Whilst I do love Benefit for it’s makeup, I don’t normally go for it’s skincare. I do feel like there’s better products for cheaper in their skincare range, however I picked up a sample of It’s Potent! Eye Cream as I’d heard good things about it being good for sensitive skin. Since I have eczema I’m always looking out for products like this,
Aqua (Water), Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Steareth-21, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Hexyldecanol, Steareth-2, Glyceryl Hydroxystearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Propylene Carbonate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Fruit Extract, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tetrasodium Edta, Steareth-20, Tromethamine, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Sodium Hyaluronate, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Chlorphenesin, Caprylic/Capric/Succinic Triglyceride, Dipeptide-2, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Eriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Plankton Extract. N?? 06345/A
Butylene Glycol is a solvent, viscosity-decreasing agent and a conditioner. This helps reduce the product from drying out and works well in anti-aging products as it helps retain moisture.
Cetyl Alcohol works as an emollient, emulsifier, thickener and carrying agent. It keeps oil and water from separating and helps the spreadability of the formula. It conditions and softens the skin.
Citric Acid contains high levels of Vitamin, Folic Acid and Vitamin B, as well as minerals like magnesium, calcium and phosphorus. It is an alpha hydroxy acid used in personal care products to adjust the acidity or promote skin peeling and re-growth in the case of anti-aging products.
Dimethicone is a type of silicon that aids the product to glide onto your skin and also acts as a barrier after application. Dimethicone is used to protect mild skin irritations, dry patches or healing wounds, and is effective at locking in moisture thanks to its larger molecules.
Glycerin promotes skin cell maturation which can help fight effects of skin problems such as psoriasis whilst improving the appearance of skin in general. It is a humecant and helps the skin maintain it’s moisture which in turn makes the skin look healthier.
Phenoxyethanol is used as a preservative and has a faint rose scent.
Squalane mimics your skins natural oils as an emollient with antioxidant properties. Squalane gives the skin a soft, smooth appearance.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is used as a fragrance ingredient, surfactant and emulsifier. When combined with other fatty acid ingredients, the outcomes often are moisturising products.
Stearyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol which is non irritating. It ensures the skin texture is pleasing by smoothing and soothing the skin as an emulsifier. It also ensures the product ingredients are stable and helps to thicken formulas.
Tocopheryl Acetate is a form of vitamin E, a natural skin-conditioning agent and antioxidant but is more stable and less acidic than pure vitamin E. It is the most readily absorbed member of the vitamin E family.
Water helps improve product consistency and spreadability, helps improve ingredient penetration and absorption.
Acrylates is a crosspolymer which is used to thicken the formula and also improves the appearance of the product by giving a glossy sheen.
Marshmallow extract has soothing properties to calm skin irritations. It also has moistening and calming properties.
Oat’s have moisturising and soothing properties which soothes inflammations, it also has natural cleansing properties to get rid of dirt and impurities.
Capric Triglyceride is a gentle texture enhancer which helps to give off a silky smooth finish – even for those with sensitive skin. It also reinforces the protective barrier to keep moisture locked in.
Caprylyl Glycol works as a humectant and skin conditioning agent in moisturising and emollience products. It also has anti-microbial properties which makes it great for moisturisers, sunscreens, anti-aging treatments and cleansers.
Chlorphenesin is a preservative with antibacterial and antifungal traits as it keeps products from changing colour or pH and pevents emulsion breakdown.
Glyceryl Acrylate is a hydrating ingredient which thickens the formula to create a smooth, soft appearance. It also forms a layer on the skin to prevent moisture loss.
Palmitic Acid is a saturated fatty acid which is found naturally in the skin. It softens the skin and prevents water loss, and also cleanses the skin.
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 is a synthetic peptide which inhibits the inflammatory responders that leads to signs of aging and uneven skin tone. It is used in the production of Matrixyl 3000.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent formulas from spoiling.
Sweet Almond Fruit Extract is a skin-conditioning agent which smooths out the skin to create a silky feeling and moisturises the skin to provide relief against dry and flaky skin.
