 2 takes from Dr. Jenny Liu
Dermatologist favorites from The Ordinary | Dr. Jenny Liu
"This is the caffeine solution 5% that retails for about nine bucks. It contains caffeine along with EGCG, which is basically polyphenol derivatives that we commonly see in green tea that have antioxidant anti-inflammatory properties and also contain some caffeine properties as well. The two together work really well. We know caffeine helps to vasoconstrict and reduce temporarily the puffiness to the under eyes, and if you struggle with dark circles because of the puffiness this may help to temporarily reduce that as well. [...] I love this because it's also hydrating, it's fast absorbing, lightweight but not heavy or greasy where if you use it in the morning your eye makeup will smudge or melt, but it is enough to help hydrate your under eye so that way when you apply concealer or makeup it doesn't cake or crease. [...] It's hydrating, helps to depuff, and layers nicely under makeup."
You've Been Treating Your Dark Circles Wrong — A Derm Fixes That | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Another one is from The Ordinary. It's got caffeine and green tea extract. Again, helps to temporarily depuff and improve the vascular component of dark circles."
Yay
"I would use this as the last serum in your skincare routine before your moisturizer or before your sunscreen or before a cream-based retinol. I really love how it's milky. I love anything milky because it's very nourishing on the skin. It is super hydrating and it really does give this beautiful glow to your skin, but it's not sticky. It's not greasy. It's not heavy. It's very lightweight. And I just really love how this sits with other skincare products, including sunscreen and makeup. No peeling. I've never experienced peeling with this. This is fragrance-free and it has a shelf life of 12 months once you open it. You may not want to use this every day, but it would be more beneficial if you did. I've been using this more consistently in my morning routine because of that deep-puffing effect. I don't always use this at night time, but there have been a few times where I did use this at night paired up with retinol, and I really loved the pairing. It actually nourished and hydrated my skin prior to retinol. So it can actually help to prevent further dryness and irritation for some people."
All 2 takes from Sincerely Miss Ash
I TESTED THE ORDINARY'S NEW CAFFEINE 3% + ESCIN 1% FACE SERUM | HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!
"I would use this as the last serum in your skincare routine before your moisturizer or before your sunscreen or before a cream-based retinol. I really love how it's milky. I love anything milky because it's very nourishing on the skin. It is super hydrating and it really does give this beautiful glow to your skin, but it's not sticky. It's not greasy. It's not heavy. It's very lightweight. And I just really love how this sits with other skincare products, including sunscreen and makeup. No peeling. I've never experienced peeling with this. This is fragrance-free and it has a shelf life of 12 months once you open it. You may not want to use this every day, but it would be more beneficial if you did. I've been using this more consistently in my morning routine because of that deep-puffing effect. I don't always use this at night time, but there have been a few times where I did use this at night paired up with retinol, and I really loved the pairing. It actually nourished and hydrated my skin prior to retinol. So it can actually help to prevent further dryness and irritation for some people."
5 BEST EYE SERUMS FOR ANTI-AGING 2023 | DARK CIRCLES, PUFFINESS, FINE LINES/WRINKLES | OVER 30
"They've always had their caffeine solution and that one is designed for de-puffing. I found that that formulation was very drying and I also didn't feel like it depuffed whatsoever."
Yay
"For eye bags, I love the Ordinary caffeine solution. It's great, it literally has 5% caffeine and it shrinks your eye bags pretty quickly. Really great."
All 5 takes from Darnell Cox | 50+ Healthy Aging Expert
All of your pressing questions answered in today’s Instagram live show!
"If it is bags under the eyes, a caffeine solution like The Ordinary is great."
Younger-Looking Eyes? | Let’s Put Together Your Tailor-Made Plan!
"When you want to use a cream and eye bags are your problem, look for something with caffeine in it. The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% is great for this because you can roll it out to help move that lymphatic fluid, and you're aiming towards the top of your ears because you've got channels there that help drain it."
Why is Skincare so Important for Healthy Aging?🤔 Find out on today’s IG LIVE SHOW! 🤩 Let’s start w
"One of my favorite is The Ordinary [...] Caffeine Solution 5%. This is great for eye bags, so if you're dealing with eye bags, the puffiness, caffeine solution and a roller [...] will help to depuff the under eye and also lymphatic drain."
Caption: Want to use a microneedle at home to improve the skin around your eyes? 👀 Join my IG Live
"This one is my favorite by The Ordinary. This is a caffeine solution that helps with the eye bags because it constricts the blood vessels and so it shrinks those eye bags."
Over 30 and ready to master the ultimate skincare routine? 🎙️Join me for an IG Live Show where
"For eye bags, I love the Ordinary caffeine solution. It's great, it literally has 5% caffeine and it shrinks your eye bags pretty quickly. Really great."
Yay
"I actually really like the Ordinary under eye solution that has 5% caffeine. It's a super runny fluid. So, what I love about that is you could use it on its own, or if you have an eye cream that you already love or are incorporating to help with other under eye issues, you could layer them."
All 2 takes from Dr. Sam Ellis
This is What Will Get Rid Your Your Eye Bags | Dr. Sam Ellis
"I actually really like the Ordinary under eye solution that has 5% caffeine. It's a super runny fluid. So, what I love about that is you could use it on its own, or if you have an eye cream that you already love or are incorporating to help with other under eye issues, you could layer them."
How to De-Puff Your Face Fast! | Dr. Sam Ellis
"There's not a ton of great data to support it, but caffeine can increase blood flow, that's why you often see it incorporated in things like eye creams, but I think the improvement is pretty modest if any at all. That being said, if you want to try some caffeine in your skincare routine and you don't want to break the bank, The Ordinary has a nice little 5% caffeine serum that you can try out."
Yay
"Some of the products I love are The Ordinary Caffeine at 5%. Caffeine is one of those mitochondrial activators that helps address hair thinning by increasing ATP and supporting the growth phase of hair follicles, leading to stronger hair strands and reducing shedding."
Mixed
"I really had high hopes for this product, especially because I think The Ordinary is amazing and they have a lot of really powerful products, but this one I just didn't really notice a difference with my dark circles. Did I notice that it helped with some of my under eye puffiness, which is something I definitely struggle with as well? Yes, I didn't really notice any major differences besides that. However, I do think the ingredient list is really good. There's a lot of goodies in this formula that are great for helping with the health and the strength of the under eye area. And I definitely think it's a good product if you are worried about developing dark circles in the future, you want to reduce under eye puffiness or you're starting to notice a little bit of darkness. But overall, it just left a lot to hope for. At the same time, it's a stellar price point. I mean, you really can't get better than the ordinary price points."
Yay
"I would use the Caffeine Solution by The Ordinary. First apply caffeine solution. Let it sit on your skin. Let it absorb. When it dries your skin feels a bit tight in the under eye area. After that apply your retinol based eye cream."
Translated from the guru's original language.
All 3 takes from Nipun Kapur
Skincare Chit Chat | Nipun Kapur
"The ordinary caffeine serum"
How to Remove Stretch Marks after Pregnancy I How to Remove Stretch Marks at Home
"The Caffeine Solution by The Ordinary which is priced around 700 on Nykaa"
Translated from the guru's original language.
Best Eye Creams for Dark Circles That Actually Work | How to Reduce Dark Circles | Nipun Kapur
"I would use the Caffeine Solution by The Ordinary. First apply caffeine solution. Let it sit on your skin. Let it absorb. When it dries your skin feels a bit tight in the under eye area. After that apply your retinol based eye cream."
Translated from the guru's original language.
Yay
"They have their Caffeine Solution 5% plus EGCG that's also going to be 5%. People like that to help with the under eye puffiness and maybe to help with dark circles. Now bear in mind eye creams, eye treatments, eye serums, they're not going to be miracle workers. They can help lessen the appearance, but sometimes people put too much cadence on these eye creams and eye treatments when sometimes you got to see a pro."
Yay
