Is Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream The Best Brightening Eye Cream?

Is Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream worth the splurge? Can it do what it says on the tin?

If you’re a regular here, you know I don’t do eye creams. Contrary to what marketers would have you believe, they don’t contain any special ingredients to fight the delicate concerns of the eye area. They’re just facial moisturisers in a smaller, overpriced bottle – so I stick to my facial moisturiser all over.

But when I heard that Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream contains 5 different forms of Vitamin C, plus a plethora of antioxidants and peptides, the skincare geek in me got curious.

Could this be the eye cream we have all been waiting for? You know, an eye cream that actually keeps its promises and does more than just moisturising skin? I’ve put it to the test to find out:

About The Brand: Drunk Elephant

Drunk Elephant was founded by Tiffany Masterson, a confused skincare customer tired of jumping from one brand to another in the search for effective products that would provide results without irritating her sensitive skin. Tiffany decided to take matters in her own hands and create a skincare brand that took out all the filler and irritating ingredients that do nothing for skin – or worse irritate it.

I don’t agree with all her choices. For example, I applaud her for taking out fragrance, the most irritating ingredients in skincare. But silicones? They’re harmless for your skin. The other ingredients Drunk Elephant won’t touch are essential oils (so irritating!), drying alcohols, chemical sunscreens, dyes, and harsh cleanser SLS.

Instead, their products are packed with science-based actives, like Vitamin C and retinol, that can really fight wrinkles, moisturise skin, and fade away dark spots. The hero ingredient is marula oil, a super moisturising oil. Fun fact: legend has it that elephants get drunk on the fruits of the marula plant.

Key Ingredients In Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream: What Makes It Work?

VITAMIN C TO BRIGHTEN SKIN AND SLOW DOWN PREMATURE AGING

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals, boosts collagen, and brightens the complexion. Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream contains not one, not two, but FIVE forms of Vitamin C.

Here’s what makes each one special:

•  Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate: Ideal for oily skin, it also helps fight acne by reducing sebum oxidation (a main cause of acne and inflammation).
• Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate: A water-soluble form that boosts collagen and fights free radicals.
• Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate: It penetrates skin deeper than all other forms of Vitamin C.
• Ascorbyl Glucoside: It’s mainly used to reduce discolourations.
• Ascorbyl Palmitate: This one is the dud. There’s no proof it works as well as the others. But hey, 4 out of 5 is still awesome.

L-Ascorbic Acid (the pure form of Vitamin C) is irritating and goes bad quickly. That’s why Drunk Elephant left it out in favour of gentler alternatives that won’t spoil for months.

One more thing: Vitamin C works better when used together with other antioxidants. From Ubiquinone to Superoxide Dismutase, this eye cream is chockfull of them.

Well played, Drunk Elephant.

Related: Types Of Vitamin C In Skincare: Which One Is Better?

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CERAMIDES TO STRENGTHEN THE SKIN’S PROTECTIVE BARRIER

Ceramides are oily waxes (“cera” means wax in Latin) that make up the glue that holds skin cells together (together with fatty acids, cholesterol etc).

Their job is to strengthen and waterproof the skin’s protective barrier, so that moisture stays in (where it needs to be to hydrate skin!) and germs, pollutants, and other germs stay out (no irritations!).

A stronger protective barrier also helps skin better withstand the attacks of harsh weather, pollutants, and anything else that’s trying to harm it.

Talking about harm… You know when your barrier has broken down. All of a sudden, your skin becomes dry. Red. Flaky, even. Adding ceramides to your skincare routine can prevent this from happening in the first place – or nurse skin back to health if it’s already happened.

Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream has 3 types of ceramides. Plus, cholesterol and Hyaluronic Acid, two more components of your skin’s natural barrier. Together, they make it as strong as it can be.

Related: The Complete Guide To Ceramides In Skincare: What They Are, What They Do, And How To Use Them

HESPERIDIN METHYL CHALCONE TO REDUCE DARK CIRCLES

Found in citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone “lowers the filtration rate of capillaries”.

What does that mean? In plain English, “less blood flowing though capillaries close to the surface of the skin potentially means that less hemoglobin would be oxygenated to cause the dark bluish discoloration under the eyes.”

Before you get too excited, let me point out that pretty much every study conducted on hesperidin methyl chalcone are related to oral supplements. We don’t know if it is has the same benefits when topically applied to the skin yet.

