Category Archives: Eye creams and gels

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Dr Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Instant Tightening Eye Serum

A quick one today to highlight a product that I’ve been using for a while and have so far completely forgotten to feature. I’ve not had a great deal of success with eye creams in the past. They either have no discernible effect whatsoever or they migrate into my eye overnight, leaving them looking puffier than normal in the morning.

But I really like Dr Organic’s Instant Tightening Eye Serum. The argan oil isn’t buried at the bottom of the ingredients list, which is positive. It also includes Kigelia Africana fruit extract. This is the so-called sausage fruit, which is credited with skin tightening properties and appears as a key ingredient in Liz Earle’s Superskin Bust & Neck Treatment. There are also a couple of mints in there, which could account for the tingling on application.

It’s a nice light lotion and absorbs quickly without residual stickiness. It doesn’t smell strongly, tingles a bit as it goes on and has definitely made my eyes look more awake. I’m only at the ‘fine lines’ stage and I think the serum helps to reduce the effect of them by hydrating the eye area. If you had more visible crows’ feet or issues with sagging or puffiness, it’s well worth checking the serum out for its tightening and lifting claims.

Available from Holland & Barrett stores nationwide (in the UK), or from the Holland & Barrett website. £11.99 for 30ml.

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Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Aqua, Glycerin, Coco-caprylate, Cetearyl alcohol, Glyceryl stearate, Argania spinosa (Argan) oil, Polyglyceryl-3 dicitrate/stearate, Sodium magnesium silicate, Argania spinosa kernel extract, Sodium cocoyl glutamate, Carbomer, Argania spinosa extract, Sodium stearoyl glutamate, Carrageenan, Kigelia Africana fruit extract, Hibiscus sabdariffa flower extract, Adansonia digitata fruit extract, Citrus aurantium dulcis, Eugenia caryophyllus (Clove) leaf oil, Pelargonium graveolens (Geranium) oil, Citrus limon peel oil, Pogostemon cablin (Patchouli) oil, Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Cinnamon) leaf oil, Aniba rosaeodora (Rosewood) oil, Mentha arvensis herb oil, Citrus nobilis (Mandarin) peel oil, Vanilla planifolia (Vanilla) fruit extract, Mentha spicata herb oil, Sodium phytate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium dehydroacetate, Benzyl alcohol, Dehydroacetic acid, Citric acid, Limonene, Eugenol, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol.

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Trilogy Age Proof CoQ10 Eye Recovery Concentrate

Just over a week ago, I attended an event at Bill’s Café in Covent Garden, featuring New Zealand brand Trilogy, which you can read about here.

Trilogy was founded in 2002 and the name comes from its philosophy: the ‘trilogy’ of simplicity, purity and vitality. Founders (and sisters) Sarah Gibbs and Catherine de Groot shaped their business around their wonder ingredient rosehip oil, which I will write about in a future post. Now their product range includes a skincare line, body care, hair care, a men’s range and, more recently, a selection of skincare products aimed at sensitive skin and one designed for maturing skin – the Age Proof collection, of which more below.

I was given a couple of products to try out after the event and started with the Age Proof CoQ10 Eye Recovery Concentrate. The blurb I was given at the event makes the following claims: “Packed with a powerful cocktail of antioxidant-rich botanical extracts to instantly refresh and lift the delicate skin around the eye contour area…The result…eyes that look and feel younger, brighter and refreshed.” Those key botanical ingredients mentioned are Co-enzyme Q10, a powerful antioxidant that boosts collagen and elastin production to protect against photoageing, as well as green coffee seed and horse chesnut. The latter ingredients contain caffeine and flavonoids, respectively, which help to stimulate circulation, toning the skin and helping to diminish dark circles and puffiness.

Now I am undisciplined when it comes to eye products. I know I should use them. I see the fine lines and I read the sage advice about how the skin around the eyes is particularly delicate and needs specialist products. Then I frequently just don’t bother. Oils, serums, moisturisers. A lot of slathering already goes on and sometimes eye cream just feels like a faff too far.

All of this means that I’m very strict about my eye products. They must be easy to apply. They must sink in quickly. They musn’t be too greasy or heavy. They really musn’t flake off or cause creasing when I apply concealer over the top. Most of all, they should be pleasurable to use. I’ve learned that I need to want to apply them, or it just won’t happen.

Trilogy’s Eye Recovery Concentrate gets lots of ticks in lots of boxes. Its rollerball applicator makes it an absolute breeze to put on. I thought that I might not be able to control it as well as I could my own finger and that it might drag the skin. However, the product dispenses easily – as long as you give it a good shake first - and the ball feels really cold and refreshing on the skin. The cream (more of a serum really) is light, easily absorbed and feels like it has a smoothing, revitalising effect on the under-eye area.

Chloe, the friendly and informative Trilogy ambassador at last week’s launch, said that it could even be applied over make-up, which I was initially a bit sceptical about. But she’s right. I’ve tried it and it didn’t rub, streak or unduly disturb my concealer. I don’t think I’d go mad with it, believing – as I do – that one of the best things you can do to limit the formation of lines around the eyes is resist the urge to poke at them all the time. But for a quick hit of moisture before going from work to pub, I reckon this would be a winner.

