Review: The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream

Where to purchase: From the Inkey List Website HERE

Price: £8.99

Volume: 15ml

What is it?: An eye cream containing Peptides and Caffeine to hydrate and moisturise the eyes and help with puffiness.

Description: ”A hydrating and lightweight under-eye cream that helps reduce the appearance of puffiness, dark circles and fine lines.” NOTE – Caffeine can help with puffiness and help with the vasodilation of veins that form dark circles (due to lack of sleep or fatigue etc) but this effect is temporary and please don’t expect any eye cream to fix under eye darkness permanently. And in terms of fine lines, due to the addition of the Matrixyl 3000™ peptide – this can help stimulate collagen in the skin, but mostly it’s the hydrating properties of the eye cream which should temporarily improve the appearance of fine lines – *this is just my opinion.

Good for: All skin types (as the eye area is usually dry, I feel comfortable recommending it to all skin types). I think even people prone to styes (which I am) can use this.

Vegan?: No – (contains Beeswax)

Cruelty Free? – Yes

Packaging: In a matte tube with a little cap. I like the precision tip (for eye creams – easier to handle the dispensing of the product). Not a fan of little caps as I’m prone to dropping them / losing them.

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Directions: Can be used both in the AM and PM, before your moisturiser. Pat a small amount around the contour of the eye using your ring finger. For an extra soothing effect, store in the fridge for 30 minutes before use (I’m guessing this works better in the AM when you have puffy under eyes).

How I use it: I apply this AM/PM before a moisturiser and AFTER my Niod FECC (my eye serum). This doesn’t take too long to dry down/absorb so I can also put a sleeping mask on afterwards without the product slipping and sliding.

Key Ingredients: Caffeine (diuretic – helps reduce that morning puffy undereye look). Matrixyl 3000™ – (peptide combination) may help boost collagen production.

Full Ingredients: Water (Aqua / Eau), Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Squalane, Caffeine, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Phospholipids, Tribehenin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Extract, Polysorbate 60, Disodium Edta, Glyceryl Behenate, Glycolipids, Butylene Glycol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterol, Leuconostoc/radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Carbomer, Darutoside, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Phenoxyethanol.

I like the addition of Squalane (also in the Oat so Simple Water Cream, review HERE – lightweight oil), and Hyaluronic Acid (I like my humectants).

NOTE: The Incidecoder have a full Ingredient list breakdown HERE

Texture: Definitely a nice lightweight cream – I actually think I prefer this texture over the COSRX Snail Eye Cream (as the snail mucin makes that eye cream a little gloopy, and this isn’t gloopy!) this is a nice, disappear into the skin yet moisturiser it, kind of texture. It doesn’t feel heavy, oily or greasy around the eyes and simply absorbs nicely into the skin. That’s why I think both oily and dry skins could use this. It doesn’t cool the skin and doesn’t run down my hand. It does actually remind me a bit of the Krave Oat cream both in terms of smell and texture (but less watery).

This absorbs beautiful into the skin and spreads easily. I can even add 2 layers if needed without it balling / pilling up. This sits nicely both under and on top of products.

YOUTUBE VIDEO – LIVE SWATCH, FIRST IMPRESSIONS AND TEXTURE COMPARISON WITH OTHER EYE PRODUCTS!

You can see what I mean here about the difference in textures between the COSRX snail cream and you can also see the NIOD FECC.

Fragrance?: None! I like this about all Inkey products – this simply smells of the cream (which isn’t a bad smell and it’s not strong.

Good Under Makeup?: Yes! Really nicely preps my eyes with moisturisation.

How long have I been using this?: About a month

The Effect?: I must stress the importance of saying that dark circles due to age / genetics are extremely hard to deal with unless through clinical means. So I don’t expect a simple eye cream to remove dark circles – what I expect it to do is 1. hydrate the eyes and moisturise them and 2. Not give me styes – and this eye cream has done that! Did it make a big difference to under eye puffiness?? – Not really. I think I would have gotten better results if I did put this cream in the fridge before applying. but thankfully my Good Molecules Caffeine eye patches (review HERE) do a good job with morning puffiness anyway.

What I like:

• Smooth texture
• I like that this had Matrixyl, Squalane and HA instead of simply just having caffeine (adds some extra benefits in here)
• Doesn’t give my styes (thick eye creams usually do this)
• Hydrating
• Not watery, but lightweight so able to layer over and under skincare
• Fine under makeup
• No added fragrance or EO
• I like the tube packaging in order to control how much product I want (pumps are more difficult to control and usually 1 pump is too much for both eyes).

What I don’t like:

• Small cap = very easy to drop or lose
• Puffiness wasn’t massively altered
• Dry or very dehydrated skins may need to apply 2 layers (may find this too thin)

Overall Rating and Conclusion: 4/5 – This is a nice, lightweight eye cream and for the price – I think it’s decent to try. It moisturises my eyes without giving me styes and that’s what I want in an eye cream. I like the addition of Matrixyl (note – the COSRX Snail Eye Cream also has Matrixyl and other beneficial ingredients so I would still recommend that one, possibly over this one – and the snail eye cream feels cool to the touch). This layers fine and doesn’t have fragrance. I do make sure to use my Niod FECC (review HERE) underneath as my treatment eye stage and then use this cream basically for its moisturising properties. I don’t think I could simply use this alone as I like to have more ‘treatment’ ingredients to use in my routine. I definitely like this more than the Inkey List Brighten-i Eye Cream Review HERE

Would I repurchase?: Yes I would – because I like the texture and how lightweight this is.

Dupe?: I think I still prefer the COSRX Snail eye cream (review HERE) in terms of ingredients, but in terms of texture, I prefer this product!

My Skin Type: I am acne prone and have slightly dehydrated combo skin. My skin is usually tight where the cheeks and eye area is and the outer parts of my face. My T zone is oily. My skin isn’t a fan of thick/heavy formulas so I opt for lightweight formulas to prevent it from clogging up. My skin doesn’t like essential oils either and I try to avoid fragrance when I can.

Disclaimer: I am a skincare enthusiast and not a skin expert. I am not qualified to give out dermatological advice. This type of advice should only be given by a medical practitioner. Upon trying / using any of the reviewed products on the blog, please follow the manufacturer’s instructions and warnings and please seek medical advice if needed.