"The caffeine solution 5% plus EGCG, which is normally used for pigmentation and puffy around the eyes, can be used in these little cheek areas over here where you can get redness and it's quite a good tip to use. [...] Because it's a water-based product, you can either use this after your hyaluronic acid or you can actually use it just before your azelaic acid in nighttime, so you can either use it a.m. or p.m. and if it works really well for you, you can basically do both a.m. and p.m. and it's a great upgrade and a top tip that you can use for your rosacea."
All 2 takes from Dr. Somji Skin
You Should Try These Products | Rosacea Relief
"The caffeine solution 5% plus EGCG, which is normally used for pigmentation and puffy around the eyes, can be used in these little cheek areas over here where you can get redness and it's quite a good tip to use. [...] Because it's a water-based product, you can either use this after your hyaluronic acid or you can actually use it just before your azelaic acid in nighttime, so you can either use it a.m. or p.m. and if it works really well for you, you can basically do both a.m. and p.m. and it's a great upgrade and a top tip that you can use for your rosacea."
How to Effectively Treat Rosacea | How To Use The Ordinary Skincare for Rosacea
"The Caffeine Solution 5% plus EGCG, which is normally used for pigmentation and puffiness around the eyes, can be used in these little cheek areas where you get redness and it's quite a good tip to use. You can either use this, because it's a water-based product, [...] after your hyaluronic acid or [...] just before your azelaic acid in your nighttime routine. You can either use it AM or PM, and if it works really well for you, you can basically do both AM and PM. It's a great upgrade and a top tip that you can use for your rosacea that's not really mentioned anywhere."
Yay
"I love their caffeine 5% de-puffing eye serum. Caffeine is a wonderful ingredient because it helps stimulate blood flow in the under eyes, since blood flow starts to reduce as we get older, so caffeine in there really helps speed things up, helps your skin cells proliferate faster, and helps bring collagen faster to the surface of the skin to keep that area tight. There's also glycerin and hyaluronic acid in there to really help plump that area up and give the feeling of that area looking fuller and more volumized. This is one of my favorite eye creams, and for under $10 you can't beat it."
Yay
"I picked up this because I remember the caffeine is supposed to be good for puffy eyes, so I started using this and it worked. [...] I haven't had puffy eyes the entire time I've been using it until now, and so it really did take down the puff. [...] There's like ever so slight redness just beneath the surface, and it really helps to make my eyes look less allergic. They still feel allergic, they're still gloopy, but they don't look it, and this has been really really helpful. Usually how I use this is I'll [...] add it around my eyes and just kind of step back for a minute and let it sink in. It does take a minute to kind of sink in. It's got good absorbency, it's not sticky, but it can feel kind of wet for a little bit. I'll let that settle into my skin and then I'll top it off with an eye cream just because my skin can get kind of dry around there. I do still need that emolliency and that creaminess to really help keep that eye area moisturized and nourished."
Yay
"This is one of my favorites from the ordinary, their caffeine solution plus EGCG. The EGCG comes from green tea and can help minimize the burden of damage that occurs upon exposure to environmental stressors, namely UV, and the caffeine is also an antioxidant which will help with oxidative stress that leads to premature skin aging. People like to use this around the eyes because topically caffeine can help temporarily improve the appearance of dark under eye circles, especially as it relates to puffiness, because caffeine can constrict the blood vessels and help with moving that fluid out from under the eyes."
All 4 takes from Dr Dray
TONS OF SKINCARE AT ULTA TO DISCUSS 🛍 Dermatologist @DrDrayzday
"This is one of my favorites from the ordinary, their caffeine solution plus EGCG. The EGCG comes from green tea and can help minimize the burden of damage that occurs upon exposure to environmental stressors, namely UV, and the caffeine is also an antioxidant which will help with oxidative stress that leads to premature skin aging. People like to use this around the eyes because topically caffeine can help temporarily improve the appearance of dark under eye circles, especially as it relates to puffiness, because caffeine can constrict the blood vessels and help with moving that fluid out from under the eyes."
BLACK FRIDAY SKIN CARE DEALS 2022 💰 DERMATOLOGIST @DrDrayzday
