Clinique PEP START eye cream review

Overall score : 2.7

Clinique Pep start eye cream is very unique in its approach. It claims to reduce symptoms of fatigue, which are overlooked by most creams. Hydrating, moisturizing and depuffing the eyes are its major functions. It also reduces dark circles in the long run. If you don’t have stubborn age related issues and need a maintenance product for your daily beauty regimen, it is the right choice. It has been formulated to provide instant freshness and reduce signs of sleeplessness. Being light in weight it can be worn under make up too. However, some users have reported it to be inefficient in reducing the puffiness of the under eye area. People who need a fortified product that can fight all stubborn signs of ageing, around the eye area, can find better products in the market like Eyelasticity which we recommend over Clinique Pep start.

REVIEW OVERVIEW
Cost
Safety
Effectiveness
User reviews

Category: Anti aging skin care
Review Topic: wrinkle creams

Introduction:

‘Pep start eye cream’ is a product developed by Clinique is a solution for reducing the most visible symptoms of fatigue, like puffiness and dryness. It has been produced by a trustworthy company, which is known for making dermatologically tested products which will not cause any sort of allergy or side effects.

The company promises to use latest innovations, to provide its customers with products that contain no artificial fragrances or synthetic preservatives.

All of us will agree, that being over tired and stressed is most evidently reflected from our face. And more precisely, by the area near our eyes! This cream is a solution such that it will make you cover up signs of fatigue instantly!

This cream promises:

  • Instant hydration
  • Moisturize the skin
  • Light weight so gets easily absorbed
  • De puffs the eyes
  • Reduce wrinkles and fine lines
  • Brightening action
  • Safe for the sensitive skin around your eyes

Let’s find out what does the product contains?

Some main ingredients are:

Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate both act as humectants: molecules that are hygroscopic, drawing it in either from deeper layers of the skin or even the air. Shea butter, phytosphingosine and squalane are also added to improve the barrier function of the skin, so that it does not let the moisture escape.

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (commonly known as Argireline) is a synthetic peptide that has been dubbed ‘BOTOX in a jar’ as it is able to block the pathway that we use for repetitive muscle contraction and by doing so, minimize the formation of lines and wrinkles!

Shea butter is a skin superfood that comes from the seeds of the fruit of the Shea (Karite) tree and that is naturally rich in vitamins A and E. Apart from providing moisturizing benefits, it is also known to have anti inflammatory properties. This, may help to reduce puffiness in the under eye area.

Ceratin compounds fount in shea fat, have been found to have anti inflammatory properties. (NCBI) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20484832

Algae  is a promising ingredient that is known for radiance-boosting properties! Some species of algae have been reported to brighten the complexion, while some are loaded with anti oxidants. Particularly, which algae has been used by Clinique, is not mentioned in the ingredient list.

Yeast extract are known to improve the overall condition of your skin. They are known to reduce oxidative stress and also have moisturizing and soothing properties.

A quick scan of the ingredients reveals, that :

Argireline, helps to reduce visible wrinkles and fine lines when complemented with Hyaluronic acid (here sodium hyaluronate derivative is used). Its action is proven by scientific research and clinical tests.

But a major problem related to fatigue is puffed under eye skin.

Shea butter is the only ingredient to be found in the product, which has moderate anti inflammatory properties.

But Does It Act Instantly, On Puffed Eyes?

De puffing under eye skin needs enhanced blood circulation to drain out the excess of collected liquid.

It also contains some peptides that will help to rejuvenate your skin.

We can say that the cream will hydrate, moisturize and instantly soothe your skin. Being light in weight it is easy to use, twice daily. It can be easily worn under make up. It will reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

But the product does not have any super ingredient that will INSTANTLY reduce puffiness and dark circles which are the most evident signs of fatigue!

The conclusion is that this cream is a ‘maintenance product’ rather than being a treatment for your under eye skin. It may help to refresh and hydrate your skin to a certain extent, but won’t help to potently treat any ageing symptom in the long term. 

If you do not have ‘stubborn’ dark circles, under eye bags, or wrinkles and need a product to maintain your youthful glow daily, then it is a perfect solution for you! 

   

  1. Ingredient profile:

 

The official website, of this product does not provide any detailed information about the ingredients.  Ingredients can be summarized as:

  • Peptides– eg. Argireline stimulate collagen production to make the skin smoother, plumper, and overall-younger-looking.
  • Plant-based antioxidants– (from algae and yeast)  fight and protect the skin against free radicals that are the root cause of skin aging.
  • Shea butter– an excellent moisturizing agent that also works to nourish the skin and treat* a wide variety of skin problems like allergies and eczema.
  • Squalane– the more stable form of squalene derived from olive oil; like shea butter, it is known for its moisturizing properties and effectiveness in treating numerous skin conditions.

