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Welcome to Skincarma.

These are the musings of Carmine Montalto, NYC-based writer, skincare junkie and brand guru. The former copywriter at Kiehl’s, Carmine has more than 25 years of experience in beauty. Through the Skincarma Blog, he puts all of his product wisdom to work demystifying the ever-evolving world of skin care. 

You can change your skin’s destiny.™

PRODUCT REVIEW: YOUTH TO THE PEOPLE DREAM EYE CREAM WITH GOJI STEM CELL AND CERAMIDES - BEST ANTI-AGING EYE CREAM, BEST EYE CREAM FOR OILY SKIN

PRODUCT REVIEW: YOUTH TO THE PEOPLE DREAM EYE CREAM WITH GOJI STEM CELL AND CERAMIDES - BEST ANTI-AGING EYE CREAM, BEST EYE CREAM FOR OILY SKIN

YOUTH TO THE PEOPLE | DREAM EYE CREAM WITH GOJI STEM CELL AND CERAMIDES

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This review was originally part of my blog article titled, New Eye Creams I Love from Youth To The People, Algenist, Revive and More. You can catch the full piece here.

One of my favorite skincare products is a really well-formulated eye cream. Which is quite funny coming from me considering I’m not convinced of a real need for an eye cream — well-formulated or otherwise.

Why?

Because if you’re using a well-made face cream that infuses skin with protective antioxidants, nourishing plant oils, plumping peptides and hydrating humectants, you should be able to use that around your eyes, too. Certainly the best anti-aging moisturizers should be able to restore and replenish the skin around the eyes.

PRODUCT REVIEW: SUPERGOOP! BRIGHT-EYED 100% MINERAL EYE CREAM SPF 40

That’s not to say that the eye area doesn’t have its own, very specific needs that vary from the skin on the rest of your face. Dark circles, for instance. And puffiness, like I deal with every morning, is also unique to the eye area.

And of course sunscreen! I know lots of people are afraid to use sunscreen in the eye area because it can run into the eyes and have a terrible burning sensation. But just because it’s hard to find a well-formulated sunscreen for the eye area doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be using sunscreen in your eye area!

Need a recommendation? One of my favorites is the Supergoop! Bright-Eyed 100% Mineral Eye Cream SPF 40. It’s one of the best anti-aging suncsreens for the eye area and I’ve never gotten it in my eyes. I reviewed it on the blog here.

PRODUCT REVIEW: FIRST AID BEAUTY EYE DUTY NIACINAMIDE BRIGHTENING EYE CREAM – BEST EYE CREAM FOR DARK CIRCLES

So, I love eye creams but don’t always use a dedicated eye cream. That said, over the past several weeks, I’ve discovered four eye creams that I’m kinda into and have really enjoyed using.

Algenist’s Triple Algae Eye Renewal Balm with Multi-Peptide Complex relies on the brand’s patented algae-derived technology to nourish the eye area and boost its anti-aging efficacy.

Uber premium Révive offers a spectacularly silky eye cream with a subtle peachy hue that instantly brightens the eye area to minimize the look of dark circles. Intensité Complete Anti-Aging Eye Serum is such a pleasure to use!

One of my favorite clean, natural brands, Youth To The People just introduced their lightweight, deeply hydrating Dream Eye Cream. I think I love the name just as much as I love the formula!

And the Josie Maran Argan Pro-Retinol Eye Cream combines Josie’s signature Argan Oil with a marine derived Retinol-like active to gently restore the delicate skin around the eyes.

Let’s take a look at each of my latest eye cream infatuations…


Youth To The People | Dream Eye Cream with Goji Stem Cell and Ceramides

I. Love. Youth. To. The. People.

The brand has such a great, laid back vibe that’s reminiscent of my days in Los Angeles. And, come to think of it, Youth To The People is from Los Angeles. I’ve reviewed many, many of the cleanly formulated brand’s products — including the Youth to the People Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream and the Superfood Air-Whip Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid — one of the best face creams for oily skin.


“We believe in youth. The optimism in it and the courage to act to protect our future. We believe in being Good To The People. Our Giving arm is a foundry for people who care about people and the planet. Giving initiatives support non-profits and activists working to amplify diverse voices and increase inclusivity, build a more just world, and save the planet. Giving takes action. As the charitable arm of YTTP, Giving invests in shaping a better future for everyone.”

— Joe and Greg, co-founders


But perhaps my favorite of the brand’s products is the Youth to the People Superclay Purify + Clear Power Mask! It’s one of the best clay masks for oily skin — and makes for a truly revitalizing #selfcaresunday. Be sure to catch my review of it here.

