I Truly Didn’t Believe in Dark Circle Eye Creams, Until I Tried This Product
Emily Algar is a freelance writer, content consultant and creator, beauty journalist and great skin-haver.
Hands up if you've ever felt personally victimised by eye products? *raises hand*
I have, and for a bunch of different reasons.
Some are too rich and give me milia (those little hard, white bumps of keratin that pop up around the eye and should be extracted by a professional).
Others are irritating and cause puffiness. And a lot of the time, the results are so meh, I lose the motivation to keep going.
As a sceptical beauty writer, I’ve also firmly believed many under-eye issues (namely dark circles) are genetic or so heavily rooted in lifestyle that skin care alone isn’t enough to effect change.
But now, I can see this was simply the mindset of someone who hadn’t found the one.
Yes, I’ve tried lovely hydrating eye creams that soften the appearance of lines and prevent concealer creasing. But actual, noticeable, obviously brighter under eyes? Nope… until I started using Cosmedix Opti Crystal Eye Serum.
The Cosmedix eye cream - well, more accurately, eye serum - has a great reputation (as does the cosmeceutical Cosmedix brand overall), but I'd go so far as to say this product is wildly underrated.
I truly believe it’s changed the way the skin around my eyes looks, and my only gripe is that I didn’t start using it sooner.
Rave reviews aside, let's break down the how/what/why of this epic dark circle under-eye product.
But First, Do I Need An Eye Cream?
Read any story on Beauty IQ about eye cream products and you'll get the same answer: No, but if you want to treat specific concerns with the delicate skin around your eye, it’s a great place to start.
Can’t I just use my regular skin care, you ask?
Yes, some people can, but the skin around our eyes is thinner and more sensitive than the rest of our face, so it requires extra care and specialised ingredients to treat specific concerns like fine lines, dark circles, puffiness and dehydration.
Texture and consistency are also important - thick and heavy creams can be too much for thin under-eye skin and may lead to the aforementioned (and annoying) milia.
You can hear more about how to avoid and get rid of milia in this episode of the Beauty IQ Uncensored podcast below.
Do Eye Creams for Dark Circles Actually Work?
As I glossed over previously, dark circles are often genetic, which makes it difficult to address their appearance.
The look of dark circles can also be emphasised because the under-eye skin is thinner, so blood vessels seem more obvious. Lifestyle factors like smoking, dehydration, allergies, inflammation, lack of sleep and sun damage can all impact how they look, too.
For a dark circle eye cream to 'work', it needs to contain active ingredients (this means they ‘actively’ target a specific concern). For example, caffeine can constrict blood flow to reduce the appearance of puffiness, and antioxidants and vitamin A can help to brighten the look of dark circles.
Hydrating ingredients hyaluronic acid and ceramides are also useful for the eye area, but if you're not trying to target the appearance of dark circles, you can find those in skincare products you already own like serums and thin moisturisers.
My Cosmedix Opti Crystal- Liquid Crystal Eye Serum Review.
Now we're all on the same page about what eye skincare products can (and can't) do, here's what you need to know about the very good product that changed my mind about dark circle eye creams.
What is the Cosmedix Eye Cream?
Cosmedix Opti Crystal- Liquid Crystal Eye Serum is a cosmeceutical eye skincare product, and Adore customers rate it an impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars.
The product is not an eye cream, but a serum. This is part of why I believe it’s so effective. The eye serum is really thin, so it penetrates well, sinks into the skin and doesn’t leave me with those tiny milia white bumps.
Cosmedix Opti Crystal- Liquid Crystal Eye Serum promises to brighten, firm and lift the eye area. Funnily enough, it’s not touted as a dedicated product for dark circles, but for me, the “awakening effect” was significant.
Cosmedix Eye Serum Ingredients.
The hero ingredients here are:
- Copper peptides to prevent skin sagging because droopy, thin skin can enhance the blue-ish look of dark circles.
- Alpha-lipoic acid, an antioxidant that will protect collagen and elastin stores.
- Coconut extract to act as a moisturising ingredient.
- Neem, turmeric, jojoba and moringa to soothe, firm and hydrate.
Cosmedix Eye Serum Results.
I can’t talk about the Cosmedix Opti Crystal- Liquid Crystal Eye Serum without talking about its texture.
You know the way oil looks on the pavement after rain – all metallic and iridescent? That’s what this looks like. And it’s quite sticky, like a really thick serum.
For this reason, I like to apply the product at night, but it’s also magic in the morning if you happen to own silicone under-eye masks. I use them in the morning after I've applied the eye serum to really cool down my eyes, reduce puffiness and help the product absorb.
As for visible results, I’ve been using it consistently for five weeks and WOW. It's probably the most effective eye product I’ve ever used.
I definitely think my under-eye circles are due to lack of sleep, allergies and dehydration. Aside from semi-addressing those lifestyle factors, the skin around my eyes definitely looks more hydrated and softer.
Plus, my dark circles are noticeably brighter. This product just leaves the eyes looking so dewy and fresh, like I’ve slept well and have zero water retention aka the beauty dream.
*This before and after comparison shows the immediate effects of the eye serum, and these images were taken around two weeks after I started using the product daily.
But Is It Worth the Money?
I guess I’ve made myself pretty clear in terms of how much I love the Cosmedix Opti Crystal Liquid Crystal Eye Serum, but I thought I’d touch on the price because quite frankly, it’s not cheap.
$160 is STEEP for an eye product, even by beauty editor standards, so I’m cautious when it comes to flippantly recommending it.
This product isn't a must-have (none are, with the exception of sunscreen). But if you've tried a lot of eye products that haven't worked, have the means to invest in skin care, and dark circles and signs of ageing around the eyes bother you, go for it.
I can absolutely vouch for the fact you need the tiniest amount once daily, so one small tube with last for ages.
Plus, my read on it is: it actually works. And you can’t get much better value than that.
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