I've been wearing some sort of eye cream for as long as I can remember. Even when I first started caring for my adolescent skin I used face moisturizer for my eye area. I've always thought of eye cream as a preventative measure...kind of like wearing sunscreen...you may not be able to see the immediate benefits, but the delicate area around your eyes will thank you for it later!! Think of it this way: how much pulling, tugging, stretching and other eye acrobatics do you perform when applying eye makeup and concealer? After all that, don't you want to baby your eyes as much as possible? 

Over a month ago, I posted this picture to Instagram. In the caption, I pledged to try each eye cream sample before buying any new eye cream!! I was hoping to maybe find something I like better than my current Holy Grail eye cream, Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Intensive Eye Contour Cream. No such luck, but I did find some really nice products!!

As a starting point, I have a very dry under eye area. Some days are better than others - mainly when I'm not flying for a few days in a row - but for the most part I have to maintain a very hydrating eye regimen. If I don't keep up, then my fine lines are very prominent, I look tired and I simply don't feel right. I'll highlight my eye care regimen in a later post...for now I'll say it usually involves layering :-)

While I didn't use all of these samples until they were finished (why bother if I know I don't like them right away), there was enough in most samples to last at least a week of day/night use, if not 2 weeks!! Remember with most eye creams, a very little bit goes a long way!! What I did was decant each into a sample pot - so save those Sephora and Nordstroms pots!!  

1. Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream - This was one of my top favorites of the bunch!! I didn't find it hydrating enough on its own, but those with normal skin would probably find it more than adequately hydrating. This has a very slight pinky champagne tint that oh-so-subtlely brightens the eye area. It won't cover or hide imperfections, as it isn't a concealer but it helps give the impression that you've had a really great night's sleep!! I'm thinking about purchasing this so that I can keep it on hand for reapplication during the day. 

2. Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Intensive Vitalizing Eye Complex -  Not hydrating enough for me on its own, but I think normal skins would do really well with this. Creamy gel consistency that feels slightly cooling on contact. Layered, it seemed to work as well as the Sunday Riley Start Over Active Eye Cream for my fine lines and for a deeper hydrating base. I might get a full size of this to alternate with the Sunday Riley.

3.  Chanel Ultra Correction Lift - I didn't like this at all because it felt too silicone-y. It also didn't feel as though it absorbed and just sat on top of my skin. 

4. Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye - Almost hydrating enough on its own, so normal skins might find this a perfect overnight treatment. My fine lines were plumped up and gone by morning. I would consider purchasing the full size.  

5. Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream - I didn't realize at first that the packet and box were the same product! Ha ha! Anyway...this was the absolute worst of the bunch. Super greasy and didn't sink in at all. 

6. Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Rejuvenating Eye Treatment Gel - A little more gel like feel than the Moisture Bound Intensive Vitalizing Eye Complex, but slightly more moisturizing. Not moisturizing enough on its own, so normal skins should do well with it. Not greasy in the slightest and does well very well under concealer.  

7. La Prairie Anti-Aging Eye Cream SPF 15 - Eeeek...as much as I did NOT want to like this because of the price ($165/.05oz), I did like it. A lot. While it wasn't quite moisturizing enough on its own, it did very well over my usual Sunday Riley Start Over Active Eye Cream. Plus I really like the SPF protection!! It blended well, was soothing and in very scientific terms...it just felt really good!!! 

Do you have a favorite eye cream, or do you prefer to go without??