So I was naturally beside myself to try out the brand’s newest genius formulation, the Youth To The People Dream Eye Cream. The name alone has me enthralled. It is indeed a bit dreamy, I gotta say.

PRODUCT REVIEW: YOUTH TO THE PEOPLE SUPERCLAY PURIFY + CLEAR POWER MASK – BEST CLAY MASK FOR OILY SKIN

The Dream Eye Cream is loaded with good-for-skin ingredients and would make a perfectly legitimate anti-aging face cream.

It’s not an overly complicated formulation; but it’s got what skin around the eyes needs — humectants, antioxidant botanical extracts and even brightening Vitamin C in the form of Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, or THD. It’s not a very high level, maybe a 3% concentration.

It’s funny to me that Youth To The People markets the Dream Eye Cream as “an overnight eye cream formulated to visibly smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, firm the look of skin, and actively hydrate while you sleep.”

Why it’s most beneficial at night is beyond me. I like it at any time of the day — not just when I’m getting shut-eye!

What’s most unique about the formula is the inclusion of Goji Stem Cells, which the brand claims “support skin renewal to visibly smooth fine lines and wrinkles.” Stem cells are kind of a weird thing in skin care. They don’t work in an eye cream like they do in the body.



What Are Stem Cells and What Do Stem Cells Do for the Skin?

For the answer to that vexing questing, as I most often do, I turned to the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team for insights. There’s a superb piece on the Paula’s Choice site titled, Stems Cells For Anti-Aging. Here is an excerpt:

Stem cell technology is a fascinating and complex area of medical research. Not surprisingly, the potential health breakthroughs of stem cells have been adopted by the cosmetics industry and used to promote stem cell creams and stem cell serums for anti-aging. How can they make such claims? Cosmetics that contain plant stem cells don’t have the burden of proof requirements that medical research has before a product can be released to the public.

Medical research about stem cells involves stem cells that come from people, whereas it’s plant-derived stem cells that are used in skincare products. As it turns out, the most impressive-sounding claims about plant stem cells for skin are rooted more in fantasy than in reality—but they’re not useless ingredients, either.

What Do Stem Cells Do?

Stem cells are specialized cells, in animals and plants, that are capable of becoming any other type of cell in that type of organism and then reproducing more of those cells in a controlled manner. As you can imagine, these cells play a pivotal role in how plants and skin visibly repair and rejuvenate themselves once they’ve been damaged.

The thinking, as far as plant stem cells in cosmetics products, is that extracting stem cells from certain plants (usually apples, grapes, melons, or lilacs) can help skin look younger and better defend itself against environmental aggressors. If you’re thinking that sounds a lot like what antioxidants do, you’re right! Although plant stem cells cannot work as stem cells on skin, they do maintain their antioxidant ability. That’s why using products with plant stem cells isn’t a total waste of time and money.


The Youth To The People Dream Eye Cream has a super light, creamy texture. It’s not quite a gel-cream, but it’s light enough that lovers of gel-cream textures will love this too. It’s too dreamy not to!

SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Youth To The People Dream Eye Cream with Goji Stem Cell and Ceramides for $48 here.


WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW

A LITTLE PORE MAINTENANCE ON SELFCARE SUNDAY WITH YTTP!

ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE




The Ingredient List of the Algenist Triple Algae Eye Renewal Balm with Multi-Peptide Complex:

Aqua (Water/Eau) solv, Stearic Acid emo|vc 0 2-3, Isopropyl Isostearate emo 0 4-5, Dimethicone emo 0 1, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Pentylene Glycol solv|h, Glyceryl Stearate SE emu 2 3, Cetearyl Alcohol emo|vc|emu|surf 1 2, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter emo|vc, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate emo|amic, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil emo, Parachlorella Beijerinckii Exopolysaccharides, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Dipeptide-2 cci, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 cci, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 cci, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 cci, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Caffeine aox|perf, Coffea Arabica (Coffee) Seed Oil, Tribehenin emo, Ceramide NG sii, PEG-10 Phytosterol emu, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate aox|sb, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice so|h, Tocopheryl Acetate aox 0 0, Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract h, Pisum Sativum (Pea) Extract, Glucosamine Hcl, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate amic|pres, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract aox|so, Cucumis Sativus(Cucumber) Fruit Extract so|emo, Dimethicone Crosspolymer vc, Panthenol so|h 0 0, Pantolactone h, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside surf, Pfaffia Paniculata Root Extract so, Ptychopetalum Olacoides Bark/Stem Extract, Lilium Candidum Flower Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder so|h, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer vc, Phospholipids sii|emo, Ceteareth-20 emu|surf 3 2, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer vc, Disodium EDTA chel|vc, Aminomethyl Propanol buff, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Lactic Acid exf|h|buff, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Hexylene Glycol solv|emu|perf|surf 0-1 0-2, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone aox, Steareth-20 emu|surf 1 2, Citric Acid buff, Sodium Citrate chel|buff, Chlorhexidine Digluconate amic|pres, Phenoxyethanol pres, Potassium Sorbate pres, Benzyl Alcohol pres|perf|solv|vc, Sodium Benzoate pres
Hover the mouse over an ingredient for short explanation. Read more on INCIDecoder.

