Eye serums and creams tend to be among the most divisive products in the beauty space. You’re either fully devoted to them or think they’re snake oil packaged in a fancy glass bottle. No matter which camp you’re in, I think a general consensus can be made that many eye creams tend to be wildly overpriced. (I shamelessly adore La Mer’s Eye Concentrate, but £185 for a 15ml jar is…a lot!)
Here’s where beauty-disruptor The Ordinary comes in. You already know its products (and let’s be honest, love them) for its radically affordable, effective formulations and transparency when it comes to ingredients and cost. The brand’s just-launched Multi-Peptide Eye Serum is no exception; joining a family of peptide-fuelled products for hair, skin, and lashes, The Ordinary’s new eye serum is a hydrating powerhouse for the sub-peeper zone. As fans of the line know, peptides are a tried-and-true ingredient that helps hydrate, plump and build proteins in the skin. The Ordinary’s Multi-Peptide Eye Serum has impressive clinical results to back up these claims: In a four week study, participants saw a 20% reduction in the look of eye bags (and a 50% reduction at 8 weeks), as well as a 28% in dark circles in four weeks (and 53% at 8 weeks). Compared to its existing Caffeine 5% + EGCG Eye Serum (which is all about waking up the eye area and minimising puffiness), the new Multi-Peptide Eye Serum is all about fortifying the skin around the eyes with a more long-lasting hydrating and line-blurring effect. And while it technically qualifies as a serum because of its thinner consistency, it can be used in place of thicker eye creams as a last step in your routine, not as a skincare step before lotions
Ahead of the product’s official drop, four Refinery29 editors got the chance to test it out for months to see if it’s the real deal.
The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Eye Serum, £19.90
Tester: Kate Spencer
Age: 32
Skin Type: Dry/Sensitive
“I’m pretty loyal to the eye cream I’ve been using for years. I have sensitive skin, especially around my eye area, so I tend to stick with what works to avoid any risk of irritation from a new product. But I’ve heard great things about The Ordinary in general — my best friend loves the Multi-Peptide Lash & Brow serum — so although I was hesitant, I was equally excited to try the Multi-Peptide Eye Serum. At first glance, I was pleased that this is a product you can use both day and night and it has no obvious scent. I’ve never used an eye product that is more liquid serum than cream texture, but I got used to it! The texture is light and it absorbs into the skin really well. So far, I’ve had no irritation (which is a relief!) and it’s made my under eyes feel hydrated, which is a challenge especially in winter. I’m looking forward to keeping this product in my skincare routine and would be pleased if it eventually replaced my higher-end eye cream — my wallet would thank me!” — Kate Spencer, Senior Affiliate Strategist R29 US
Tester: Alexandra Polk
Age: 25
Skin Type: Oily
“I have genetic eye bags that will never really go away, so I just try to keep the areas moisturised with nighttime eye creams — which, in the past led to a handful of skin and eye irritation because my skin is sensitive from my prescription retinol. The Ordinary’s serum didn’t disrupt my skin at all these past few weeks, however. It has a silky, low-viscosity texture and glides smoothly across my under eyes, unlike thicker creams. There was no burning, puffiness, or inflammation to be found, despite having a freshly-exfoliated face. While my appearance didn’t drastically change (again, genetics) I noticed my concealer melted into my under-eye area more seamlessly than ever and creased less throughout the day. I think it’s a great product to have in your skincare arsenal since it’s long-lasting, gentle and affordable. I also love that it’s mild enough to use both morning and night without harming your skin.” — Alexandra Polk, Lifestyle Writer, R29 US
Tester: Vivien Lee
Age: 25
Skin Type: Combination
“Even though I’m a night owl whose regular bedtime is around 3 to 4 AM, I rarely get dark circles. The raccoon eyes tend to appear when I skip out on my daily midday nap. As you can guess, with back-to-back travelling for the holidays and hustling for work, I’ve sadly skimped out of numerous naps, and yes, the dark circles have come to say hello. Thankfully I met the Ordinary’s Eye Serum just before they settled in. This is the first time I’ve heard of eye serum, as I usually rely on eye creams and I can declare I’m a fan. I appreciate how it’s gentle, especially with the skin around the eyes being so delicate, and how it doesn’t have that sticky feeling. It truly makes me believe that the serum efficiently absorbs into my skin once I pat it on carefully. After two weeks of use, the dark circles are beginning to shy away, and I’m excited when they fully pack their bags and fly away. Time will tell, but for now, this eye serum has a trusty spot in my morning and night skincare lineup.” — Vivien Lee, Affiliate Fashion Writer, R29 US
Tester: Karina Hoshikawa
Age: 29
Skin Type: Oily
“I’ve raved about The Ordinary’s niacinamide-zinc serum on this website more times than I can count, so I had super high expectations for the brand’s new eye serum. As someone with oily skin, all of my skin care tends to skew lightweight. It was truly love at first touch with this stuff — I’d compare the texture to my favourite essence, which is to say it was thicker than water but barely so. Thicker eye creams tend to make my milia flare up (not to mention, concealer slips right off), so the fact that this eye serum disappeared right into my skin was amazing. After cleansing in the AM and PM, I tapped it gently underneath my eyes, and whatever was left on my fingertips went on my eyelid. (Some products are only safe to use underneath the eyes, FYI, so make sure to ask an opthalmologist or dermatologist if you’re not sure!) I don’t have dark circles (this I attribute to genetics and getting about ten hours of sleep nightly), and since I’m still in my twenties, don’t have wrinkles or crow’s feet, either. I wouldn’t expect this eye serum to reverse any of those things (realistically, products alone won’t), but since my main focuses are on hydrating and strengthening the delicate skin around my eyes, I’d say this product gets a resounding 11/10 in that department.” — Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Writer, R29 US
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