All About Eyes (Clinique All About Eyes)

Member Name: ice_pink

Product:	Clinique All About Eyes
Date:	26/09/08 (361 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Hydrating, reduces puffiness and bags almost instantly

Disadvantages: Quite pricey, are cheaper alternatives that deliver almost as good results

Clinique All About Eyes

As you will probably be able to tell from the sheer quantity of reviews I have up of Clinique products, Clinique are probably my favourite make-up and cosmetics brand. For those of you that aren't familiar with the brand, Clinique are a premium brand make up and cosmetic retailer that only sell hypoallergenic, 100% fragrance free products, which makes them ideal for those people with sensitive skin. Their range includes products that are able to be tailored to meet your skin type (from dry to oily to combination) - something I have found extremely useful. My skin tends to go through phases of getting quite oily, and I also have the tendency (still at my age!) to break out in spots, especially after using cheaper make-up products, and Clinique is the only brand of make-up I've used that has never given me any problems with this - touch wood!

Eye cream is not something I generally think about purchasing. My usual daily make-up consists of just the basics, under eye concealer, mascara, and occasionally powder (also Clinique - their super powder is amazing!). Although I have previously tried eye creams I have never really had enough of an amazing result to justify spending lots of money on them, and have therefore not really bothered. However! About six months ago I was given a free sample of Clinique's 'All about eyes' when I purchased one of their mascaras. It hung around in my drawer for ages before I stumbled across it and decided to give it a go, and I'm glad I did!


It claims.....

'All About Eyes' is an eye cream designed to minimise the appearance of dark circles and puffiness as well as the signs of fine lines and wrinkles. It also aims to "make the fragile eye area skin stronger and better protected", and protect against environmental damage. This product was claims to be able to prolong the length of time your eye make-up will remain on for.


Does it work?

Before trying the product, I was pretty sceptical. I just couldn't see how a cream could minimise the effect of dark circles - surely only a concealer (or highlighting pen) could do this?! Anyway, I decided to give it a go....

Application of the cream is extremely easy. You simply put a small amount on your finger and apply it under your eyes like you would a concealer. The formula feels a little greasy on first application, and I find it best to rub it in gently. It takes a couple of minutes for the cream to sink in, so I would suggest applying it about ten minutes before you begin putting on make-up, especially if you are planning on wearing foundation or using an under-eye concealer. When I apply this too quickly the two mix together and this makes both products less effective.

I have been very impressed with the results from this product! I don't have (yet anyway!) any wrinkles or fine lines under my eyes, so I can't comment on how effective this cream is on reducing the appearance of them. However, puffiness is instantly reduced on application of the product. I wouldn't say that the cream works well enough to be used alone after a sleepless night to stop the dark circles, but it definitely does help a lot!


Price and stockists

All Clinique products are available to buy either online at www.clinique.co.uk, or from department stores such as John Lewis, Debenhams and House of Fraser. Boots also stock their products, and offer some great deals such as free gifts with purchase and extra advantage card points.

Clinique are currently offering free standard delivery on all orders over £40, as well as two free samples (you can choose from a small range, with one of the products to choose from actually being this All About Eyes cream!) with every purchase.

15ml of this cream will set you back £20, but it's always worth shopping around - I usually wait until Boots offer extra advantage card points on the products so I get the best deal!


Should you buy?

I have been very impressed with the results from this cream. When combined with a good quality concealer (No. 7's Instant Radiance is my current favourite!) I have even managed to get away with people thinking I've had a full eight (well, at least five) hours sleep when really it's been more like twenty minutes! That's a good enough test of a quality product if ever you need one!

The one thing I would say is the product isn't really enough to be used alone to hide dark circles, and it is worth investing in a good quality concealer as well. The cream does make the skin around your eyes feel cleaner, and much more protected which makes me feel like I'm taking care of myself a bit more which is another plus! The only downside to the product is the price - if you are going to be using this on a daily basis, £20 for 15ml of the product is quite a lot to be spending.


Maybe try.....

Garnier hydrating regenerating eye cream is another eye cream with the same aim as Clinique's All About Eyes. Priced at around £7, this is almost a third of the price of Clinique's version, and is more widely available (it can be found in a variety of stores such as Superdrug and Boots as well as larger supermarkets and discount stores such as Savers, sometimes at even cheaper prices). Whilst the cream isn't as luxurious as Clinique's, and doesn't leave the skin feeling quite as cared-for, the results do come pretty close, so this is the one I always go for when money is tight!

Overall, I would definitely suggest you go to the Clinique counter next time your walking past and try and get yourself a free sample!

Summary: A good quality premium eye cream