Cascara, the dried outer shell of the coffee cherry, is a byproduct of coffee production that is emerging as a promising new botanical. Lipoid Kosmetik introduces a propanediol-aqueous extract from organic coffee cherry cascara (Coffea arabica L.), enriched with natural caffeine and developed for scalp and hair care
ABSTRACT
Caffeine is among the best-studied molecules in cosmetic science and is widely used in concepts centred on stimulation and vitality for skin, scalp and hair care. Cascara, the dried outer shell of the coffee cherry, is a byproduct of coffee production that is emerging as a promising new botanical. Its particular strength lies in building on the widely known and well-loved coffee concept, yet introducing a new botanical dimension through cascara. This combination of familiarity, novelty together with its exceptional phytochemical richness makes cascara attractive for cosmetic concepts. This article introduces Cascara Pro (hereafter called the cascara caffeine extract), a propanediol-aqueous extract from organic coffee cherry cascara (Coffea arabica L.), enriched with natural caffeine and developed for scalp and hair care. Phytochemically, the cascara caffeine extract brings together the best of two worlds: the well-known stimulating activity of caffeine and the broader protective properties of cascara extract. Comparative phytochemical analysis showed that the cascara caffeine extract provides a broader bioactive profile than pure caffeine alone and a stronger stimulation concept than conventional coffee based botanical extracts. In vitro, the active significantly reduced intracellular free radical formation in human hair follicle cells. In vivo, a serum containing 2% cascara caffeine extract improved perceived scalp health, comfort and vitality over 28 days and also produced an immediate sensory impression of scalp activation in a placebo-controlled consumer study. Taken together, these findings position the cascara caffeine extract as a coffee-based cosmetic concept that combines sustainability with proven scalp-care efficacy
For many consumers, coffee is almost synonymous with the bean. Yet the coffee cherry contains more than the bean alone. Its outer layer, known as cascara, is separated during coffee processing as a byproduct and is still largely discarded (Figure 1).
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