All in all, I’m impressed with my first foray into Trilogy. Impressed enough to want to try more. And I’d definitely repurchase the Eye Concentrate. This might just be one eye cream that doesn’t end up an expensive mistake discarded by the wayside on the path of good intentions.

RRP £25.50, available from trilogyproducts.co.uk, and selected House of Fraser, Boots and John Lewis stores nationwide.

Ingredients: Aqua (Purified Spring Water), Cetearyl Olivate & Sorbitan Olivate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Jojoba Esters, Ubiquinone (Co-enzyme Q10), Hyaluronic Acid (Sodium Hyaluronate), Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Horse Chestnut Extract, Coffee Seed Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Extract, Ormenis Multicaulis (Chamomile Flower) Oil, Camilla Oleifera (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract (and) Gl, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extrac, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Disclosure: I was given a free sample of the Trilogy Eye Recovery Concentrate to test but, as per usual, it’s only featured on the blog because I’ve tried it myself, I liked it and I’d happily recommend it.

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In the NUDE: testing out NUDE Skincare

NUDE Skincare is a range of natural products that also claim to pack a serious anti-ageing punch. To quote Bryan Meehan, founder of NUDE, their customers ‘no longer need to compromise on wellbeing for the sake of performance.’ NUDE allows you to do both: high performance and no chemical nasties. They use proven anti-ageing ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, probiotics, CoQ10 and peptides, but derived from natural sources rather than chemical ones.

I’d never used any of the NUDE skincare range but I’ve wanted to. Then I noticed that Victoria Health were giving away a free sample of NUDE bestsellers with every order placed in June. I’ve been hankering after a Konjac Sponge (more on that in a future post!) so decided to take the plunge and get my samples at the same time.

It’s a pretty generous deal. There are four samples in the pack – the Cleansing Facial Oil, the Age Defence Moisturiser, the Advanced Eye Complex and the Miracle Mask. The samples looked quite small but I got three applications of the facial oil, three applications of the moisturiser, 4-5 of the eye complex and three chances to try out the mask. More than enough product to give them a proper go and to decide what I think.

Sticking with the cleansing routine, let’s start with the Cleansing Facial Oil. I loved this. If you’ve read a few of my other posts, you’ll know I’m good friends with the oils(!) and bang on about them a fair bit. It didn’t seem like a huge leap to take to use them as cleansers. If it feels more of a leap for you, be reassured that this oil really does cleanse. It lifted off foundation, simple eye make-up (including non-waterproof mascara) and a cream blush, leaving my skin feeling really clean, fresh and not at all greasy.

To use, you need to warm the oil between your hands and then massage into the skin. Before removing, slightly dampen your hands and work them over your face to emulsify the oil. Then just rinse away with warm water.

I can see two big advantages of this product. Firstly, the oil gives you the perfect slippy canvas for a bit of facial massage during your cleansing routine. I do this with my Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish – it helps to bring the blood to the surface and keeps skin bright, supple and healthy looking – but you get a bit less time with a cream formulation before it starts to sink in and you risk dragging the skin.

Secondly, the Cleansing Oil has all the convenience of a facial wash without the drying effect.  I’m a huge convert of the muslin cloth approach to cleansing, as recommended by Liz Earle. But sometimes it’s just not practical. I’m going to be sleeping in a tent this weekend (it’s my hen do! Woo hoo!). And even the posh yurt-style tents we’ll be staying in don’t come equipped with a sterile little hook for my face cloth, never mind the basic facilities you might be faced with if you’re one of those off to Glastonbury. There are one or two facial washes that I’ve found which are less drying, but most of them just don’t work on dry skin. This is perfect – rich and nourishing and all you need is a bit of water.

Next up, the Age Defence Moisturiser. This was an interesting one. As with many natural products, you need to spend a bit of time working it in. However, once absorbed, it felt very light. Almost tight on the skin, in fact. My first thought was that it couldn’t possibly be moisturising enough to last the day and I fully expected to see dry patches and lines forming in my base after a few hours. Surprisingly though, I didn’t really. It seemed to lock in the moisture. However, on balance, I probably wouldn’t buy this one, particularly since it’s priced in the luxury bracket. It’s just a personal preference thing. I didn’t like the tighter, drier feeling after application and I didn’t feel it provided as good a base for make-up as some of my other moisturisers. But I’ve got dry skin. If you’ve got oily skin or prefer a less rich base, it’s probably right up your street.

I found the Advanced Eye Complex very pleasant to use. It has a very smooth, easy to apply texture and it sank in very quickly. After using it in the evening, I woke up the next day with slightly less puffy eyes than usual which was great. I’d want to try and repeat that just to make sure it wasn’t just a result of a lower pollen count than normal though! I did notice that the concealer I applied over the top went a bit patchy so I’d keep this for evening use only.