 

Full ingredient list:

Water\Aqua\Eau, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Squalane, Cetyl Esters, Dimethicone, Methyl Gluceth-20, Polyethylene, Glycereth-26, Polybutene, Sucrose, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Sigesbeckia Orientalis (St. Paul’s Wort) Extract, Algae Extract, Molasses Extract\Saccharum Officinarum\Extrait De Melasse, Sapindus Mukurossi Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Whey Protein\Lactis Protein\Proteine Du Petit-Lait, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Caffeine, Phytosphingosine, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Yeast Extract\Faex\Extrait De Levure, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Protein, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Sucrose Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-8, Sodium Hyaluronate, Simethicone, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Dextran, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).

 3. Editor’s Note:- Why we recommend Eyelasticiy cream by Skinception over Clinique’s ‘Pep Start Eye cream’?

 

Eyelasticity– the age defying therapy is an amazing product by Skinception, which is meant to work on the sensitive skin around your eyes.

The natural peptides and botanicals used are proven to reduce the most stubborn signs of aging around your eyes. The formulation helps rejuvenate, elastin and collagen naturally! Elastin and collagen are the two main protein components of the skin and are essential to maintaining a youthful and healthy skin!

  • Clinique is known for not using any parabens, sulfates, synthetic preservatives and fragrances. Same is the case with skinception’s Eyelasticity cream!

It contains patented age defying compounds along with other natural ingredients too.

The cream has been manufactured, while keeping in mind almost all your needs. Not leaving any stone unturned, Eyelasticity helps repair damaged skin, potently reducing wrinkles and other signs of ageing.

Unlike Clinique’s Pep Start Eye this one is not a maintenance product, but a complete ‘TREATMENT’ to rejuvenate the under eye area.

The benefits that Eyelasticity provides can be listed as:

  • Reduced crow’s feet
  • Reduced laugh lines
  • Lessen under eye dark circles
  • Lessen puffiness
  • Reduce eye bags
  • Induce more collagen and elastin production
  • Younger looking skin
  • Reduce sagging and more!

How does it work?

Eyelasticity is an anti-aging eye cream specifically designed to nurture the skin in the eye area, with:

  • improved blood and oxygen circulation
  • less fluid accumulation
  • fewer muscle contractions that can lead to lines.

This means it’s area-specific, designed to take years off your eyes

  • What sets it apart from similar products is the fact that it is backed by clinical data and the complete details are available on the product’s website.

The formulation:

These are the main ingredients which the company features. They are proven to provide eye therapy results:

  • Eyeseryl®. Eyeseryl is a patented tetrapeptide ingredient that targets puffiness and dark shadows present in the eye area. According to clinical trials, Eyeseryl® has been found to decrease eye puffiness by up to 95% in the vast majority of people who have tried it for a period of 60 days.
  • Syn®-ake. A patented synthetic tripeptide compound, which works the same way as snake venom to “freeze” the skin muscles, producing a powerful tightening effect. The ingredient has been found to reduce fine lines in a 1 month period, by up to 20% (according to clinical tests).
  • Regu®-age. Another powerful ingredient specially formulated by soy and rice peptides, that targets age-related puffiness and dark circles. In clinical trials, Regu®-age has demonstrated an ability to significantly increase puffiness and dark circles, after a period of two months.
  • ProCollONe+.  ProCollONe+ is a soya-derived glycopeptide developed to encourage natural collagen production in the eye area. According to clinical trials, ProCollONe+  was able to increase skin smoothness by up to 78%, in a period of 7 weeks.

The long list of ingredients used for the formulation features, among others:

  • Gingko biloba extract
  • Aloe Vera leaf juice
  • Beta glucan
  • Acetyl tetrapeptide-5
  • Glycerin
  • Glycine Soja (soybean) protein
  • Oxido reductases
  • Hydrolyzed rice bran protein
  • Grape seed extract
  • Green tea leaf extract
  • Hydrolyzed soybean fiber
  • Caprylic capric triglycerides

As we can read above, it contains natural ingredients like aloe vera juice, green tea extract etc which will keep your skin hydrated.

  • It’s a formulation that provides all the results that Clinique’s pep Start Eye cream provides, with additional age defying results too! This one is a complete package that you can trust!

