Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector

Clinique Even Better Eyes has been a bit of a life saver for me recently. This peachy cream instantly gives the effect of brightening my dark circles and the unusual applicator nozzle is so cooling and soothing, it's very relaxing to apply. Given that my sleep is always disturbed and school problems have had me holding back the tears, you can see why something like this is a bit of a God send!

I'm not sure it has any lasting effects on the darkness under my eyes, I suspect that a lot more sleep and a better diet are the only way I'm going to make a serious difference. It is silicone based so I know it won't suit everybody. However, the soothing and instant brightening are quite sufficient for me to give it a big Mummy thumbs up.

Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector costs £28 for 10ml.

Disclosure: press sample

Intense Triple Action Eye Contour Cream from BcomBIO Organic

This does have a very long name and I'm still not sure I've written the brand name correctly but this eye cream is worth mentioning, so I'll crack on! I bought the BcomBIO Organic Intense eye cream on my trip to France last year. I was actually searching for their firming serum but I picked this up as an alternative: eye creams are something that are sadly lacking in my routine. I've had some strange reaction to eye products in the past and I will admit that I tend to be forgetful about applying them regularly.

I've been forgetful about using this too and it has sat neglected in my bedside cabinet for months. I randomly pulled it out the other day after another broken nights sleep and it felt blissful! I'm not the only one who likes it either. The pump got a little jammed up having sat unused so I accidentally dispensed too much and generously donated the excess to Mr MB (I don't like being wasteful). Later that day he randomly commented on how nice it had felt and he's been using it regularly since then.

I can't really comment on the efficacy: I've not been using it for long enough plus using any cream is going to make any improvement to my eye contour area as it was definitely dehydrated. What I can say with conviction is this feels very soothing and refreshing and that feeling lasts after the initial application. It has a pleasing fluid texture, it's a somewhere between a gel and a lotion in feel and it doesn't cause any puffiness. You can find more details about the active ingredients here.

If you're going over to France over Easter or even over the summer, I can recommend having a look for this brand. I bought this from the pharmacy within the Carrefour at Cité Europe but I imagine you will find it in most of the larger pharmacies. It costs 18.90€ which is approximately £16. I noticed that can buy it from leguidesante.co.uk and www.mondebio.co.uk if you're in the UK but I can't vouch for either of these sites as I haven't purchased from them myself.

PS. If you fancy bit of French pharmacy shopping without leaving home, don't forget that Escentuals.com have a 1/3 off Avene, Vichy, La Roche Posay, Klorane and A-Derma until the end of this month.

Eye Creams: Alva and OSKIA

I've confessed before about my serial offenses when it comes to not using eye creams. So when I was sent the Alva Sanddorn Eye Cream  I was keen right my wrongs. I've been using it for about four weeks now so I thought it was time to report on how I'm getting on.

Like the other products I've tried in the anti-ageing Sanddorn range, the cream is yellow in colour. It's unscented and the cream feels pleasant to apply. It's not too heavy or greasy. I really like the packaging too, it's certainly easier than using a pot and gives me good control over the amount I dispense. The lines around my eyes haven't disappeared but they are softened. It's hard to say whether this due to the active ingredients or whether it's just because the skin is plumped from actually being tended to for once! Either way, I'm happy using it and skin around my eyes definitely feels softer and more comfortable.

If you're looking for a anti-ageing range free from Parabens, Paraffin and Mineral oil, the Sanddorn products are definitely worth a look. You can read about the properties of the main ingredient, Organic Sea Buckthorn, here. I have a bottle of the skin oil to try and I look forward to it as I've heard great things. Alva Eye Cream is available directly from www.alvanaturalskincare.co.uk and costs £18.


Whilst on the subject of eye products, I have a new product lemming. I received a free sample of OSKIA Eye Wonder with an order from Zuneta. The sachet provides quite a generous amount as a little of this serum goes a long way. It feels wonderful on the skin and it's so hydrating. It has a strange smell though which is probably due to the MSM. It's forgivable as it feels nice and fortunately isn't close enough to my nose to worry me! It contains a variety of exciting active ingredients too including Swiss Apple Stem Cells, Milk Peptides and Hyaluronic Acid. Okay, so maybe it's just nerdy me that would find this interesting. It promises to brighten dark circles, improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and reduce puffiness. What's a little more out of the ordinary are the peptides and anti-oxidants that promise to improve cell health. I can't vouch for whether or not it works having not done a proper trial but I know it definitely feels nice and improves the tone of the skin.

Image from www.zuneta.com

The only sticking point here is the price. It costs £58 a bottle, so it's certainly not cheap. However, as I say a little goes a long way so I can see that 15mls would last you a very long time. This one is definitely going on my wishlist. You can find out more about OSKIA from their website www.oskiaskincare.com.



Disclosure: The Alva Eye Cream was sent to me without cost for consideration for review.