• eye creams

    Eye Creams | My Hits & Misses

    July 19, 2022

    Hi Everyone!

    This is basically a repost of the blog post I wrote in May 2019, but I’ve added added new eye creams I’ve tried since then and also organized them into Hits, Likes and Misses. I’ve written a mini review of each eye cream I’ve tried and also said if I had a reaction to it or not.

    Check out my other Hits & Misses posts!

    MAKEUP || Primers | Foundations | Powders | Concealers | Brows | Mascara

    BRANDS || Bobbi Brown | Burt’s Bees | L’Oréal | Maybelline | Nude by Nature | NYX | TULA | Volition Beauty

    Before you read this post, please remember that we all have difference preferences and skin types. These are MY hits, misses and likes. You might love something I don’t like or dislike something I love.

    HITS

    DearKlairs Fundamental Nourishing Eye Butter – I like this eye cream. Based on the name, I thought it would be a bit creamier/heavier, but it’s a bit like a gel cream. At first, I was on the fence about repurchasing it since the Cerave Eye Repair Cream is a bit similar (and Cerave is a bit easier for me to purchase). After checking the cost per mL though, this one is actually cheaper because there’s more in the tube. So I think I would get this one instead. I’ve already been using it for about 8 months (once daily) and there’s still quite a bit left in the tube. I was using this one as my PM eye cream, but I think I would prefer using it as an AM and using one of the thicker ones at night. At the time, I was using the Pixi Botanical Collagen Eye Serum which is a bit tacky, so I preferred using that one during the day, so naturally, this one became a part of my night routine.

    Reaction? No reaction.

    Cerave Eye Repair Cream with Hyaluronic Acid & 3 Ceramides – When I first started using this, I was a bit underwhelmed. I thought it would moisturize my under eyes more. I’ve finished the tube now and I changed my opinion about it. I liked this eye cream.

    Reaction? No reaction.

    Youth to the People Dream Eye Cream with Vitamin C and Ceramides – I’ve been enjoying using this eye cream. I have been using it at night, while I used the Cerave Eye Repair Cream during my morning routine.

    Reaction? No reaction.

    Pixi Retinol Eye Cream* – I enjoyed this one and my under eyes didn’t feel dry after using it. The tube also lasted a long time (8 months of using it twice daily).

    Reaction? No reaction.

    Pixi Botanical Collagen Eye Serum* – If you like a more gel-like eye cream, this one is quite nice. If you prefer a cream, the retinol one is good. It is a little bit tacky, so I liked to use this one for AM.

    Reaction? No reaction.

    LIKES

    Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment – If I remember correctly, this one was similar to the Youth to the People one in terms of how thickness. It was a good one for my night routine.

    Reaction? No reaction.

    Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector – In my 2019 blog post, I said this was my favourite eye cream I’ve tried so far. I’ve tried several sine then and this one has been bumped from its top spot. Although it made my under eyes feel smooth, it didn’t really hydrate as well as other eye creams. When I initially purchased this, I had bought it from a warehouse sale for about $20-25 (15mL tube). I purchased it during the Sephora sale more recently and not only have they raised the price, they’ve also made the tube smaller (8.5mL). While I used the new tube, I found that I didn’t have the same love for it as I did four years ago. Also, I can no longer justify the price, especially when I don’t love it as much as I once did. 

    Reaction? No reaction.

    Volition Beauty Helix AM/PM Eye Gel (read my review) – I think I would’ve liked this more if I had tried it in the summer time. It’s more of a smoothing eye gel than a hydrating or moisturizing one. They’ve also changed the packaging. I tried it in a pot, but now they have it in a bottle with a pump.

    Reaction? No reaction.

    belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb – I had a sample of this one and I enjoyed it. Although I’m not crazy about the slight scent to it (natural fragrance, it’s not scented).

    Reaction? No reaction.

    Good Molecules Yerba Mate Wake Up Eye Gel* (read my review) – Even though I gave this a pretty high rating in my review, I found that my eye would twitch occasionally when I would use this so I had to stop using it. I also didn’t love the tackiness of it.

    Reaction? Occasional eye twitching from caffeine.

    Goldfaden MD Bright Eyes Dark Circle Radiance Concentrate* – I received this from Calissa.com when I was receiving boxes from them. While I did like this eye cream, it’s not really as accessible to me as the other eye creams I’ve tried. I don’t know if it would cost an arm and a leg to pay for shipping or duties. It was a nice eye cream, but it wouldn’t be worth it for me.

    Reaction? No reaction.

    Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream for Eyes (read my review) – Unlike the Hydro Boost Cream for the face, this didn’t have a smell and it wasn’t tacky at all, but it just didn’t ‘wow’ me.

    Reaction? No reaction.

    Lkins Skincare Vitamin C Eye Gel* (read my review) – This was a nice gel texture, but it just wasn’t hydrating enough. I have really dry under eyes.

    Reaction? No reaction.

    Saturday Skin Wide Awake Brightening Eye Cream (read my review) – This one didn’t do much for me. It didn’t hydrate my under eyes as much as I needed it to and I didn’t get any reaction from it.

    Reaction? No reaction.

    OLE HENRIKSEN Banana Bright Eye Crème – I liked this eye cream, but after hearing about the lawsuit for allergic reactions for this eye cream, I decided not to risk re-purchasing it.

    Reaction? No reaction after using the travel-sized pot.

    MISSES

    Tula Multi-Spectrum Eye Renewal Serum (read my review) – It seems like they’ve renamed a lot of their products. I believe this was renamed: Instant De-Puff Eye Renewal Serum. Both my mom and I tried this eye renewal serum. We both felt itchy using it and it wasn’t allergies or anything because we were using this in the winter time.

    Reaction? No physical reaction (appearance-wise), but eyes felt itchy.

    Origins Ginzing Refreshing Eye Cream to Depuff and Brighten (read my review)

    I’m not a huge fan of the smell of this. I accidentally bought this instead of another product – I meant to get the Ginzing moisturizer. A little goes a long way and while this does brighten the under eyes, you have to be careful not to use too much or it looks too white. I was using this off and on because I got one spot and I wasn’t sure if it was the eye cream or something else. I stopped using it until it got better and then I used it again and I’ve had a bit of texture under the eyes since. So, I won’t be using this anymore. 

    Reaction? Got a milium (singular of milia) and also got red bumpy spots

    Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado (read my review) – I’ve been using this for about a while now and I’ve been using it on and off because whenever I use it, I get 1-2 red spots under both eyes. Also, it has a weird texture that’s almost glue-y. If you use too much, it doesn’t blend in very well, but if you use a very small amount, it absorbs into the skin and almost feels like water.

    Reaction? Red spots under eyes whenever I used it.

    Kiehl’s Eye Fuel* – After my reaction to the Creamy Eye Treatment, Kiehl’s messaged me asking if I would like to try a different product and I chose the Eye Fuel. THIS MADE ONE OF MY EYES TWITCH SO MUCH.

    Reaction? Eye was twitching like crazy.

    Price (CAD)Size (mL)Cost per mL
    Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream for Eyes 26.9914mL1.93
    Lkins Skincare Vitamin C Eye Gel 22.99 USD ~ 30 CAD15mL2
    Saturday Skin Wide Awake Brightening Eye Cream 25 USD ~ 32 CAD15mL2.13
    Saturday Skin Wide Awake Brightening Eye Cream 46 USD ~ 60 CAD30mL2
    Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado 7028g ~ 28mL2.5
    mini Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado 4414g ~ 14mL3.14
    Origins Ginzing Refreshing Eye Cream to Depuff and Brighten 4415mL2.93
    mini Origins Ginzing Refreshing Eye Cream to Depuff and Brighten 3610mL3.6
    belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb6025mL2.4
    Cerave Eye Repair Cream27.9914.2 g ~ 14.2mL1.97
    Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector598.5mL6.94
    Goldfaden MD Bright Eyes Dark Circle Radiance Concentrate55 USD ~ 71 CAD15mL4.73
    Good Molecules Yerba Mate Wakeup Eye Gel815mL 0.53
    Volition Helix AM/PM Eye Gel70 15mL4.67
    Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye treatment5110mL5.1
    Youth to the People Dream Eye Cream6215mL4.13
    Tula Instant De-Puff Eye Renewal Serum 7615mL5.07
    Pixi Botanical Collagen Eye Serum3425mL1.36
    Dear, Klairs Fundamental Nourishing Eye Butter3120g ~ 20mL1.55

    Here are some eye creams that I want to try:

    • Cetaphil Optimal Hydration Eye Serum
    • COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream
    • I’m From Ginseng Eye Cream
    • PURITO Centella Green Level Eye Cream

    I’ve been looking for eye creams that don’t have caffeine because my right eye keeps twitching whenever I use eye creams with caffeine.

    What’s your fave eye cream?

    Love,

    Last updated Aug 2023

    Products marked with * were sent to me for review.

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  • smashbox photo finish primer water

    15 Beauty Favourites I’ve Repurchased | 2020

    February 14, 2020

    Hi Everyone!