Related: What Really Works To Treat Dark Circles?

PEPTIDES TO BOOST COLLAGEN AND MORE?

Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream boasts 8 different types of peptides:

• Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1: Part of Matrixyl 3000, it helps stimulate the production of collagen and firm skin.
• Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine: Part of Syntacks, it boosts 3 types of collagen. According to the manufacturer, it increases the production of type IV collagen by 190%.
• Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate: Part of Syntacks, it boosts 3 types of collagen. According to the manufacturer, it increases the production of type IV collagen by 190%.
• Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate: Like Argireline, Syn™-Ake relaxes muscles to reduce wrinkles lines.
• Dipeptide-2: Made up of amino acids valine and tryptophan, it’s very moisturising. Some says it also improves lympathic circulation, reducing puffiness and dark circles. Still, I couldn’t find any studies supporting this second claim.
• Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7: Part of Matrixyl 3000, it helps strengthen the skin’s protective barrier and soothe sensitive skin.
• Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38: It increases the production of hyaluronic acid in the skin.
• Acetyl Hexapeptide-8: A.k.a argireline, it blocks signals from the nerves to the muscles. This way, the muscles can’t move anymore. If they can’t move, expression likes (like forehead wrinkles and smile lines) look smaller.

Before you get too excited, these claims come mostly from the manufacturers. I’m still waiting for independent studies to show peptides can really do all this.

Still, there are enough goodies (5 forms of Vitamin C, anyone?) in this cream to hydrate skin and slow down aging. If even a couple of these peptides work as claimed, it’s just the icing on the cake.

Related: The Truth About Peptides In Skincare: Do They Really Work?

