I have a number of eye creams that I like a lot. But over the past couple of years, I have found myself drawn to eye creams that are really very pricey for me. I still adore PCA Skin Ideal Complex Revitalizing Eye Gel (reviewed here) and Shiseido Ultimate Power Infusing Eye Concentrate (reviewed here) both in the $67-87 range, but I needed to expand my horizons to include some more affordable options. I’ve come up with a couple.
The issues that I’m trying to address with eye creams may be different from yours. I have three primary goals:
- soften the look of crow’s feet (at this stage of the game, I know they won’t disappear).
- firm up the skin under my brow bone
- moisturize the very dry skin on my lid and in my crease.
Over the past few months, I’ve been using two more affordable eye cream options, both of which I had received a sample of in past Ipsy bags:
Cerave Eye Repair Cream
Cerave Eye Repair Cream is positioned as a brightening eye cream to address dark circles and under eye puffiness. Frankly, I never would have tried this cream if I hadn’t received a sample because those aren’t really my issues. But unlike the Shiseido IBUKI Eye Correcting Cream that I own, the Cerave does not appear to have shimmery ingredients that add a brightening camouflage look.
The cream itself is lightweight and is easily and quickly absorbed with no greasiness left behind. It’s fragrance-free. It contains niacinamide, ceramics and hyaluronic acid, some of my very favorite skincare ingredients for hydrating and repair. It does a good job hydrating my eye area and temporarily softening the look of lines. It also contains dimethicone, an ingredient that some people are sensitive to, but that I like for creating a smooth base on which to apply makeup.
I read that it has a time-released formula so it keeps working throughout the day, and it does seem to do that for me.
I like the handy tube. The price is terrific, around $15, and it’s widely available at drugstores, Ulta, Target and at Dermstore.com.
I think Cerave Eye Repair Cream is a good choice for warm weather use and for those looking for an affordable, lightweight eye cream. It will be going in my beach and summer travel bag.
Ingredients: Purified Water, Niacinamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Propanediol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Jojoba Esters, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6-ll, Ceramide 1, Hyaluronic Acid, Zinc Citrate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Almond) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract, Tocopherol, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Asparagopsis Armata Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sorbitol, Triethanolmanie, Laureth-4, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum.
Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb
I bought best-selling Korean skincare Belif Moisturizing Bomb well over a year ago in a holiday set of travel size products at Sephora. I liked it and the Moisturizing Hungarian Water Essence so much that I bought them in full size options afterwards. I was delighted when I received a sample of the Moisturizing Eye Bomb in my Ipsy bag a few months ago, and I am rather quickly working my way through the full size jar that I bought in April.
What I love about both the Moisturizing Bomb and the Moisturizing Eye Bomb is that they’re gel creams, and the gel cream consistency is my favorite. Here’s how Sephora describes the formula: “The cushiony cream format is designed to ‘burst’ when applied, releasing a flood of moisture onto skin, and then absorb completely without stickiness for a healthy, smooth, supple appearance.” I find the gel-like form to provide me with deep hydration. Plus for the skin beneath my brow bone, a gel or gel cream does the most to firm my skin. Moisturizing Eye Bomb is promoted as an eye product that promotes elasticity and firmness, just what I look for. They say that the pennywort herb helps create firmness. I don’t know if it’s the pennywort or just the gel cream formula, but it definitely tightens my upper eye area.
Both products are formulated to keep working for 26 hours, and though I am not depending on it to work that long since I apply moisturizers twice a day, it’s good to know that it doesn’t quit.
Like the Cerave Eye Repair Cream, it is also promoted on the benefits of decreasing under eye puffiness and it also contains dimethicone that makes it a good base for foundation and concealer.
Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb was created for all skin types including sensitive skin. It’s fragrance-free.
The only thing that bugs me about Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb is that the jar it comes in makes the product look bigger than it really is. See the white shadow within the aqua colored jar? The white is the actual jar, and the aqua plastic is the thick outer layer that really has no purpose. Here’s the actual inside of the jar.
Why do companies do that? It appears wasteful and disingenuous to me, but it’s not enough to keep me from repurchasing it when I run out.
Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb that contains 25 ml/0.84 fl. oz. is priced at $48 and is more expensive than the Moisturizing Bomb for face. But it’s significantly less expensive than the PCA Skin and Shiseido eye products I had been using. You can buy it at Sephora, The Face Shop in Canada, or on the BelifUSA website.
Niacinamide is the second ingredient in the Cerave eye cream?! Count me in, I’ll be buying it soon.
I thought you might be interested in the Cerave since I know you love niacinamide and like the brand, too!
I’ll have to try the Cerave too. I usually live off samples (if there’s a choice of samples, I always ask for the eye creams) but at that price point it’s worth a try regardless. If I like it then I won’t feel bad having become hooked on a potentially $100+ product, which is the pitfall of my sample system! I like both of the Belif moisture bomb products as well and frequently get samples of those when they’re available. I’ll probably buy the full sizes at some point, though like you, I also consider packaging like that to be annoying, wasteful, and somewhat disingenuous. Sometimes jar-pots like that also have the annoying feature of a really short cavity that’s wider than the neck, making it incredibly difficult to get at the bits around the outer wall once the bulk of the product is gone. Your photo looks like this might be the case for the Belif jar?
The Cerave Eye Repair Cream is really good for warm weather usage, and IMHO from a formula/consistency standpoint, it’s great for somewhat younger women or women without desert dry skin. Plus it has an excellent ingredient list. The Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb suits me (very dry mature skin) better, but I still like and use the Cerave too. I just took a photo of the Belif open jar, and I promise I’ll add it to the post tomorrow morning. This one seems open at the same width all the way down, I think. But I know what you mean!
I do not have either of these, but they both sound quite good, and they are affordable! I am most interested in trying belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb!
I love your choices. I’m using an eye cream by It Cosmetics right now, but I’ve also used and loved one by Clinique and JUST found a new one by Cosmedix that is amazing at firming. I don’t have much to firm but I can honestly see a difference each time I use it. Plus it’s got some weird sort of holo effect. I love eye cream. Makeup just looks better when I’ve been using it!
It’s so important to find a good eye cream!
I’m always on the lookout for the next, best eye cream.
Cerave is also a favorite among derms I know
I would want to try the Cerave eye cream, it’s so affordable and I like that I can easily pick it up at any drugstore
I’ve never tried Belif because I worried about fragrance. Now I’ll hope to get a mini in a subscription to try it out. I have used the Cerave and like it especially at that price!
How is the CeraVu at depuffing? I have their hydrating cleanser and I love it.
CeraVe Eye Repair Cream is positioned for dark circles and depuffing. Since depuffing isn’t my problem, I can’t vouch for how well they deliver on that claim.
Thank you for the recommendations Allison! I like Belif products and will probably try their eye cream next.
I’m glad to hear about these. I think I have samples of both to try still from beauty bags also. This is one of my favorite beauty topics since one of my areas of concern too.
I’ll be curious to find out what you think about these two eye products when you get to them, Stacie!
I have a travel size of the Belif eye cream that I need to try!
I hope you like the Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb as much as I do!
I’m all for affordable finds so I must try the Cerave!
I am trying to change my skincare regimen to a better one, now that I am older. 😀 This post was really helpful. <3