    Today, I’m sharing makeup and skincare products that have become favourites of mine. Either I already have repurchased or plan to repurchase in the future.

    Check out my 2018 list of beauty favourites

    In no particular order, here are 15 of my beauty favourites:

    Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water – I love this primer water so much, that I actually bought 3 during a sale on Smashbox.ca! It’s one of the few products that I’ve bought backups.

    Check out my blog post on buying beauty backups!

    Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil Ultra Fine Shape & Define* – Love this brow pencil. Benefit is one of the few brands that carries brow products with more than 3 shades and also different undertones.

    Colourpop Boss Brow Clear Gel – My friend recommended this brow gel and I love it. It doesn’t make your brows feel crunchy at all!

    Bioderma Sensibio H₂0 Make Up Removing Micelle Solution – The Garnier and Bioderma Micellar Waters are my favourites. The Garnier one is cheaper, so I repurchase it more, but I do see why everyone loves the Bioderma one too.

    Goldfaden MD Bright Eyes* – I think this would be a great eye cream for the spring/summer time for me. It was very nice and light, but wasn’t quite hydrating enough for Canadian winters.

    Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer – This is one of my favourite primers that keeps my dry skin hydrated throughout the day.

    Good Molecules Pure Cold-Pressed Rosehip Seed Oil* – I have been loving facial oils for my dry skin and this one is a great one from Good Molecules.

    Good Molecules Silicone-Free Priming Moisturizer* – I love that brands are coming out with primers without silicones. This one is a great 2-in-1 product.

    Gummiband Hair Cords – I was originally gifted some hair cords, but I have since purchased more because I love them. Also, they’re a Canadian brand.

    Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder – This is a beautiful powder to set your makeup.

    Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask – This is the only lip mask I’ve tried, so I can’t say it’s my favourite. It is a great lip mask that keeps my lips hydrated at night.

    Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer – A favourite concealer of mine for spot concealing. It blends beautifully into the skin.

    Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector – I really enjoyed this eye cream. It made my under eyes feel smooth and hydrated. I also loved the metal applicator.

    Rael Miracle Patches (read my review) – Love these patches!

    Volition Strawberry-C Brightening Serum* (read my review) – Loved this serum!

    What beauty favourites have you repurchased?

    Love,

    Products marked with (*) were gifted to me.

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  • Sept/Oct 2019 Faves

    October 29, 2019

    Hi Everyone!

    I’m sharing September and October’s beauty favourites!

    Dolce & Gabbana 3 L’Imperatrice Eau De Toilette – I don’t usually like florals, but I got a sample of this from Sephora and really loved it. I saw some reviews on Sephora where people have said it doesn’t last long on them because it’s an Eau de Toilette. While I would agree that it doesn’t last as long as an Eau de Parfum, I can still smell it at the end of the day after using only 1 spritz. I bought this at the Shiseido Warehouse Sale for $35 so maybe that’s why I can justify it. I know this is in my Sept/Oct faves, but I feel like this is more of a warm weather scent. I have another perfume in my collection that I like to wear in the Fall and Winter months, but this will be my new Spring/Summer scent (replacing my Acqua Di Gioia Eau de Parfum).

    Goldfaden MD Bright Eyes* (read my review) – I’m really enjoying this eye cream. I don’t think it’s quite hydrating enough for me in the winter time, but I really like it for the warmer months. It’s one of the few eye creams that hasn’t caused some reaction on my under eyes.

    MUJI Acrylic Storage Case with Sliding Doors – I am loving this acrylic organizer. It keeps my products dust-free and it makes a beautiful prop for shelfies! Also, the fact that it’s clear makes it easier for me to see what products I have in my collection.

    Sephora PRO Featherweight Powder Brush #91 – This brush is so soft! I saw a review on the Sephora website where someone said this brush was called the ‘Bunny Punch’ because “it’s so soft and thick it’s like you’re being punched by a bunny when you use it.” It really is super soft! The only drawback is that it’s top heavy (especially because the handle is tapered). I use it with my setting powder. I don’t swirl the brush around my face, but I tap it using the side of the brush.

    Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder – I am loving this powder! I’ve tried the Laura Mercier one that everyone raves about. I had a deluxe sample of it and it would always come out of the sieve clumpy. I don’t know if it’s supposed to be like that, but it just didn’t impress me. This Hourglass powder, on the other hand, is lovely! I think I even like it better than the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder which was in my faves for July/August. I’ve already hit pan on the CT powder and also the shade doesn’t match (and there’s only 3 to choose from). I like that this Hourglass one is translucent and I think loose powders just work better for me anyway.

    What products have you been loving lately?

    Love,

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