When I haven’t had a good night’s sleep, it can really show – especially under my eyes. Dark circles and puffiness are two concerns I find hard to tackle.
That’s why I was excited to try Charlotte Tilbury’s new Immediate Eye Revival Patches, £58. The recently launched hydrogel masks are designed to deliver a brighter and snatched look in just 10 minutes.
The small jar contains 30 pairs of patches, soaked in a clear serum that is supercharged with ‘Bio-Smooth Eye Contour Complex’, which Charlotte hasn’t revealed the ingredients of. It also includes a small spatula for removing each mask with ease.
It claims to reduce the appearance of dark circles, puffiness and wrinkles while improving hydration and the feel of elasticity and firmness. The “absorb and lock technology” is said to make the hydrogel act like a second-skin mesh so they don’t slip.
I put a pair on first thing after cleansing my face in the morning and repeated this step in the evening. I left them on for 10 minutes hoping to see an improvement. I particularly liked the cooling effect, but wasn’t keen on the tingling sensation.
Charlotte Tilbury explained on the website: “The Immediate Eye Revival Patches are clinically proven to hydrate, smooth the appearance of fine lines, and reduce the look dark circles and eye bags in just 10 minutes – the tingling sensation is the eye patches getting to work!” I realised this tingling sensation disappeared when the patch dried up as the serum got absorbed into my skin and after continued use, I developed a tolerance.
The eye patches worked perfectly to keep my under eyes hydrated and smooth but didn’t help much with brightening my dark circles. These remained pretty much the same as before.
My favourite part about these patches is how they tackle puffiness. When comparing my before and after pictures, I noticed that the swelling under my eyes has definitely reduced. I have used less concealer to colour-correct and fill out creases.
Charlotte Tilbury’s eye patches worked better than any others I have tried before and given the price tag of £58, it’s best to use them as before special occasions rather than for everyday use.
There are other cheaper alternatives such as the Pixi BeautifEYE Eye Patches, which are reduced to £18.16 on Sephora. If you like to wear eye masks while on the go, I’d go for BeautyPro’s Retinol Under Eye Patch (£6 for 3 pairs) as they stick firmly to the skin without slipping or peeling.
I’ve tried different eye creams and masks but none of them work other than the Peter Thomas Roth Instant FirmX Eye (£32), a temperorary eye tightener, which I use for special occasions.