 Eye Revive Beauty Flash, £26.50 by Clarins, www.uk.clarins.com
Following in the footsteps of Clarins’ cult product Beauty Flash Balm, comes this reviving eye cream. The light formulation almost immediately disappears and only requires a light patting into the skin (beauty tip: never rub the cream into the eye area as the skin is super delicate, instead blend it in using the ring finger).
The product contains a blend of ingredients to brighten and tighten including olive extract for anti-ageing, wheat protein to help retain moisture and horse chestnut to tone and reduce fluid in the eye tissue.
The only issue I had with the product was it caused my mascara to smudge onto the skin a little. However it eliminated all skin tightness and felt like it was enriching my tired peeps.
 Angelica Eye Roll On, £15 by L’Occitane, www.uk.loccitane.com
If you wake up with puffy, droppy tired eyes even after a good night’s rest, then this roll on daily eye treatment is the perfect pick you up. The silver ball roll on device delivers an instant cooling effect that helps to depuff, reduce dark circles and freshen the eye area, while the watery formulation easily glides over the skin but does need a little smoothing in with a finger. The primary ingredient is angelica archangelica root extract, a herb used since the middle ages in France to hydrate and tone.
A dose of sweet almond seed extract has moisture binding properties to add further hydration and smooth fine lines. An excellent light formulation that would best suit younger skins and is also recommended to calm sore eyes suffering from hayfever.
 Lifting and Firming Eye Serum, £44, by Darphin, www.darphin.co.uk
This is an intensive eye treatment for damaged and older skin that needs help defying gravity. It contains a herbal concoction, too scientific to write down, that claims to boost circulation, improve collagen stimulation, increase firmness and improve elasticity.
Immediately after application the skin feels velvety, looks powdered and after only a week of applying this gel like serum in the instructed figure of eight motion, the skin around the eye area felt more hydrated and fine laughter lines were finer.
Darphin recommend you use this floral smelling serum before applying eye cream, however I found it sufficient when used alone. In addition it is gentle enough for contact lens wearers.
 Premier Cru The Eye Cream, £49 by Caudalie, www.caudalie.com/uk
From the gold and silver shiny packaging to the richness of the formulation, this cream oozes luxury. It is thick and creamy and half a squirt was more than enough to moisturise my tired eyes. It contains Caudalie’s renowed blend of anti-oxidant rich grape extracts to help combat ageing, creating softer and firmer skin.
It also contains avocado butter that helps to improve collagen production in ageing skin and grape seed oil that is incredibly moisturising and helps to smooth and lift. Dark circles around the eyes are lessened due to light reflecting particles in the cream and were so effective that it eliminated the need to apply under-eye concealor to disguise my lack of sleep. Not only is this a great eye cream, but it can be used around the lip area to smooth and help soften lines.
 Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Eye Mask, £35.80 by Bliss, www.blissworld.co.uk
This once a week treatment for the delicate eye area claims to brighten, tighten and lift. And it doesn’t disappoint. The pack contains 4 separate wraps (a months supply) that resemble something from a medicine cabinet. You have to squeeze the liquid onto the eye pads until it ‘pops’ before removing them from the pack.
It may seem a little gimmicky to be mixing the formula yourself, but the ingredients are kept airtight until the last moment so they remain potent. The slimy pads are then applied to the under eye area for 15 minutes. I found them a little large, but reasoned my cheeks would surely benefit from some lifting and brightening too. A slightly uncomfortable tingling sensation was immediate, but it felt encouraging to know the eye pads were working their magic. And oh what magic they worked!
The results were instant. Tighter skin, tick. Plumped out fine lines, tick. Dark circles a few shades lighter, tick. I looked like I’d had an hour with a facialist and a month of sleep. |
