The Ordinary is back with new launches this year. They started what they call their O. Lab which is a place where you can sign up for their newest launches first before they hit the stores. (Sign up HERE). There's six new launches this year planned. I've tried two at this point. The Multi-Peptide Eye Serum launched today for early O. Lab exclusive access (I heard it's already sold out) and will be on Ulta starting January 16th. The texture is so nice, it's got a light slippery almost essence meets serum texture. I tend to wear an eye serum under an eye cream, though you could wear this alone if you don't have a dry eye area. I love love the super light slippery texture, it glides right on with ease. I've been using it for about 2+ weeks day and night.
This formula has several peptides including Matrixyl synthe'6 (lines, wrinkles), EYESERYL (anti-glycation, eye bags), Retinopeptide 189 (mimics effects of retinoic acid) and SYN-AKE (neuropeptide) for lines, Unisooth EG-28 (Gallyl Glucoside & Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside—EGG for soothing, dark circles), plus a niacinamide/ash bark complex (Cytobiol Lumin-Eye) for under-eye bags/puffiness. For $25 it sounds good right? Pretty peptide packed along with good old EGG--think superstar green tea polyphenol, good for antioxidant protection, inflammation and de-puffing temporarily.
I'm mid forties and it seems to be doing good with the crow's feet and eye lines so far. I don't know that I've noticed much for bags or dark circles so far, but I'll try it longer. For lines so far I say yes it's really nice. Nothing really works on my dark circles because they're genetic and structural so nothing topical will fix that (always know your limitations for topical skincare). There's really not that much extra to say right now, I'll keep trying it and update in here when I finish it.
I love the texture and it's really affordable so I think most of you will love it. I love NIOD FECC which is one of my favorite eye serums ever. FECC has a similar thinness, but it's got a touch of a more long lasting, moisturizing feel. FECC is more complex and very much like MMHC texture wise. This eye serum by The Ordinary is lighter than the Buffet serum and really leans more essence like. This one is also lighter and more slippery than the Caffeine eye serum, I would easily pick this over that one. It's a way more grown up and updated version plus it's more texturally elegant. If you've always wanted to try NIOD FECC this is a good option, it's about 1/3 the cost of FECC.
6/20 Update:
I took some before and after photos. Before is on the top and below is after 19 weeks of twice a day use. I really love the texture and I definitely noticed a lifting effect from the product on my droopy eyelid as well as some crows feet wrinkle reduction.
The biggest effects were noticeable in the first three months. From thirteen weeks on there wasn't much difference. Below the top is at thirteen weeks, bottom at 19 weeks. Not much for changes there. I did stop using it while I was on vacation and used something else for two weeks. I noticed the droopiness in my lid came back a hint. It's affordable and I highly recommend it. At this point I like it better than NIOD FECC as well. Plus it's way cheaper.
Ingredients
Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Niacinamide, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Myristoyl Nonapeptide-3, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Caffeine, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Fraxinus Excelsior Bark Extract, Silanetriol, Arginine, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Propyl Gallate, Maltodextrin, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Polysorbate 20, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
So they launched a new cleanser that had a sneak peek last year. It won't be back until March 9th this year (make sure you sign up for the O. Lab Mailing List). I really thought I was totally done with gel cleansers this year but the Glucoside Foaming Cleanser might have changed my mind for now. This is a simple, lightly foaming gel cleanser. I wouldn't really call it foaming per se. For me that means the old fashioned white paste ones that foam a lot. This one foams but it's really more of a gel cleanser. It has a bouncy, light almost serum like gel texture. I got a pH of a bout 5.0 when I tested it so right around the natural skin mark. 5-6 pH tends to work great for me, but that's just part of the gel cleanser puzzle. The other part is the surfactants and overall formulation.
This cleanser has two mild surfactants--decyl glucoside and coco glucoside. I have dry skin with rosacea and this pleasantly surprised me. It's so gentle. I don't feel any tightness or that squeaky clean feel after using this at all. I also don't get the usual post gel cleanser tightness that I usually get from many gels. I wouldn't say this will take your makeup off well--I'd still pair it after the Squalane Cleanser for a double cleanse. But it's a nice in the shower, morning or second cleanser. Both of these are fragrance free like all The Ordinary products. The bottle is huge and for $12.50 it makes this one of the cheapest gel cleansers I've seen that's decent. It's worth a spin once it launches to try if you like gel cleansers.
Ingredients
Aqua (Water), Decyl Glucoside, Coco Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Phytic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin
*Items provider in PR, all thoughts are my own.