The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients

• Water/Aqua/Eau: The base and main solvent in the eye cream.
• Glycerin: A humectant that draws moisture from the air into your skin, helping to keep it plump and hydrated for longer.
• Dicaprylyl Carbonate: An emollient that makes skin softer. It also enhances the penetration of other skincare ingredients.
• Cetearyl Alcohol: A hydrating alcohol that makes skin softer and smoother. Yes, really. Don’t judge an ingredient by its name. Judge it by its performance.
• Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride: Derived from coconut oil, this emollient makes skin softer and smoother.
• Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer: It stabilises the formula, enhances its texture, and gives opacity to the product.
• Cetearyl Olivate: It helps oily and watery ingredients blend well in the formula. It has moisturising properties to boot.
• Sorbitan Olivate: It’s en emulsifier that prevents the formula from separating into its oily and watery parts.
• Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil: A.k.a. marula oil, the key ingredients in all Drunk Elephant products. It’s loaded with moisturising fatty acids that strengthen the skin’s protective barrier and make skin softer and smoother.
• Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil: Avocado oil is rich in moisturising fatty acids that nourish dry skin and protect it from environmental aggressors. Plus, it has antioxidants that help fight premature aging.
• Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil: Derived from the Sacha Inchi plant from the Colombian Amazon, it’s loaded with moisturising fatty acids to keep skin softer and smoother even in harsher climates.
• Ceteareth-6 Olivate: It makes emulsions stable and has moisturising properties to boot.
• Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols: Derived from the soy plant, they lubricate skin and give it a smooth feel.
• Linoleic Acid: The most abundant fatty acid found in skin’s upper layers, it has powerful moisturising and soothing properties. It strengthens the skin’s protective barrier against irritation and keeps even dry skin softer and smoother.
• Phospholipids:  Types of fats made of glycerol, fatty acids, and phosphate that occur naturally within the human body. They attract water from the environment into your skin to keep it hydrated.
• Glycine Soja (Soybean) Protein: Loaded with moisturising amino acids, it makes skin softer and smoother.
• Phytosphingosine: One component of the skin barrier, along with ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids, it moisturises skin and protects it against environmental aggressors.
• Cholesterol: A natural component of skin’s barrier (it makes up 15% of its fatty acid content), it makes skin oh so smooth and soft. 
• Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract: Made up mostly of water, it has soothing properties that calm down irritations. Cucumbers can reduce puffy eyes – but it’s their coolness (especially when kept in the fridge!) that does the trick, not some special ingredient in there composition.
• Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract: A.k.a. green tea, it’s loaded with antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties. It fights free radicals, reduces UV-induced inflammation, and keeps skin younger-looking for longer.
• Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer: A derivative of Hyaluronic Acid, a moisture magnet that draws and binds to your skin up to 1000 times its weight in water. It plumps up fine lines and wrinkles and makes skin softer.
• C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate: It makes skin softer and smoother.
• Panthenol: Super moisturising, it hydrates skin, plumps up fine lines and wrinkles, and soothes irritations.
• Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate: The main anti-inflammatory active in liquorice, it soothes redness and irritations.
• Fragaria Ananassa (Strawberry) Seed Extract: This strawberry extract is loaded with antioxidants that fight free radicals and prevent premature aging.
• Medicago Sativa (Alfalfa) Extract: A powerful antioxidant that prevents premature wrinkles.
• Morus Alba Leaf Extract: This white mulberry extract has powerful antioxidant and soothing properties that prevent wrinkles and soothe irritations.
• Hydrolyzed Rice Protein: It hydrates skin.
• Spilanthes Acmella Flower Extract: Extracted from the paracress plant, it has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice: It has powerful soothing properties that calm down redness and irritation.
• Ubiquinone: Also known as coenzyme Q10, it fights the free radicals that cause premature wrinkles and saggy skin.
• Superoxide Dismutase: One of the most powerful antioxidants ever, it destroys Superoxide, the most destructive type of free radical in your skin to keep wrinkles at bay.
• Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract: It improves skin hydration and has antioxidant properties that fight premature wrinkles.
• Phytic Acid: A milder version of Glycolic Acid, it has exfoliating properties. But in this tiny concentration, it won’t do much for skin.
• Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract: A rich source of wrinkle-fighting antioxidants.
• Vaccinium Myrtillus Leaf Extract: Derived from the bilberry plant, it’s a rich source of wrinkle-preventing antioxidants.
• Tocopherol: A form of Vitamin E with antioxidant properties. It also helps extend the shelf life of your cream.
• Thioctic Acid: A.k.a. Alpha Lipoic Acid, it’s an antioxidant that deeply penetrates skin and fights premature aging.
• N-Hydroxysuccinimide: It makes skin softer and smoother.
• Chrysin: An antioxidants that fights premature wrinkles.
• Mica: A bright mineral that makes skin sparkle and shine. It’s a cosmetic effective – and the fastest way to give skin a beautiful glow.
• Ethylhexyl Palmitate: It makes skin softer and smoother, and helps active ingredients better penetrate skin.
• Phenoxyethanol: A preservative that kills bacteria to keep your eye cream safe to use.
• Pentylene Glycol: It stabilises emulsions and has preservative-like properties.
• Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate: It’s an emulsifier and thickening agent that improves the texture.
• Titanium Dioxide: You may know this as an UV filter, but that’s NOT what it does here. Here it’s used to thicken the formula and make it opaque.
• Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin: It makes skin softer and smoother. The manufacturer claims it has a lifting effect, but I haven’t found any proof it can do that.
• Sodium Benzoate: It’s a preservative that helps extend the shelf life of skincare products.
• Xanthan Gum: It thickens the formula.
• Carbomer: It enhances the texture and stabilises the pH.
• Tocopheryl Acetate: A form of Vitamin E, it has antioxidant and preservative-like properties. It fights free radicals and extends the shelf life of your skincare products.
• Sodium Dextran Sulfate: It has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce redness and irritation.
• Sorbitan Isostearate: It’s an emulsifier that improves the texture of a formula.
• Caprylyl Glycol: It hydrates skin and has preservative-like properties that extend the shelf life of the product.
• Steareth-20: It helps the watery and oily parts of a formula from separating.
• Chlorhexidine Digluconate: It has antimicrobial properties that keep your product safe from germs.
• Citric Acid: It adjusts the pH of the product.
• Chlorphenesin: A preservative that prevents bacterial contamination.
• Polysorbate 60: It improves the texture and feel of skincare products.
• Potassium Sorbate: A preservative that keeps your eye cream safe from germs.
• Ethylhexylglycerin: It has preservative-like properties that prevent bacteria contamination.

Texture

This eye cream is on the thicker side, but I wouldn’t say it’s heavy. I’m not worried about it giving me milia seeds. Plus, it sinks into my skin immediately without leaving a greasy residue behind. Overall, a pleasant texture to use.

Fragrance

It’s fragrance-free. I like the brand has taken out fragrance from all its products, but especially from eye cream. Fragrance is very irritating – especially for sensitive skin. And the skin on the under-eye area is very delicate. Anything that could trigger dryness or irritation shouldn’t be in there. Even at the risk of making the eye cream smell bland.

