NEW EYE CREAMS I LOVE FROM YOUTH TO THE PEOPLE, ALGENIST, REVIVE AND MORE - BEST BRIGHTENING EYE CREAM, BEST ANTI-AGING EYE CREAM
Yay! I got away this weekend! Like for real got away.
On a plane.
It was my first time flying in over seven months. And it felt great! Back in the day, pre-Covid, I would take maybe a dozen or more flights a year to intriguing places in all corners of the world — Tokyo, Cape Town, London, Rio, and often Palm Springs in the California desert.
I miss those days traveling to cool cities just to get away for a few days and recharge. This weekend, I traveled somewhere warm: Sarasota, Florida.
It was both super warm and super chill! A few months before the pandemic, good friends had bought a place down there on Florida’s Gulf Coast. They escaped New York City last March at the height of the pandemic here and I haven’t seen them since. It was great to be reunited and felt like I had recaptured, taken back, a bit more of the pre-Covid normalcy I miss.
That quick breath of fresh air will go a long way toward restoring my mental health. And I’m already thinking about where to go next. (Psst…flights to Palm Springs are looking damn good right now!)
I hope you’re finding ways to recapture some of your “old life,” too, as you recreate a new, better you…
The skincare stuff starts 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.
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.
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…
Algenist | Triple Algae Eye Renewal Balm with Multi-Peptide Complex
If you’re looking for a superbly nourishing anti-aging eye cream then Algenist’s Triple Algae Eye Renewal Balm with Multi-Peptide Complex may be just what you need. Algae is one of the most nourishing, replenishing and hydrating actives in skincare — and the Triple Algae Eye Renewal Balm has, well, three of types of algae.
Algenist says their Triple Algae blend is composed of red, brown and green algae. Among them is the brand’s patented powerhouse algae derivative, Parachlorella Beijerinckii Exopolysaccharides, known as Alguronic Acid.
What is Alguronic Acid, exactly? According to the brand:
“An extensive study of over 10,000 microalgae species and 10 years of R&D led to the stunning discovery of Alguronic Acid – an exopolysaccharide compound, produced by a unique microalgae species with the extraordinary ability to live and thrive in the world’s harshest and most unique environments, all while protecting and regenerating its cells.
This powerful ability of algae and our belief in its incredible potential led to further testing and the discovery of Alguronic Acid’s ability to provide incredible anti-aging skincare properties.”
Pretty intriguing, for sure. What’s most extraordinary to me about algae, no matter the color, is its remarkably versatile range of benefits for the skin.
While Hyaluronic Acid is often touted as the best humectant for skin, multiple forms of algae are also quite hydrating.
In addition to the brand’s signature algae extract, there’s also Corallina Officinalis Extract, a form of red algae and Dunaliella Salina Extract — a green micro-algae rich in a beta carotenoid, a pro-vitamin A and a precursor to vitamin A, or Retinol.
All three forms of algae in Triple Algae Eye Renewal Balm are also effective antioxidants. I told you algae was a remarkable active!
In addition to Algenist’s nourishing Triple Algae complex, there are multiple plumping peptides in the formula. And a double dose of my favorite puffiness eradicator, caffeine, in the form of caffeine itself and Coffee Seed Oil.
There’s so much going on in the Algenist Triple Algae Eye Renewal Balm with Multi-Peptide Complex that I can’t help but be a bit overwhelmed. Like with joy. The INCI is quite deep and includes multiple antioxidant botanicals to help protect the eye area from environmental damage. There’s even Vitamin C and Vitamin E too.
It’s rich, nourishing, hydrating and protective. Triple Algae Eye Renewal Balm is like Christmas for the eye area. If you’re a fan of thicker replenishing eye creams, this one’s for you!
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Algenist Triple Algae Eye Renewal Balm with Multi-Peptide Complex for $68 here.
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Révive Intensité | Complete Anti-Aging Eye Serum
If you haven’t tried anything from Révive (or haven’t heard of it!), this is my first foray into the brand’s extensive range of high-science, luxury skincare. You likely know I’m not a fan of expensive skin care, but I am a fan of well-formulated skin care no matter the price.