"The ordinary Caffeine Solution has caffeine, which is an antioxidant that may help minimize free radicals from environmental stressors, and it may also help minimize redness and temporarily improve the look of dark under eye circles. It also has EGCG, a green tea antioxidant. Personally I've used it, I stand by it, it's very good, it does kind of improve overall skin tone perhaps by minimizing inflammation and irritation. It's also very hydrating, easy to use, and it doesn't peel."
MIND BLOWN BY SKIN CARE AT ULTA IN TARGET 🛍 DERMATOLOGIST
"This is a great product to put on in the morning prior to sunscreen, because it has caffeine and EGCG, which are antioxidants that may help reduce oxidative stress from environmental stressors like pollution, which is associated with accelerated skin aging. Caffeine can also help calm down redness, and it has glutathione in it too, which may help with hyperpigmentation."
EYE CREAMS FOR DARK CIRCLES, PUFFINESS, & CROW'S FEET 🛍DRUGSTORE SHOP WITH ME @DrDrayzday
"I do believe the ordinary has a good caffeine serum, which would be a more affordable alternative if you want a caffeine product for puffiness and dark circles, even though it's not a drugstore brand."
Yay
"This is a good example of a good ingredient to use under eyes that you would pay more for, but this is The Ordinary so we are talking 6.40 maximum for this. This really is just a serum to help awaken under your eyes, making you look less tired, less puffy, less dull around the eyes. It sinks in super super quick and it's something you use morning and night. At night I would pair this up with Vaseline to create that nice occlusive layer around the eyes."
All 2 takes from James Welsh
The Worst Of Beauty TikTok - Dodgy Derms, Rhode Nut Allergy & Questionable Skincare Hacks! Jan 2024
"I use Caffeine Solution from The Ordinary. It's really crusty. I'm running out of this."
Best Budget / Drugstore Skincare Products Under £10! What to Buy and Where to Buy Them CHEAP!
"This is a good example of a good ingredient to use under eyes that you would pay more for, but this is The Ordinary so we are talking 6.40 maximum for this. This really is just a serum to help awaken under your eyes, making you look less tired, less puffy, less dull around the eyes. It sinks in super super quick and it's something you use morning and night. At night I would pair this up with Vaseline to create that nice occlusive layer around the eyes."
Yay
"The Caffeine Plus EGCG Solution has caffeine at 5% and Epigallocatechin Gallate, which actually comes from green tea. This is so wonderful for the skin. It is an eye serum but it can help with vasoconstriction, so helping with that puffiness, but it doesn't just work in the under eye area, it also works all throughout the face. The EGCG in here is an antioxidant, basically anti-oxidation, so it helps to boost up your sunscreen and helps to prevent a little bit of damage from our environment like pollution or smog. Because this has caffeine, caffeine is also an antioxidant. This is one of the best serums. If you're looking to de-puff the under eye area and you want something that feels a little bit more thick and hydrating, this is when I would use this. I use it on my smile lines, I get really puffy in my cheeks, I use this all over my face and it is absolutely brilliant. It's wonderful whether you use it on its own or if you pair it with Pycnogenol."
Sponsored
All 8 takes from Cassandra Bankson
5 Best Serums From The Ordinary
"The Caffeine Plus EGCG Solution has caffeine at 5% and Epigallocatechin Gallate, which actually comes from green tea. This is so wonderful for the skin. It is an eye serum but it can help with vasoconstriction, so helping with that puffiness, but it doesn't just work in the under eye area, it also works all throughout the face. The EGCG in here is an antioxidant, basically anti-oxidation, so it helps to boost up your sunscreen and helps to prevent a little bit of damage from our environment like pollution or smog. Because this has caffeine, caffeine is also an antioxidant. This is one of the best serums. If you're looking to de-puff the under eye area and you want something that feels a little bit more thick and hydrating, this is when I would use this. I use it on my smile lines, I get really puffy in my cheeks, I use this all over my face and it is absolutely brilliant. It's wonderful whether you use it on its own or if you pair it with Pycnogenol."
3 Best Eye Creams For Milia That Actually Work (Best Eye Creams That Are Milia Safe)
"If you do want a budget version, The Ordinary's caffeine eye cream is really good. It has caffeine and EGCG and it is a tenth of the price. I have actually used The Ordinary one and spoke to a plastic surgeon who specializes in blepharoplasty and actually tested that product out extensively. If you are looking for something that works for the puffiness, either the Total Eye or the caffeine solution from The Ordinary are going to be your best bets depending on how much you want to spend."