How To Use It

You can use it morning and/or night, in between face serum and moisturiser. Apply 5 dots in a line under your under-eye area and pat the cream on with your ring finger (it’s the gentlest). Don’t rub! The skin there is very delicate and harsh rubbing may lead to premature wrinkles – the very thing you’re trying to avoid with this cream!

Related: The Right Way To Apply Eye Cream

Packaging

The eye cream comes in a white and orange bottle with a pump dispenser that releases just the right amount of product you need, so that none gets wasted. The orange colour gives off Vitamin C vibes – Drunk Elephant doesn’t want you to be confused about what’s inside! Plus, it seals the antioxidants inside, keeping them safe from the light and air that would make them go bad sooner. Isn’t it pretty, too? Drunk Elephant products always look good on your vanity.

Performance & Personal Opinion

Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream has a lovely consistency that melts immediately into the skin, without leaving a greasy residue behind.

Straight after application, my skin feels softer and brighter. My eye area has a lovely glow an the lines around my eyes are plumped up, so they look smaller. It also makes a great base for makeup. No pilling. No irritation. No milia seed.

What about its anti-aging properties? Vitamin C and antioxidants are preventative, so you won’t see the results straight away. Consistency is key here. But Vitamin C can brighten skin. If your dark circles are caused by excess sun exposure or hyperpigmentation, this can help lighten them.

For other types of dark circles (mine are caused by my skin becoming thinner after turning 35), this does absolutely nothing.

Related: What Really Works For Dark Circles?

How Does Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream Compare To The Other Drunk Elephant Creams?

If you ask me (and I guess you are, if you’re reading my blog), you DON’T need a separate cream for the eye area. But if you really want to use one, you may as well get the best eye cream for your skin type and needs. If you’re not convinced this is it, let’s see if one of the other two eye creams from Drunk Elephant are a better fit for you:

• Drunk Elephant Ceramighty AF Eye Balm ($60.00): Loaded with ceramides, plant oils and butters, this rich balm strengthens your skin’s protective barrier, plumps up fine lines and wrinkles so they look smaller, and soothes dryness. It’s a thicker formula best suitable for dry skin. But, it doesn’t do anything that a rich moisturiser for dry skin won’t do. Available at Boots, Cult Beauty, Sephora, SpaceNK, and Ulta.
• Drunk Elephant Shaba Complex Eye Serum: ($60.00): A lightweight serum with copper peptides (the only peptides I like and recommend) that keep skin in a constant state of repair, making sure that your skin stays in top condition. When you’re using copper peptides, your skin just looks good – to the point you think they’re not doing much. But take them out and you’ll see how much they were doing for your skin. Available at Boots, Cult Beauty, Sephora, SpaceNK, and Ulta.

What I Like About Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream

• Smooth, fast-absorbing texture.
• Fragrance-free.
• Moisturising, makes skin softer and smoother.
• It plumps up fine lines and wrinkles, so they look smaller.
• It brightens the eye area.
• It fights free radicals to prevent wrinkles.
• Beautiful and practical packaging.

What I DON’T Like About Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream

• It can’t do anything for dark circles.
• Overpriced for what it does.

Who Should Use This?

If your eye area is drier than the rest of the face and you need a hydrating eye cream with anti-aging properties, this is it. If you can extend your facial routine to your eye area, do that and skip the eye cream.

Related: Do You Really Need An Eye Cream?

Does Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream Live Up To Its Claims?

Is Drunk Elephant Cruelty-Free?

Yes, Drunk Elephant doesn’t test on animals and doesn’t outsource it to someone else either.

Price & Availability

$64.00/£54.00 at Cult Beauty, Sephora, and SpaceNK

Do You Need It?

If extending your facial routine to your eye area alone doesn’t cut it and you feel like you need a separate product for that, this is a good option to consider. But, honestly, for most people, using your facial Vitamin C serum on the eye area will work better.

Dupes & Alternatives

• Paula’s Choice Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream ($34.00): A moisturising eye cream with peptides and antioxidants to keep the eye area softer, smoother, and younger-looking for longer. Available at Dermstore and Paula’s Choice.

About Gio

Hi, I'm Gio. I'm a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever - every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what's worth the splurge and what's best left on the shelf - using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.