Time for another Deciem The Ordinary post. They have so many products and I really like to give them a full whirl before I get on here and tell you about them. Up until the last few weeks I had been using the Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG for a while. I've gone through about half a bottle. Considering it's a larger once ounce bottle and most eye products come in half ounce sizes I feel confident in what it does for me. This product is slated to reduce the appearance of eye contour pigmentation and of puffiness. Details per Deciem:
This light-textured formula contains an extremely high 5% concentration of caffeine, supplemented with highly-purified Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside (EGCG) from green tea leaves. Independent studies have shown that topical use of each of caffeine and EGCG can help reduce looks of puffiness and of dark circles in the eye contour. Additional studies have shown that caffeine can also reduce the appearance of cellulite.
Notes:
1. Hollowness in the eye contour as a result of structure of sub-dermal tissues like fat and bone can result in visible shadows under the eyes. This shadow, which is not to be mistaken for dark circles, cannot be addressed with topical skincare including this formula.
2. Fat deposits under the eye contour can create permanent puffiness in this area. This type of deposit cannot be improved with topical skincare, including this formula.
3. Supplied in UV-protective packaging as EGCG is sensitive to light.
Directions Massage a small amount onto the eye contour AM and PM.
The texture is very nice, a light gel that absorbs quickly. This has a bit of slip to it so you can massage it in without tugging on the gentle eye area. I find it mildly hydrating and has no scent. This comes packaged in a brown glass bottle with a dropper dispenser. While I appreciate the dark glass to keep the contents from degrading in sunlight—I hate the dropper. Droppers are messy and this particular formula tends to crust around the edge of the neck of the bottle. However, considering this is a steal at $6.70 for an ounce I can deal.
So does it work? Yes this is great as a quick depuff. Caffeine is in a lot of eye cream formulations designed to depuff the eye area. Sadly the effect is always temporary. EGCG is a concentrated form of green tea one of my favorite antioxidants and also said to reduce puffiness and dark circles. While this did help depuff my eyes I found it really didn't do much for my dark circles. Honestly, nothing works on my dark circles. One—they are hereditary so nothing will help that. Two—I sleep maybe 6 hours a night at most (I have a two-year old and work full-time). Plus I eat more crappy food & drink more wine than I should. That's a good portion of my dark circles which an eye cream or serum own't fix. I always keep that in mind when testing an eye cream or serum for dark circles. I like to be realistic. As this is so cheap I don't even care, its fabulous for a hydrating eye serum if you want a quick depuff in the morning. It layers well so you can easily wear your favorite eye cream over this. I would buy it again despite the poor dropper style packaging.
Ingredients
Aqua (Water), Caffeine, Maltodextrin, Glycerin, Propanediol, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Hyaluronic Acid, Oxidized Glutathione, Melanin, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Urea, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Xanthan gum, Lactic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Propyl Gallate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ethoxydiglycol, Benzyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol.