This Tinted Under-eye Cream With SPF
This article originally appeared on Insider.com and MSN.com on Aug 14, 2020
Written by Erin Mayer
I’ve become a bit of an eye cream addict in the past few years, ever since I entered my late twenties and noticed a few more fine lines creeping up around the orbital bone. Though some people claim you don’t need a separate moisturizer for your eye area, I prefer to have an eye cream on hand. Eye creams tend to be less harsh than similar products formulated for the rest of the face. I like the assurance that I’m giving the skin on that part of my face the attention it deserves.
See more:Our guide to the best facial sunscreens
As a beauty editor, I’ve tried dozens of eye creams over the past 6 years or so, but never one with SPF. When I found out that sunscreen brand Supergoop! had branched into the category with the Bright-Eyed 100% Mineral Eye Cream SPF 40, I was so excited to try it. Having an eye cream with a high SPF of 40 in my collection stood out as a major plus.
How Supergoop!’s Bright-Eyed sunscreen looks on the skin
The cream features a light pink tint that brightens and lightly color-corrects the eye area, similar to the BECCA Under Eye Brightening Corrector. The tint and the SPF give the product a bit of a thicker texture and I find that it takes a bit longer to blend out than other eye creams, but it’s much smoother and less prone to pilling under makeup than other physical sunscreens I’ve tried. Obviously, my skin is quite fair, so I can’t say how this blends into darker skin tones, but the tint is likely to prevent the kind of white cast darker skin tones usually experience from mineral sunscreen.
To use, you need only a little; the first time applying it, I dispensed a full pump and ended up smearing eye cream halfway down my cheeks to avoid wasting product. I recommend gently pressing the pump so that only a little comes out at a time. Once I figured out the proper amount to apply, I loved the finish. My under eyes look bright, youthful, and awake, with the effecting lasting long after the cream dried down. I don’t technically need a concealer with this, but I don’t have application issues when I put makeup on top.
Another major plus? This cream doesn’t sting my eyes. This is likely due to the fact that it’s formulated specifically for eye use, so the level of active ingredients shouldn’t irritate your eyes the way a regular sunscreen might.
A dermatologist’s thoughts on mineral sunscreens
Bright-Eyed is a mineral SPF. “Mineral sunscreens (AKA physical sunscreens) are sometimes called sunblocks. They use mineral-based ingredients, like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, to block UV rays,” says Dr. Marie Hayag, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. She recommends looking for ingredients like zinc oxide, iron oxide (for blue light protection), and antioxidants on the label. Of Supergoop!’s Bright-Eyed cream, she notes, “This [offers] solid protection with zinc oxide and also has iron oxides for blue light protection.”
As a mineral sunscreen, Bright-Eyed is also reef-safe, meaning it does not contain ingredients like oxybenzone or octinoxate, two chemicals that cause coral bleaching, according to Dr. Hayag. “Mineral-based sunscreens with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are usually reef-safe if they are ‘non-nano’ meaning their particles are over 100 nanometers in size so that they cannot be ingested by corals.”
The formula also includes wild butterfly ginger flower to protect against blue light from devices such as cell phones and computers, and a probiotic, caffeine, and pomegranate blend to brighten and reduce dark circles. Everything is vegan and cruelty-free, which I appreciate knowing.
Alternative SFP eye creams
At $36 for 0.5 fluid ounces, this is on the pricier side for an eye cream, especially when compared with drugstore formulas which tend to be in the $10 to $25 range. However, the price isn’t as outrageous when you take into account the fact that it does more than simply moisturize. It’s slightly cheaper than SkinCeuticals Physical Eye UV Defense SPF 50, which is $30 for only 0.3 fl oz, and significantly cheaper than Dermalogica Total Eye Care SPF 15 for $53. There are unfortunately not many eye creams with SPF available at the drugstore, so you’re probably looking at spending around $30 or more for a similar product.
Cons worth mentioning
The number one con, aside from the possibly prohibitive price tag, is that this is a morning-only eye cream because of the sunscreen. Since there’s no reason to waste SPF or apply color-correction at night, you’ll probably want a different formula for your evening skincare routine. I like to switch it out for something with retinol or loads of moisturizing power.
Speaking of moisture, this is not the most hydrating eye cream on the market. I tend to prefer something a bit richer, although the sun protection makes it a fair trade-off in my opinion.
Lastly, when we had this article medically reviewed by a dermatologist, she recommended that we make sure you know not to wear this eye cream on any day you plan to have a laser treatment on your face as it could cause your skin to blister or burn. Of course, a good dermatologist or facialist would always clean your skin first, but it’s best to avoid it as a precaution.
The bottom line
Supergoop! Bright-Eyed 100% Mineral Eye Cream SPF 40 is a truly wonderful eye cream for the sunscreen-conscious. While you likely won’t see immediate results (sun protection is a long game, folks!) the color-correcting aspect will instantly brighten the under-eyes and tone down dark circles. And shoutout to the pump bottle packaging, which is air-tight and ensures the sunscreen’s efficacy will remain intact as you work through the bottle.