Eye Creams That Work: Shiseido, MenScience, DHC and Cures

While none of these eye creams can replace sleep, good genes or a plastic surgeon, they feel good and do a decent job calming, de-puffing and moisturizing the eye area and making one look just a little more alive.

MenScience Eye Rescue Formula
The husband picked it for himself a couple of months ago and I've been sneaking some on a semi-regular basis (in the name of research, of course). He finds it a bit heavy and prefers to use it at night, I like it for morning just as well. Rich in hyaluronic acid, vitamins and antioxidants, this MenScience cream does a good job reviving the under eye area. It absorbs fast enough that I can follow up with my eye makeup.
$37 for 0.75 oz on menscience.com, many department stores and New London Pharmacy in NYC

Shiseido The Skincare Eye Revitalizer
I went through two tubes of this eye cream a year or two before starting this blog. I used it faithfully until the winter of the following year, when I felt the need for a richer cream. I got a small tube of it recently as a GWP and started using it again. I definitely remember why I loved it so much, as it's quite effective on tired eyes.
$40 for 0.53 oz at Sephora and most department stores.

DHC Q10 Eye Cream
Full of good stuff from olive oil and aloe leaf juice to retinyl palmitate, this was an unexpected surprise. I've accumulated enough samples to give this DHC product a good try. I'm not too crazy about most of this line (probably has something to do with an over-drying mask), but the Q10 eye cream feels rich and pleasant, and made the skin look smoother.
$24.00 for 0.88 oz on dhccare.com

Cures Age Defyer Eye
I wasn't familiar with the brand, Cures by Avance, so had no expectations when I received the Age Defyer as part of the most recent BeautyFix box. I can't say it performs the miracles promised, but then again, I'm not quite wrinkly just yet. What I can say is the skin feels fresh and smooth and the cream is calming and nourishing, which is what I expect from a good eye product.
$50 0.5 oz on curesbyavance.com

Image: kitschy-kitschy-coo.com

Underachievers And Underperformers

There are so many great products on the market and it's hard enough to keep up with them. I usually manage to avoid the really awful ones, but what about the ones that aren't horrible, just don't perform as you would hope?

Here are a bunch I've encountered in recent months. Please comment if they happen to work better for you.

Boots Time to Cleanse- Time Dimensions deep cleansing wipes
I always have makeup removal wipes on hand, even though it's not the most effective method. You know those nights when one step cleansing is all one can manage? That's when cleansing cloths are a life-saver. I usually use the regular ones in the greenish packaging, but my Target isn't known for being well-stocked at all times, so I picked these instead. They clean, sort of, if you insist and rub your face enough. Not exactly what I want to be doing. Following with a toner solves the problem, but that defies the purpose.

Guerlain Success Future Day Care SPF 15 Wrinkle Minimizer
I've gone through several sample tubes before giving up. It's a daytime moisturizer with SPF 15, but it's just doesn't deliver on the moisturizing front. I tested it under various conditions and the result is always the same: needs supplement. While at $140 for 1 oz it's about half the price of the heavy guns, it's still way too much for a non moisturizing day cream (and the pure amber extract? I don't buy it).

Skyn Icelandic Relief Eye Cream with Biospheric Complex
(Have you noticed how all these products are a mouthful?)
An eco-friendly eye cream full of good intentions but does diddly squat on those mornings one needs extra help to perk up. I've been spoiled rotten by Lancome Secret de Vie Eye, so it's hard to compromise. Works great as a lip balm, though.

Arcona White Tea Eye Makeup Remover
I usually love Arcona products. They tend to smell great and feel wonderful on skin. The high concentration of plant extracts doesn't hurt, either. But when it comes to removing eye makeup this product is a dud. It takes a lot of product and too much rubbing to remove my mascara and eye liner, and even then it's never 100% clean. Completely unacceptable.

Image: synergizedsolutions.com. Some rights reserved.