Last up, the Miracle Mask, which I was really impressed by. The packaging warned off those with sensitive skin but I decided to take my chances in the name of research. And all went well! The mask is a 5-minute facial brightener containing milk AHA’s (alpha-hydroxy-acids) to exfoliate and red ginseng to stimulate circulation. It dries on the skin and it’s recommended that you remove it with a cloth but it’s a quick, easy fix. I didn’t find it particularly moisturising or plumping but my skin felt really refreshed and looked a bit clearer and quite a bit brighter after use. I used it in the evening but on balance I think this would be a brilliant speedy option for injecting a bit of oomph into tired, lacklustre skin as part of a morning routine. It would even fit into my morning routine, which despite my best intentions is always a disordered exercise in multi-tasking where I’m eating cereal with one hand and cleaning my teeth with the other.

All in all, the Cleansing Facial Oil comes out top for me. This one I’ll definitely be buying in the future. I’m not sure it topples my Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish for value, smell (while not unpleasant, I found the smell of the Facial Oil took a bit of getting used to) or the gentle exfoliating effect of the muslin cloth. But oh how I wish I had some of the Cleansing Facial Oil left for my weekend under canvas!

If you want to try them for yourself, remember to check out Victoria Health  If you were thinking of getting something anyway, you’ll get your free NUDE samples with your order if you place it before the 30th.

All products available from Victoria Health or from the NUDE skincare website.

Cleansing Facial Oil, £24 (100ml). Ingredients: glycine soja (soybean) oil, polyglyceryl-4-oleate (vegetable oil), squalene (olive oil), tocopherol acetate (plant sources), fragrance (parfum), benzyl benzoate (essential oil), linalool (essential oil), eugenol (essential oil)

Age Defence Moisturiser, £54 (40ml). Ingredients: water (aqua), dicaprylyl carbonate (coconut and palm kernel), sesamum indicum (sesame) oil, lauryl laurate (palm and coprah), candelilla/jojoba/rice bran polyglyceryl-3 esters (candelilla, jojoba and rice), glyceryl stearate se (palm, rapeseed and sunflower), lactobacillus/eriodictyon californicum ferment extract (yerba santa), glyceryl stearate (palm, rapeseed and sunflower), cetearyl alcohol (coconut and palm kernel), butyrospermum parkii (shea butter)*, cetyl alcohol (coconut and palm kernel), glycerin (plant sources), sodium stearoyl lactylate (plant sources), helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, alpha-glucan oligosaccharide (corn and beet), lactose (milk), sclerotium gum (fermented sugar), oryza sativa (rice) hull powder, xanthan gum (fermented sugar), arginine (plant sources), vaccinium vitis-idaea seed oil (lingonberry)*, calodendrum capense oil (yangu), ricinodendron rautanenii oil, theobroma grandiflorum seed butter (cupuacu)*, whey protein (lactis proteinum), argania spinosa leaf extract (argan), galactaric acid (apple pectin), mauritia flexuosa fruit oil (buriti)*, bifida ferment lysate (milk), milk protein (lactis proteinum), rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, sodium hyaluronate, tocopheryl acetate (soybean), dendrobium phalaenopsis flower extract (orchid), aloe barbadensis leaf extract (aloe vera)*, tocopherol (plant source), fragrance (parfum), benzyl benzoate (essential oil), linalool (essential oil), eugenol (essential oil), phenoxyethanol, dehydroacetic acid, ethylhexylglycerin. *certified organic ingredient

Advanced Eye Complex, £62 (15ml). Ingredients: water (aqua), sesamum indicum (sesame) oil*, dicaprylyl carbonate (coconut and palm kernel), butyrospermum parkii (shea butter)*, lactobacillus/eriodictyon californicum ferment extract (yerba santa), glycerin (plant sources), acacia senegal gum, cetearyl olivate (olive), sorbitan olivate (olive), alcohol (organic wheat)*, dipalmitoyl hydroxyproline (amino acid and palmitic acid), whey protein (lactis proteinum), argania spinosa leaf extract (argan), milk protein (lactis proteinum), sodium hyaluronate (lactic acid and wheat), pyrus sorbus bud extract (mountain ash)*, bifida ferment lysate (milk), arginine (plant sources), hydrolyzed rhizobian gum (plant sources), sclerotium gum (fermented sugar), lactose (milk), galactaric acid (apple pectin), ubiquinone (yeast), helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, tocopheryl acetate (soybean), fragrance (parfum), linalool (essential oil), limonene (essential oil), phenoxyethanol, sodium dehydroacetate, ethylhexylglycerin. *certified organic ingredient

Miracle Mask, £38 (40ml). Ingredients: water (aqua), galactoarabinan (larch trees), glycerin (plant sources), sclerotium gum (fermented sugar), hydroxyethylcellulose (wood and cotton), arginine (plant sources), lactic acid (sugar and beet), panax ginseng root extract, galactaric acid (apple pectin), citrus nobilis (mandarin orange) fruit extract, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil*, dextrin (corn), hydrolyzed hibiscus esculentus extract, kaolin (clay), chondrus crispus (carrageenan algae), camellia sinensis leaf extract, phenoxyethanol, sodium dehydroacetate. *certified organic ingredient