How to Look Less Dead in the Morning Using Skincare
"The Ordinary's caffeine solution five percent plus EGCG, which is also found in green tea products, is an eye cream that I recommend using all over the face."
Ordinary Products I Keep Buying Over and Over — Meet and Greet in LA!
"I find that eye creams are overpriced moisturizers, and when you look at the amount of this and you look at how it works and how caffeine is a vasoconstrictor and how this epigallocatechin gallate works on the skin, this is literally a beautiful facial serum. I use this all over my face, all over my chest, and my neck, and I recommend that other people do the same. If you're someone who's puffy, caffeine is a vasoconstrictor. It literally vasoconstricts when applied topically. Yes, you can apply it under the eye, but you can apply it all over the face. If you do have minor redness, if you do have that puffiness, this works so well to calm that down. While this is marketed for like under-eye puffiness, this is not a replacement for plastic surgery, but this works so well under sunscreen. It does help to vasoconstrict, and if you are a puffy person, this might be one of your new morning best friends."
💰 3 Ways to Get More Effective Skincare While Spending Less Money 💰
"They have just caffeine in EGCG, so a little bit of vasoconstriction."
Eye Creams I Use All Over My Face
"I used this for literally a month and tracked my progress, and at the end of the month, my under-eye color and under-eye puffiness did not change at all. The Ordinary's caffeine under-eye serum is not an under-eye serum for me, but do you know what it is, it is a face serum. If you want a potent facial serum that has caffeine and antioxidants, caffeine is such a good antioxidant and caffeine is phenomenal under sunscreen, and a lot of people don't talk about that. This formula has epigallocatechin gallate as well as the caffeine. This is just such a beautiful formula, and if you do have a puffy face, you could use this with a tool for massage. You can literally use this to help brighten the skin, to help with some vasoconstriction if you struggle with rosacea, or if you get a little bit of flushing in the skin. This is such a good product, and again it's a beautiful serum, and you get a lot for the money as well. It's too liquidy for the under-eye area, like you're not getting a lot of bang for your buck in the under eye, and it just doesn't do what it claims to do for me. But when I put this all over my face, I freaking love it. It is one of the best caffeine serums that I've used."
An Easy Rosacea Skincare Routine
"The Ordinary's Caffeine Solution 5% plus EGCG. This is actually amazing. I don't recommend this under the eyes, I recommend this all over the face. This is a caffeine serum and from the Ordinary it's inexpensive, it's a vasoconstrictor, and I actually feel that this is really helpful for rosacea prone skin."
Deciem Sale - WHAT IS AND ISNT WORTH THE MONEY - Slowvember
"The caffeine solution, you don't have to apply it just under the eyes. You can apply it all over the face. It's amazing under sunscreens."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Alpha hydroxy acids

Alpha hydroxy acids loosen the bonds holding dead cells at the surface. The evidence supports smoother texture and more even tone over time, and they can leave skin more sensitive to sun.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG?

A lightweight eye serum with 5% caffeine and EGCG (green tea extract) designed to reduce the appearance of under-eye puffiness and dark circles.

Is The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG worth it?

Mostly yes. 16 of the 18 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 77%.

What is The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG's Guru Score?

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG holds a Guru Score of 77%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 18 expert reviewers we have collected. At least one expert has named it a Top Pick in its category.

Similar products worth a look.

Other products the same gurus have weighed in on, plus more from this brand and category.

Compare side by side →

Share this score

Add this badge to your blog or website. It links back to this page and updates itself when the experts change their minds. Free, no sign-up.

Then paste it into your site's HTML or embed block.

This week's top beauty news, in your inbox.

A weekly read of the takes worth catching up on: the raves, the splits, the ones the gurus won't shut up about. Free, no spam, unsubscribe whenever.

Subscribe to the digest