The Révive Intensité Complete Anti-Aging Eye Serum is quite a nice formulation. With a silky serum texture, it’s the lightest of my new collection of eye cream discoveries. Like the other selections, it’s loaded with anti-aging actives — from peptides to antioxidant botanicals, vitamins and plant oils.
But what makes Révive’s Intensité Complete Anti-Aging Eye Serum unique is its ability to function really well as an under-eye concealer to camouflage the look of dark circles.
Designed by a plastic surgeon, Intensité Complete Anti-Aging Eye Serum feels like something you’d get a the dermatologist’s office. And pay good money for. I’m in love with the texture and its power-brightening effect most.
There’s a relatively high level of both mica and Titanium Dioxide that combine to deliver the eye serum’s benefit as an effective under-eye concealer — a combination that I haven’t come across much, if at all. While it’s not been tested for sunscreen protection, the Titanium Dioxide its probably at a 5% concentration and would reasonably deliver maybe an SPF of 10. Not enough, certainly, to function as your eye sunscreen, but I’ll take UV protection where I can get it.
While Révive’s Intensité Complete Anti-Aging Eye Serum is not a clean formulation, it goes a long way to protecting and perfecting the eye area. At ingredient number three is Saccharomyces {kombucha) Black Tea Ferment, a superbly nourishing active with potent antioxidant activity.
The brand also touts the inclusion of something called cone snail venom. What? For the life of me, I can’t find it in the INCI. I guess I’ll let the slimy creature get away.
But what I do see is a whole slew of peptides! Among them are five that I recognize — Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Oligopeptide-41, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5. And one that I don’t — and that is so bizarre it seems like alien technology: S-Mu-Conotoxin Cniiic.
Yeah, I looked it up! According to INCI Decoder, “Mu-Conotoxin Cniiic is a 22 amino acid peptide molecule that belongs to the ‘Botox-in-a-jar’ type of topical muscle relaxers.” Wow.
What Are Peptides in Skincare?
Of course, there’s a superbly insightful article on the Paula’s Choice website from the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team. Titled What Are Peptides and What Do They Do for Your Skin?, the article goes deep into everything from what peptides are to how they benefit the skin — and what makes them among the best age-fighters in skin care.
Peptides are one of the most talked-about ingredients in the field of anti-ageing skincare. When applied to your skin, they demonstrate remarkable benefits, revitalising your skin and making it more resilient and stronger. But peptides do not possess magical properties, as some brands claim. The fact is that there is no single ingredient that will address all the signs of skin ageing - and peptides are no exception. Peptides are a great asset to your skin, but it’s best to be realistic in your expectations to avoid disappointment. Peptides have amazing benefits for skin but the results will never be the same as a cosmetic procedure.
What are Peptides?
Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as building blocks of proteins such as collagen, elastin and keratin. These proteins are the foundations of your skin and are responsible for its texture, strength and resilience. Without peptides, our skin is less intact which can lead to a loss of firmness, the appearance of wrinkles, a change in texture and less ‘bounce’.
When applied topically to the skin, peptides act as little messengers, triggering skin cells to perform specific functions such as building collagen and elastin, encouraging skin to look and act younger.
Extensive scientific research has proven that peptides can support your skin on multiple levels, for example firming, soothing and hydrating the skin.
So, yeah, Révive’s Intensité Complete Anti-Aging Eye Serum is an exceptional eye cream and, as I said, the type of treatment you’d pay good money for at the dermatologist’s office.
Aside from its peptide cocktail, nourishing fermented tea and other antioxidant botanical extracts, there’s about a 5% concentration of brightening Vitamin C in the form of Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate. Further down the INCI is Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, one of the best brightening ingredients in skincare; I just wish there were more of it.
Again, the Révive Intensité Complete Anti-Aging Eye Serum is not a perfect formulation, but it’s solid enough.
That texture though…
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Révive Intensité Complete Anti-Aging Eye Serum for $285 here.
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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.
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.
Josie Maran | Argan Pro-Retinol Eye Cream
A few weeks ago, in my kick-off to my SS21 series on lightweight face creams, I recommended one of my favorite eye cream discoveries of 2020.