No potentially harmful ingredients have been found in this product. While minor side effects can occur, as stated by the manufacturer.

The product has a cGMP certification.The company claims to provide evident results in just 4 weeks! The parent company Skinception, like all its other products provides a hassle free, 90 days money back guarantee.

It is a costly product, so the company offers different packages at affordable prices. You’re in a postion to buy any of the package that might suit you! And return the product without any hassles, if it fails to produce results!

  • We strongly recommend Eyelasticity over Clinique’s Pep Start Eye cream, for people who are looking for a two in one solution that provides daily hydration and glow as well as defy STUBBORN age related problems that become visible in the under eye area.

 

  1. Positive Customer reviews on Clinique’s Pep Start Eye cream:

 

  • I use this eye cream on busy mornings. A quick refreshing lift for your eye area.

 

  • I simply love this eye cream! It contains a superstar mix of ingredients (peptides, caffeine, hyalurinic acid) and I love that it can be used during the day vs. just in the morning or before bed. My fine lines/smile lines have pretty well vanished. I really love how it made my eyes looked so refreshed even just a few minutes after application. Would definitely include this in my daily routine.

 

  • Yes, I would recommend this product to a friend.
  • I found this cream is more on the hydrating side than the brightening side – I’ve been using it regularly for about three weeks and my undereyes seem less baggy in the morning, but are still quite dark. It does hydrate and absorb quickly as described but I found the applicator a little hard to get used to.
  • I like the product, it’s one of the few that helps smooth the lines under my eyes and lighten spots around my eyes. Tough to close the tube without squirting a little product out and wasting it. I always put my lid on before pushing it closed.
  • This is not an ovenight, miracle cream, but it works really, really well at de-puffing and brightening if used regularly. I got this as a deluxe sample, liked it and used the whole thing, but wasn’t sure whether to repurchase – after about a week without it, I immediately ordered the full-size! The sample took a couple months to use, and so I guess I had forgotten how sleep-deprived I looked all the time before I got it, but it really does a great job of minimizing dark circles and puffiness and just make me look more awake/alive. As a PhD student who’s also been planning her wedding all year, trust me, I know what dark circles look like, and this fixes them. I’m only giving it 4 starts instead of 5 because I’m skeptical of how much it does for wrinkles – I don’t have many yet, but haven’t really noticed any difference in those I do have.

 

  • One of my favorite things about this eye cream is that it’s in a tube and not a jar! Which means all the beneficial ingredients are protected from light and air and won’t lose it’s potency. It’s very hydrating and a little goes a long way! I think this eye cream is great for young people who are just starting to take more care of their skin. And the price is great too! It’s very hard to find an eye cream of this quality at a great price like this.

 

  1. Negative customer reviews on Clinique’s Pep Start Eye cream:

 

  • This does the job, it doesn’t do anything special but I like it because it sets my concealer really well. It doesn’t pill. It doesn’t sting my eyes and its unscented.

 

  • Did not notice the difference it states it will make. Cream still feels nice. I still look tired and puffy.

 

  • Feels good, but i can’t see any difference after applying the product….I don’t know, maybe I wasn’t aware of the minute differences if it works
  • Used it for a few months and nothing happened. Everything it says it does it doesn’t. Super disappointed! I will not be purchasing this again…
  • Doesn’t do anything. If anything really it gave me more prominent wrinkles under my eyes than I had before. Going to return it soon.
  • This product didn’t really do anything. I have dark circles and puffiness around my eyes. I have used this product for a couple weeks and I don’t see any difference. I was kind of disappointed and now I need to find something else.
  • I have dark circles and I see no difference whatsoever! I’m almost done with the whole tube & I haven’t seen any results.

References:

https://www.sephora.com/product/pep-start-eye-cream-P403817

https://www.allure.com/review/clinique-pep-start-eye-cream

https://makeupandbeauty.com/clinique-pep-start-eye-cream-review/

https://www.clinique.com/product/1683/39657/skin-care/eye-lip-care/clinique-pep-start-eye-cream

http://www.beautybythegeeks.com/clinique-pep-start-eye-cream-review/

https://www.consumerhealthdigest.com/eye-cream-reviews/clinique-pep-start-eye-cream.html

https://www.beautypedia.com/skin-care-reviews/by-brand/clinique/_/Pep-Start-Eye-Cream

https://wellnessmama.com/27324/shea-butter-benefits/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20484832

https://www.lorealparisusa.com/ingredient-library/yeast-extracts.aspx

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