However, I was tottering around Priceline the other day and caught sight of a single use mask that promised to deal with dark circles and that would brighten and invigorate the eye area. Skinvitals produces a range of cloth masks and Eye Brighten just happened to be at my eye levels. A single packet was about $5 (less the 40% Priceline was having off skincare) but from the website it looks like these also come in packs of three for $10.50.
Although the packet extols the fact the mask contains Vitamin C and licorice the ingredient after water is sodium hyaluronate. If you were just reading the back of the packet, this might sound vaguely scary but a bit of googling shows that it is absolutely the opposite. In one form (hyaluronic acid) it occurs naturally in the body, including in the eye's own vitreous humour. This form is quite large (on a molecular level) and doesn't penetrate the skin well but it is often used in injectable fillers (mmmm, doesn't that sound nice?). Sodium hyaluronate, however, has many of the same positive properties but is smaller and more readily absorbed by the skin, taking its moisturising properties with it and providing a bit of plumping at the same time. Unsurprisingly, this makes it popular in skin care and, as it occurs in the body, it is very low risk in the allergen stakes.
The mask is easy to use: cleanse your face, open the packet, pop the cloths under your eyes and sit back and relax for 15 minutes or so. The cloths are very cooling and I loved the feel of this on my skin. Because there's not a lot of preparation involved, this is definitely a very quick pick me up. When you're ready, remove the cloths and any excess serum can be wiped away with a tissue or cotton pad, or patted into your skin. I didn't find that there was really any excess.
So you can judge for yourself whether or not a one off application had any brightening effects, here are before and after photos (sorry they aren't at quite the same angle - I think the pre-angle is more flattering ...). I have a toddler, so if anyone is going to have dark circles and puffy eyes, it's me!
Personally, I wasn't convinced that as a one off this had any incredible immediate effects but I do think that expecting that is unrealistic. I can see myself definitely buying this again and I'll definitely be trying out the remainder of the SkinVitals range.
Available from Priceline. Other stockists on the Skinvitals site. Around $5.
Skinvitals.
Source: purchase.
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