Meet the must-have eye cream with 7 pre and probiotics

“Actions speak louder than words” is a cliché for a reason; saying you’ll do something is a very different thing to actually doing it. Because even the best “I’m definitely going to do my washing on the weekend” intentions won’t help you come Monday when the basket is still full and your closet of clean clothes (like your words) is empty.

Well, those empty promises are pretty much my specialty; while I always have stellar intentions, follow-through is not my strong suit. And one of the arenas in my life to which this definitely applies is eye cream application.

I know I should do it. I want to do it. Hell, I even tell people I do it – it’s my literal job to be devoted to my beauty routine. But if I’m being honest, it generally makes it onto my face about once a week max. And there are three reasons why.

Firstly, I’m lazy, and an extra second spent in front of the mirror usually equals an extra second missed of Gilmore Girls. Secondly, my eyes are super sensitive, so anything applied too close sends them straight to watering town. And thirdly (and this is the standout), I just haven’t ever seen or felt enough of a difference post-application to convince me that eye cream is a can’t-live-without-it-style product.

And so when a pot of Lancôme’s freshly reformulated Advanced Génifique Eye Cream landed on my desk (in a very chic black and silver tub, I must say) my doubts were high but my interest piqued. Because even a quick scan of the packaging seemed to nip my concerns in the bud – smug little box.

Not only did it shout about being suitable for sensitive eyes, but it also used the phrase “proven to significantly strengthen skin barrier” (thanks to the new additions of pre and probiotic fractions in the mix). I know this all sounds a bit fancy and confusing (you can brush up on the facts here, FYI), but let’s just say this: Lancôme (whose science I trust with my whole heart, or rather, face) promising results is enough to warrant missing a moment or two of TV time.

And considering I’ve been watching the same show over and over for upwards of 20 years of my life, it’s safe to say that A) I’ll probably be able to keep up with the plot regardless and B) it’s definitely time for a proper eye cream routine.

So, what happened once I got going? Let me break it down…

The goal

A few facts you should know about my eye area first: I don’t get much sleep and I emote a lot. Basically, I’m the ultimate tester for any product that focuses on reducing dark circles and smoothing fine lines, because I’ve got both in spades. So, those are the main concerns I was setting out hoping to correct, while remaining secretly optimistic that a little extra plumping hydration would tag along, too.

The formula was no doubt well equipped to tick off my wishlist, though, with a brightening vitamin C derivative, moisturising hyaluronic acid and of course, the barrier-restoring, bacteria-balancing superstars of the blend (the seven pre and probiotic fractions) all loaded in.

As for said pre & probiotics, they work to strengthen your skin’s barrier and improve texture, radiance, elasticity and firmness. They actually encourage growth of beneficial bacteria, which promotes healthy skin with a stronger microbiome (yep your eye area has one; yet another lesson Lancôme have taught us). Basically, they’re the game-changing ingredients that our eye care routines have long been waiting for.

The experience

Lancôme is practically synonymous with luxury, so it came as absolutely no surprise to find that the gel-cream formula was the perfect textural mix of lightweight and luxurious. So, just in case you were a diehard fan of the previous edition harbouring fears of the fresh version, know that it’s just as velvety soft and refreshingly cooling as ever (dare I say even more so?). It doesn’t sit on skin, doesn’t feel sticky, and also has a delightful blurring effect that was more welcome than I can possibly explain.

Sure, the idea of eye cream feeling nice going on wasn’t exactly new to me, but a week in (applying before bed each evening and in the A.M. on makeup-free days), I was definitely getting into the ritual of it all more than I had in the past few years. I must admit though, it was probably 10 per cent the experiential side of things, 10 per cent the fact that (as promised) my sensitive eyes weren’t watering upon application, and 80 per cent the fact that I swear I could already see improvements come day seven.

The verdict

As someone who isn’t particularly acquainted with getting a full eight (or hell, even four) hours, I am self-aware enough to admit that ‘well-rested’ isn’t how my eye area usually looks.

Well, I must say this cream is my new favourite pretty little liar; my mum even asked me if I’d been sleeping better a fortnight into my trial. Spoiler alert: I hadn’t, but alas my dark circle-free eye contour had her fooled. I even noticed that my hefty outer corner creases (that seriously harsh my winged liner game may I add) started to fade and smooth out significantly.

I’m just one jar in (but obviously on my way to grab my second ASAP), and my eye area is smoother, brighter, plumper and happier than ever. So much so that I even skipped concealer on a Sunday shopping trip and didn’t get mistaken for a zombie. If that’s not an eye cream endorsement, I don’t know what is.

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