The Ingredient List of the Révive Intensité Complete Anti-Aging Eye Serum:

Aqua/Water/Eau solv, Butylene Glycol h|solv|vc 0 1, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Dimethicone emo 0 1, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Isododecane emo|solv|perf, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane emo|h|surf, Mica col, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate emu|surf, Pentylene Glycol solv|h, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891) col 0 0, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride emo, PEG-40 Stearate emu|surf, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate aox|sb, Oligopeptide-41, S-Mu-Conotoxin Cniiic, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 cci, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 cci, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 cci|h, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 cci, Artemisia Abrotanum Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate aox 0 0, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer sii|aox|h, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil emo|perf 0 3, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract emo, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract aox|so|sb|perf, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate emo, Ethylhexyl Stearate emo, Allantoin so 0 0, Hydrolyzed Algin, Methylglucoside Phosphate cci, Hydrogenated Lecithin emo|emu, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate cci, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Chrysin, Biotin, Hydroxyacetophenone aox, Boron Nitride, Polysilicone-11, Panthenol so|h 0 0, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer vc, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer h|vc, Disodium EDTA chel|vc, Xanthan Gum vc, Hydroxyethylcellulose vc, Sodium Isostearate surf|emu, Steareth-20 emu|surf 1 2, Decyl Glucoside surf, Sodium Oleate surf|emu|vc, Hexylene Glycol solv|emu|perf|surf 0-1 0-2, BHT aox|pres, Potassium Hydroxide buff, Sodium Citrate chel|buff, Citric Acid buff, Phenoxyethanol pres, Chlorhexidine Digluconate amic|pres, Potassium Sorbate pres, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo
Hover the mouse over an ingredient for short explanation. Read more on INCIDecoder.

The Ingredient List of the Youth To The People Dream Eye Cream:


The Ingredient List of the Josie Maran Argan Pro-Retinol Eye Cream:

Water/Aqua/Eau*, Butylene Glycol*, Glyceryl Stearate*, Octyldodecanol*, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables*, Cetyl Alcohol*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Silica*, Tribehenin*, Beeswax/Cera Alba/Cire d’abeille*, Benzyl Alcohol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, C9-12 Alkane*, Octyldodecyl PCA*, Dunaliella Salina (Pink Algae) Extract*, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beta-Carotene*, Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Extract, Coffea Arabica (Coffee) Seed Extract*, Caffeine*, Terminalia Arjuna Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil*, Biosaccharide Gum-1*, Sodium Hyaluronate*, Quercetin*, Physalis Alkekengi Calyx Extract*, Squalene*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax*, Fructose*, Cetearyl Alcohol*, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate*, Oleic Acid*, Sorbitan Caprylate*, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin*, Xanthan Gum*, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate*, Sucrose Palmitate*, Sodium Phytate*, Dehydroacetic Acid, Maltodextrin*, Lecithin*, Glyceryl Linoleate*, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride*, Citric Acid*, Tin Oxide, Tocopherol*, Ascorbyl Palmitate*, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891)*, Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77499)*.
*Naturally derived.

The Ingredient List of the Supergoop! Bright-Eyed 100% Mineral Eye Cream SPF 40:

PRODUCT REVIEW: ALGENIST ALGAE NIACINAMIDE MOISTURE VEIL - BEST NIACINAMIDE SERUM FOR OILY SKIN

PRODUCT REVIEW: ALGENIST ALGAE NIACINAMIDE MOISTURE VEIL - BEST NIACINAMIDE SERUM FOR OILY SKIN

PRODUCT REVIEW: RÉVIVE INTENSITÉ COMPLETE ANTI-AGING EYE SERUM - BEST ANTI-AGING EYE CREAM, BEST EYE CREAM FOR DARK CIRCLES

PRODUCT REVIEW: RÉVIVE INTENSITÉ COMPLETE ANTI-AGING EYE SERUM - BEST ANTI-AGING EYE CREAM, BEST EYE CREAM FOR DARK CIRCLES