Is it me or caffeine eye creams don’t work?
I’ve tried my fair share in my past few years. From The Ordinary. From The Inkey List. The list goes on and on.
But they’ve never done anything for me. Seriously, I may just as well have splashed water on my face…
Is Boots Ingredients Caffeine Eye the exception to the rule? Let’s find out:
What’s In Boots Ingredients Caffeine Eye?
HYALURONIC ACID TO HYDRATE SKIN
This moisturiser contains Sodium Hyaluronate, a form of Hyaluronic Acid that better penetrates your skin.
Its job? It’s a moisture magnet that draws water from the environment and binds it into your skin. It’s so powerful, it can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water!
Extra moisture = plumper and brighter skin.
P.S. Sodium Hyaluronate isn’t the only moisture magnet here. Glycerin does the same thing, but on a smaller scale.
Related: Why You Need Hyaluronic Acid In Your Routine, No Matter Your Skin Type
CAFFEINE TO REDUCE PUFFINESS AND DARK CIRCLES?
Let’s do a quiz! Are your eye puffiness and dark circles due to:
A. Fat deposits under the eye contour
B. Hollowness in the eye contour
C. Leaky blood vessels (vasodilation)
If you’ve answered A or B, hard luck. Caffeine (or any other skincare products, for that matter) won’t do anything for you.
Answered C? Let’s talk:
Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, so putting it on your skin may reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffy eyes – when they are caused by leaky blood vessels.
Then, again, it may not. Science doesn’t have a clear answer yet. For example, this study showed that a gel with caffeine did reduce puffy eyes. BUT, the scientists weren’t sure if it was caffeine or the cooling effects of the hydrophilic gel that did the trick.
The other reason why it won’t work? There’s barely any caffeine here. On the label, it’s listed after preservatives, meaning it’s here in a 1% or less concentration.
Compare that to The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG that has 5% caffeine (and it still doesn’t work for me…) and it’ll tell you all you need to know about it.
P.S. Caffeine also has antioxidant properties, so it’ll do something here. It’s just not what you expect when you think of caffeine, is it?
Related: The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG VS The Inkey List Caffeine Serum: Which One Is Best?
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Texture
Lightweight, fast-absorbing lotion.
Fragrance
It’s fragrance-free.
How To Use It
Morning and night, after serum but before moisturiser. Gently pat it in with your ring finger (it’s the gentlest).
Performance & Personal Opinion
Boots Ingredients Caffeine Eye reminded me of why I don’t usually use a separate eye cream. I just extend my facial skincare routine to my eye area and call it a day.
Caffeine is here for the marketing effect. To make you think it’ll reduce your puffiness and make your dark circles less visible. But I’ve used it every day for two weeks and nothing has happened.
Instead, this is just a basic moisturising cream. The lightweight texture glides on smoothly, sinking quickly into the skin – without giving you breakouts or milia seeds.
It makes the delicate skin there softer and smoother for a few hours… Just like any facial moisturiser worth its salt does.
If your eye area is seriously dry and you need all the extra moisture you can get, it makes sense to use a separate eye cream like this. Everyone else, stick to your face cream and save the money for retinoids.
Related: What Are Milia Seeds And How Do You Get Rid Of Them?
Who Is This For?
If your skin is so dry, your face moisturiser alone won’t do the job, this can help.
Who Is This NOT For?
- Most people don’t need an eye cream at all.
- Anyone looking for a cream for dark circles and puffiness.
Related: Do You Really Need A Separate Eye Cream?
Packaging
A sleek and practical black and white tube that releases just the right amount of product you need.
Does Boots Ingredients Caffeine Eye Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| With caffeine which is an antioxident, this eye cream is perfect for use around the eyes. | What does this claim mean, exactly? Yes, it has caffeine, which is an antioxidant, but it’s present in a very small amount here, so it won’t do much. And what is it that makes it perfect for use around the eyes? Could they be more vague? |
| Skin around the eyes feels refreshed, moisturised and smoother. | True. |
Price & Available
£6.00 at Boots
Do You Need It?
Nope. Use your facial moisturiser and save your money for retinoids.
[penci_review]
Dupes & Alternatives
Ingredients
Aqua(Water), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Peg-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Dimethicone, Siloxanetriol Alginate, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin, Xanthan Gum, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium Edta, Sodium Methylparaben, Sorbic Acid, Propylparaben