The SELF/ish Eye Cream is a near-perfect eye cream for just about anyone. It’s super affordable at just $22 and powered by a pro-skin health blend of antioxidant botanicals and vitamins — as well as plumping peptides. It’s got a super lightweight texture that melts right into the skin. I can’t get enough of the stuff! (Psst…If you missed it, I’ve reviewed it on the blog here.) It’s among the best anti-aging eye creams for the price.
Anti-aging is such a loose term. To me, that means sunscreen and antioxidant vitamins. Like Vitamin C and Vitamin A, or Retinol. And the Josie Maran Argan Pro-Retinol Eye Cream is powered by what the brand terms “pro-Retinol,” which is essentially a Retinol-like derivative of algae: Pink Algae Extract.
Whether the Argan Pro-Retinol Eye Cream performs on par with the gold-standard anti-aging active I have no way to tell. But, Retinol in the eye area is always a tricky proposition.
The thinner skin around the eyes is quite sensitive and I’d venture to guess that most people (even those who tolerate Retinol well!) don’t do well with it in the immediate eye area.
That’s not to negate the formula’s overall efficacy. Argan Pro-Retinol Eye Cream is a really nice eye cream.
As all of the Josie Maran products I’ve experienced, it’s super nourishing, though somewhat richer than that SELF/ish Eye Cream or Algenist Triple Algae Eye Renewal Balm with Multi-Peptide Complex.
What Is Retinol and How Does Retinol Work on Skin?
Considered among the best actives used in skin care, here’s what the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team have to say:
“Retinol is a powerhouse ingredient that has value for skin on several fronts: It’s a skin-restoring, wrinkle-smoothing, firming ingredient and an antioxidant, allowing it to improve a variety of skin concerns, most related to visible signs of aging.
“Many consumers are concerned about the percentage of retinol in anti-aging products such as serums or moisturizers. Although the percentage can make a difference (especially if it’s too low), it’s not helpful in understanding how a retinol product will benefit your skin. Far more important is the delivery system, packaging, and the other ingredients present with the retinol.
Using a product with a range of anti-aging ingredients plus retinol is far more valuable for skin than using a product with only a supposedly high percentage of retinol. Skin needs far more than any one ingredient can provide, however great that one ingredient may be. See our article on this topic for detailed information.
There are several myths about using retinol with other anti-aging ingredients or products, such as those with vitamin C or exfoliants like glycolic acid. See our article on this topic to learn what the research has shown to be true.”
Josie’s Argan Pro-Retinol Eye Cream has a lovely, velvety texture in the pot that seems like it’s going to be really rich when applied to the skin. But it seems to melt instantly on skin and doesn’t feel very heavy at all.
It’s not 100% natural, but it’s certainly up there. Argan Pro-Retinol Eye Cream contains a slew of natural botanical extracts and oils including, of course, Josie’s signature Argan Oil that helps to alleviate dryness in the eye area.
Like the Algenist Triple Algae Eye Renewal Balm, there’s also the combination of Coffee Seed Extract and Caffeine to help deflate under-eye puffiness — something that I always appreciate as an Italian-American who struggles with dark circles and puffiness every morning of my life.
For those vexing dark circles, there’s a healthy dose of silica that brightens darkness under the eyes and magically erases them on contact. Psst…for more intense dark circles, the Révive Intensité Complete Anti-Aging Eye Serum is a more effective solution.
In addition to the Argan Oil, there’s a notable level of Olive Oil and Shea Butter, both in higher concentrations than the Argan Oil itself.
There’s a healthy amount of Beta-Carotene as well. It’s a rich source of carotenoids and a precursor of Vitamin A that the body converts to Retinol in the skin.
If you’re on the drier side, normal to dry, or combination, the Josie Maran Argan Pro-Retinol Eye Cream is a great option for the eye area.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Josie Maran Argan Pro-Retinol Eye Cream for $42 here.
That’s it, guys! I hope this helps you find the perfect eye cream for spring and the warmer months ahead.
Have a great week!
💟 Carmine @skincarma
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The Ingredient List of the Algenist Triple Algae Eye Renewal Balm with Multi-Peptide Complex:
The Ingredient List of the Révive Intensité Complete Anti-Aging Eye Serum:
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.