Apples chemically exfoliates (AHA) the skin. It also moisturises, soothes the skin and protects the skin from free radical damage.
Sodium Citrate is a buffering agent which can be used to control the formulas pH level. It also acts as a preservative to keep the formula intact and free from contamination.
Sodium Hyaluronate is a sodium salt of hyaluronic acid that has the ability to penetrate skin and hold on to water making it a popular ingredient for anti-aging products.
Sodium Polyacrylate is a synthetic polymer, that is used as a thickening agent in skincare products. It can be found in products like cleansers and detergents.
Cacao is great for anti-aging as it helps to firm up the skin, repairs and protects the skin from free radical damage – which would lead to fine lines/wrinkles.
Titanium Dioxide is a colouring agent which brightens pigments in the formula. It is also a sunscreen active which forms a film to improve protection against UV rays.
Tocopherol, also known as Vitamin E, it protects the skin from damage caused by free radicals. It soothes irritated skin and has the ability to reinforce the skins protective barrier.
Tromethamine is a common additive in cosmetics, it helps adjust the pH of the skin, it has also been listed as a fragrance.
Xanthan Gum is a moisturising gel produced by fermented corn sugar, that helps thicken products and aids consistency for easy dispensing of products.
Use your ring finger (the most delicate finger when applying product) to gently dab the product onto your under eyes, smooth out and wait for it to absorb.
- Cleanser
- Masks and Exfoliators
- Toner
- Treatment Products (acne, antioxidant serums, acids, retinols/retinoids)
- Mists
- Serum
- Moisturiser
- Eye Cream – One of the last steps of your routine
- Oil
See Skincare Routine Guide for more info.
First Thoughts
When I first picked up It’s Potent! Eye Cream I really liked the look and aesthetic of the product, but I do prefer the applicator packaging that some eye creams come in like the Clinique All About Eyes one.
Two ingredients that stood out for this eye cream were that is uses oats and marshmallow extract, both of which are knowne for soothing the skin. As someone who get’s irritated skin around my eyes (thanks eczema) this was something I was excited for. It also has multiple emollient ingredients which will help lock moisture in after use.
During Use
When using It’s Potent! Eye Cream it does feel like it’s moisturising the skin. It’s a much thicker cream than other eye creams I’ve used, and it does make me think more of a thicker face moisturiser than anything else. Because of the thicker formula I think the product will also sit on the skin a bit longer before absorbing, which can help improve how moisturising it is.
The big question is whether the product soothes skin. This is both a yes and a no. When I feel like I have tired eyes or the skin is feeling tight then it does soothe them really well, especially when using it at night. But when my skin was irritated, I found that it could make my skin feel worse – I’m not sure if there’s an ingreident I wasn’t agreeing with or not – but it made me feel a bit itchier (although no rash or outbreak after use!).
It’s a great product for use in the morning too as it works well with other products. The cream actually absorbs pretty fast, and makeup products like concealer sit nicely on top of it without caking or other issues. Other than when my skin is particularly suffering, it’s also good for daily use as it feels gentle on the skin.
After Use
I don’t think I could comment on anti-aging claims around fine lines or elastcity if the skin as my eyes aren’t bad in general for these issues. However the cream does seem to have a bit of a skin plumping affect after the moisture boost. This helps give your eyes a more healthy look, which would reduce the visibility of lines but only if you use the product regularly (and wouldn’t get rid of them).
As with mosteye creams, a big claim is always around dark circles. I don’t think it improved mine, however lockdown has definitely negatively impact my sleeping so they’re gradually getting worse. It’s probably not It’s Potent! Eye Cream’s fault that I’m very stressed!
I’d say it does help soothe skin when it’s tired or tight feeling skin, similar to what I said before. If you’re sat in front of a screen all day, then this works well to help improve your tired eyes quickly as the product stays super cold when applying and the soothing properties are there.
Would I Re-Purchase It’s Potent! Eye Cream?
Whilst I have a lot of good things to say about It’s Potent! Eye Cream, I probably wouldn’t purchase it again. I’ve preferred other eye creams, especially ones from Clinique that I’d prefer to purchase.
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