Next up in my Mizon review series is the Mizon Snail Repair Eye Cream. Some of you may already know that I don’t review or use a lot of eye creams – I most eye creams are a marketing gimmick to get us to pay more for less product. It’s true that the skin in our eye area is thinner than the skin on the rest of our faces, but it’s still skin, and there is no scientifically supported reason why a well-formulated skincare product wouldn’t also perform well around the eye. All that said, I was actually pretty excited about trying an eye cream. It’s been a while since I’ve used one, and I was eager to see if it really performed that differently from my regular face products.

What is it?

Mizon Snail Repair Eye Cream ($14) is an eye cream that promises to whiten, brighten and reduce wrinkles in the eye area.

Ingredients:

Snail Secretion Filtrate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glycerylstearate, Phytosqualene, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Beeswax, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate-20, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolized Wheat Protein, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Seed Extract, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Adenosine, 1,2 octanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tropolone, Disodium EDT

Like the rest of the Mizon snail skincare range, the Snail Repair Eye Cream contains quite a few ingredients I was happy to see:

Snail Secretion Filtrate – It’s worth noting that this product is comprised of 80% snail mucin. Snail mucin is skin friendly because it contains an array of antioxidants, and proteins as well as elastin and glycolic acid. It’s also antimicrobial, and in addition to being shown to effectively promote wound healing in a couple of in-vitro studies, there was a newer study released in April of this year that showed snail secretion to be effective when it comes to repairing photodamage. It’s especially helpful for acne, overall skin tone, and reducing acne scarring. (Study: Effects of Snail Secretion Filtrate on Photoaged Skin)

Meadowfoam Seed Oil – Meadowfoam Seed Oil is a super stable antioxidant filled oil that’s primarily comprised of super moisturizing fatty acids. It’s non-greasy, and goes a long way toward strengthening the skin barrier.

Niacinamide – This is a cell-communicating, anti-inflammatory ingredient that has been proven in numerous studies to increase barrier function and ceramide levels, and lightens hyperpigmentation. It’s one of my all time favorite actives!

Sodium Hyaluronate – Often referred to as hyaluronic acid, this ingredient is able to hold up 1,000 times its weight in water. This humectant also does a great job attracting and maintaining water in the skin, and promotes blood circulation and nutrient absorption.

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 – This is an especially interesting ingredient – you might already be familiar with it under its occasional trade name, Matrixyl. Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 is a cell-communicating, chain protein that has been scientifically proven to stimulate the production of both collagen and elastin. There is even one study that concluded Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 was just as effective as retinol for repairing UV damaged skin. For more information, check out this 2005 study: Topical Palmitoyl Pentapeptide Provides Improvement in Photoaged Human Facial Skin

According to COSDNA, there is only one major potential acne trigger in the Mizon Snail Repair Eye Cream. That would be Cetearyl Alcohol, which ranks a 4 out of 5 as a potential acne trigger, and a 3 out of 5 as a potential irritant.

Performance

Packaging

The Mizon Snail Repair Eye Cream comes packaged in a sturdy, translucent, amber jar that I think is made of glass. It’s possible that it’s just really heavy, glass-like plastic – but I’m about 80% sure it’s glass.

Smell

There is no added fragrance in Snail Repair Eye Cream, and the product doesn’t smell like much of anything.

Application

I apply this eye cream just after applying the Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule. To apply, I take a little less than a pea-sized amount and split it between my two forefingers. I then dab the cream around both the upper and lower parts of my eye orbital, than pat it all in with my middle or ring finger.

The cream absorbs quickly, and doesn’t leave the area greasy. There have been several occasions when, for some reason, I felt a slight burn for a few minutes after application. It wasn’t intense, but it was slightly uncomfortable. It isn’t accompanied by any swelling or redness, and the discomfort disappears within a few minutes when it does happen.

Results

I only have one line that I would truly define as an eye wrinkle, but I have no delusions of getting rid of that wrinkle with a cream. The only way to truly and semi-permanently make a wrinkle disappear is plastic surgery. You can lessen the depth of a wrinkle long term with a retinoid, or potentially an AHA (though, I’m not sure about using an AHA in my delicate eye area), but outside of that, the best one can hope for with an eye cream is a temporary fix for fine lines. On that front, the Mizon Snail Repair Eye Cream definitely delivers.

I’ve been using this cream for about 2 months, and I still find it really fascinating how quickly this cream plumps the skin around my eye, making my fine lines seem to disappear – well – before my eyes. It also makes my wrinkle appear only half as deep as it actually is. Sometimes I like to apply this cream with my face really close to the mirror just so I can watch the magic happen.

Overall, the skin around my eye area looks and feels firmer after applying this eye cream. Sure, the effects are only temporary – after a couple of hours, the fine lines are back to their former glory, but this is at least as good as any other cream I’ve ever tried – and actually, I’d say it’s a little better.

The Mizon Snail Repair Eye Cream also makes my eye area appear much brighter. It doesn’t lighten dark circles directly (no eye cream really can), but it does brighten the skin in that area enough that my eyes look more awake, and any darkness is far less noticeable. I did see some subtle long term brightening effects, but the true brightening power is most visible on a temporary, day-to-day basis.

I was very surprised at how much I liked this eye cream. Sure, it’s not working any long-term anti-aging miracles, but it does make my eye area look a lot better when I use it. I’ve mentally categorized this as a sort-of-makeup-like item, in the sense that it does a lot to improve my appearance on a known, temporary basis. I would consider purchasing this eye cream again.

Pros:

+ Moisturizing

+ Temporarily firms skin

+ Temporarily hides fine lines and lessens the appearance of wrinkles

+ Temporarily brightens

+ Subtle, long-term, brightening effects

+ Fragrance-free

Cons:

– No major long term anti-aging effects (At least, no more than a standard facial moisturizer would provide)

– Burns very slightly upon application on some occasions

Skin & Tonics Rating:

Performance: 4/5 – Lots of nice temporary brightening and anti-aging effects, with some subtle, long-term brightening results

Quality: 4/5 – Decent ingredients list, but does contain Cetearyl Alcohol, and it sometimes causes a slight burning sensation just after application

Value: 5/5 – A little goes a long way, so this little half ounce jar will last quite a while. Quite a bargain for $14!

Overall: 4.3/5

Where to Buy

I bought my Mizon Snail Repair Eye Cream from eBay seller iamlove-shop for $13 + free shipping. It’s also available from the following Skin & Tonics approved sellers:

F2plus1 (eBay seller, $15 + $2.50 shipping)

W2Beauty ( $14 + free shipping, get a $5 voucher by entering my sponsor code at sign-up: 025605)

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