My skin care regimen was simplified big time soon after I discovered Lancome's Secret de Vie. I eliminated steps and most products from my routine and haven't looked back since. For several months I didn't even use an eye cream. I just used SdV instead, and it worked well. The cream is nourishing, calming and protecting, everything that I could ask for, and it's a well-known secret that other than in very specific cases you don't really need seperate moisturizers for face and eyes.

However, given the chance to try the new(ish) Secret de Vie Eye, I was just as happy to re-add a product to my skin pampering ritual. One of the thing I like and respect about the marketing and promises that come with this is that no one is talking about erasing lines, lifting skin or any of the usual hype that goes with top-of-the line skin care. The cream is supposed to boost skin's renewal activity and improve its texture. And, just like the face cream, it delivers.

There are no miracles here and I wasn't transformed back to my 20s (thank you, universe). My under eye area was in decent shape even before (as good as it can be, given my age and the fact that I've always had dark circles), thanks to using the regular SdV. The added improvement seemed to be marginal at first, but over time I suddenly realized that I'm using a lot less concealer, if any at all. Something there is definitely working.

I tested the eye cream on my face a couple of times, trying to see how different they are. It felt more sticky and not as quick to absorb as the regular cream. Since they are not the same, I assume that the eye formula has been tweaked for the more delicate skin.

Now, the question is, at $135, is it a necessary product?
It's not easy to answer. If you're in the market for a really good eye product and can afford to buy this one without having to go on a ramen noodle diet for the next month, then by all means, go ahead.
If you're already using the regular SdV and don't have any eye area special needs, you can probably be just as happy using the face cream all over without adding this one.
On the other hand, if you recoiled at the idea of buying the original SdV but your under eye could use all the help it can get, then the eye cream might be the answer.

One last word of caution: Both SdV products are scented, so if you're plagued with allergies to perfumed skin care, this isn't the one for you.

Eye of the Beholder

If writing about perfume is hard because it's so subjective, skincare reviews are even harder. First, because testing new products and incorporating them into my regular regimen takes thought and planning, but also because the skin is such a temperamental organ that the way some cream act on it varies greatly between people. Sort of like skin chemistry and scent, but with the added risk of getting an ugly rash.

A good example is my beloved Secret de Vie. I can't say enough good things about this cream. However, a person who is allergic to scented products might find himself/herself with an itchy face. Just as not everything that works on someone else- a blogger or a reader- guarantees that my face won't end up breaking out.

Which is why I'm happy to have the Blond as my co-tester (the cats' fuzzy faces are pretty useless for such things).

I don't have any serious or even semi-serious wrinkles other than two lines on my forehead that are a result of inheriting my father's facial expression (instead of getting his height, I ended up with his frowny forehead and flat feet). They seem to be a blinking sign that says "Coming Soon: Botox". Still, I'm definitely interested in products that provide some wrinkle-fighting goodness.

The Blond is a different story. His fair skin has suffered quite a bit sun damage in his youth and early twenties. He has frown lines and crows feet, and very visible laugh lines around his eyes.

I wasn't familiar with the iQ Derma line until the package landed at my door. The products promise cutting edge technology and some of the ingredients seem to be among those highly recommended in modern skincare (hyaluronic acid and marine collagen, for example). We tested two products: SkinTensive - Daily Facelift Treatment and RestorEyes - Firming Eye Therapy.

SkinTensive is a serum that promises a Botox-like effect. This is where testing skincare can get dicey. This one stings. Really bad. The blond's face felt the burning effect for hours after application. Mine also became blotchy and red, so obviously I'm too sensitive for this. I tried it twice, which is definitely not enough to judge or to get any long-term results. The Blond refused to ever try it again after that first application.


The good news is that the eye cream is awesome. It promises immediate results and it actually delivers. I tried it a few times and found it pleasant and effective on puffy eyes. The Blond has been using it daily and we both can see an improvement in his skin texture. The deeper lines are still there, but the under eye area appears to be more clear and the skin is smoother. Pretty impressive and definitely worth a try.