If waking up with puffy eyes is your morning gripe (like mine) or working to cover dark circles, you’ve come to the right place. Enter an antioxidant-packed gel patch-like eye mask that works wonders. Editor Trudi Brewer shares a fabulous beauty find.
I won’t rave on about the triggers for dark circles and undereye puffiness, like overindulging in alcohol or salty food, or the instant result of a restless night’s sleep. A busy life constantly undermines our best intentions of looking our best every day. So, I had to share when a targeted under-eye mask that is a quick and effective solution for time-poor people landed on my desk.
Wonderfully soothing, Instagrammable, and kind to the planet, this is the first eye mask to cleverly deliver specific, concentrated ingredients to improve their penetration and absorption into the skin, while being kind to the planet. Read on to find out how.
NEUROCOSMEDICS by GINGER&ME Hydra-Glow Eye Masks, $75
What is it?
The plant extracts in these gel-like masks offer an impressive antioxidant boost to thin skin. These include niacinamide or vitamin B3, which strengthens the lipid barrier or the outside layer of your skin, which thins with age. Why is this important? When your skin's barrier is strong, it keeps moisture and irritants out. Niacinamide also boosts the naturally occurring ceramides or lipids that help the skin retain moisture. Next is red algae, which is deeply hydrating and calms irritation. Moringa seed oil nourishes the plant further, while Portulaca oleracea extract is loaded with more omega fatty acids than fish oil. Finally, neem extract for its potent anti-inflammatory effect. Together, these skin-loving ingredients sink into the skin, while the gel mask provides gentle compression, reducing fluid retention while you wear it. Result: brighter, refreshed under-eyes, who doesn’t want that?
Why do we like them?
Made to revitalise tired eyes fast, tick. Cooling on tired eyes, tick. The hydrating effect is almost instant, and because the gel mask is shaped to hug the undereye contour, you barely feel it on the skin, just a cooling presence. Finally, removing the mask leaves the skin under your eyes looking smooth and feeling taught. If your undereye area needs brightening or depuffing, expect a wide-awake glow. Finally, the gel mask is a water-soluble formula, so once used, it is a dissolvable, waste-free beauty you can't beat.
How to Use
Use the tweezers supplied to apply the masks under your eyes on clean, dry skin. Leave them on for up to 20 minutes, then remove and press the remaining serum into the eye area. Finally, soak the gel pads in warm water until they dissolve.
A fabulous beauty find.