My 32-Year-Old Undereyes Felt Like Paper Mâche Until I Used This Eye Cream

In our series Trial Run, TZR editors and writers put the buzziest new beauty products to the test and share their honest reviews. This week, our writer is trying out the new Macrene Actives High Performance Eye Cream.

I’m going to be honest with the group, here — for the longest time, I thought that eye creams were kind of garbage. I know. After a decade as a beauty editor who has spoken to countless dermatologists and aestheticians, I still found myself asking, “Yeah, but do I really need one?”

This was especially true as I got older, and realized that my skin reacted best to a simpler skin care regimen. The least amount of products with the fewest ingredients resulted in an epidermis that was happier, glowier, and less plagued with breakouts. So was I really going to bust open another jar and dab something that was basically extra creamy moisturizer under my eyes? No — no I was not, as a matter of fact. So I’d just smear my typical moisturizer under my eyes and be on my way. But then I had the opportunity to test the new eye cream from Dr. Macrene Alexiades, a top NYC dermatologist (who also helped me with my back acne journey) to see if her formula could convince me if this type of product is a must for a 32-year-old’s skin care routine.

Keep reading for my honest review.

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Fast Facts

• Price: $135
• Size: 15ml
• Clean/Cruelty-Free? Yes
• Best for: Dry, aging, crepey undereyes
• Ingredient highlights: Peptides, hyaluronic acid, organic coffee robusta, squalane, jojoba, and glycerin.
• What we like: No scent, easy to blend, super rich formula.
• What we don’t like: Takes a little bit to fully dry down.
• Suitable for: Dry, aging skin, especially those dealing with fine lines, puffiness, and dryness under the eyes.
• Your rating: 4/5

My Skin

In the past year or so, my undereyes have felt slightly, shall we say, off. They’ve been tighter and drier, and since my 30th birthday, I’ve noticed more and more fine lines cropping up in the area whenever I smile. Now I’m not one to fear any signs of aging. To me, the crows feet that have started to show are just an indicator that I’ve laughed a lot in my life, and is that really something to feel bad about?

The dryness, however, is a different story. By midday, my undereyes would feel so parched that they’d start to get itchy. If my mascara smudged along my lower lashes, it would settle into my fine lines and be more difficult to remove. So, after years of skepticism, I figured it might be time to test drive an eye cream.

The Macrene Actives High Performance Eye Cream

Enter: The Macrene Actives High Performance Eye Cream, which launches on October 3. The formula claims to help depuff while also hydrating, firming, and diminishing the appearance of fine lines. How does it do this? It utilizes ingredients like hyaluronic acids, jojoba, glycerin, and peptides to firm and hydrate your under eyes. Caffeine and squalene depuff and help restore the the skin’s moisture barrier as well.

According to Dr. Alexiades, using the eye cream twice a day is meant to replace the need for cosmetic injectables, meaning your eyes will look so luminous, there’s no need to explore more invasive treatment options. And while hydration was what I was really after, if I was able to cut down on my Botox bill, I’d take that as a cherry on top.

First Impression

Every morning and every evening, after washing my face, applying my toner, and using any serums, I’d apply my eye cream. I tap it along my undereye and up to my lid then around my orbital bone, using my ring finger with very little pressure. (Truly, for all my whining about adding an extra step to my sparse routine, this took all of 30 seconds.)

I loved the way the formula felt right from the start. It’s a thicker, richer cream than your average moisturizer, but it melted into my skin pretty quickly. And while it didn’t leave behind a residue, if you wear undereye concealer during the day, you may want to give it a few minutes before you apply, since it’s super hydrating and it might cause your complexion products to slip.

Overall Thoughts On Macrene Actives High Performance Eye Cream

Since I’ve only been using it for a few weeks, I haven’t seen any huge differences in my fine lines, but my eyes feel so much more moisturized day-to-day. I’ve also noticed my eyes aren’t as puffy when I wake up in the morning, which is a nice little development. I don’t feel the tightness and dryness that I used to with my undereyes, either.

In fact, I was recently traveling for a wedding and forgot to pack my moisturizer and face wash, so I swapped in a different brand in a panic. My skin freaked out — I was dry and breaking out from my cheeks down. The one part of my skin that felt hydrated? My undereyes, thanks to this eye cream.

The Macrene Actives High Performance Eye Cream retails for $135, but since a little goes a long way, it will last you quite a while. And if it does live up to its claims and lets you put off your injectable appointments, either for a few months or indefinitely, it’s a money save. As for me, I’ll keep using it, morning and night, to keep my undereyes hydrated and depuffed. It’s worth the extra step in my skin care routine — and that’s saying something.

BDG product reviews and recommendations are written and conducted by writers and editors with expertise in their fields. Testers often have specific experience with the situation or product at hand, and/or their review or recommendation is provided in consultation with experts. You can learn more about our standards here.