It’s been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. If that’s true, my windows need some new panes, fresh paint, and a good scrub: I have dark circles under some tired-looking lids with fine lines and wrinkles to boot.
The area around your eyes has the most thin, sensitive, and delicate skin, so it makes sense that it needs the most upkeep. Unfortunately, I don’t always include my eye zone in my skincare routine, so I need something that does all the work at once. That’s why I tried out Guerlain’s Abeille Royale Eye Cream.
What is it?
Guerlain’s Abeille Royale Multi-Wrinkle Minimizer Eye Cream uses Ouessant black bee honey, an exclusive royal jelly, and hyaluronic acid to hydrate, plump, and re-densify the eye zone and minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It has Guerlain’s Thierry Wasser fragrance—a fresh and airy honey scent— and a creamy, balm-like texture that melts into the skin and absorbs quickly.
This smoothing eye cream also reduces puffiness and dark circles for a bright, even, and youthful look as it stimulates, repairs, and rejuvenates the skin. Not only is it ophthalmologically tested, but it also uses 94% naturally derived ingredients (the other 6% help create the smooth texture and improve the cream’s shelf-stability) and comes in an eco-designed jar that uses 30% less glass by weight than the original Abeille Royale range launched in 2016.
Pros
There is so much to love about this eye cream. It truly is rich and creamy, so it not only hydrates and conditions the skin, but it also has a soothing and refreshing effect. The fragrance is also heavenly with its light, fresh, clean, and lightly sweet aroma.
Because this cream soothes the skin, it’s perfect for tired eyes. Even with sensitive skin or eyes, there is no irritation at all: No itching, burning, or redness.
After applying, you can feel this cream tone and smooth the skin. It makes the eye area look immediately brighter, softer, and plumper, without any unwanted puffiness. As I used this cream over several days/weeks, I also could see it continue to improve the look of my dark circles as well my under-eye wrinkles, crow’s feet, and frown lines.
I also love this eye cream because you can use it all the way up to the brow bone to hydrate and transform the entire eye zone. After letting it dry, I applied some concealer under my eyes and didn’t notice any pilling, so I like to use it both in the morning and at night.
Cons
This is a very rich and thick eye cream. You do not need to apply a lot to see results. Because you only need to apply a thin layer, however, it’s easy to accidentally apply too much, which can lead it to peeling or leaving a residue-like or even sticky feeling behind.
If you notice this, I recommend using this cream at night only. These effects likely occur because it’s being applied too thickly, so using it as a night eye cream will help mitigate those issues.
Also, while this cream does immediately hydrate and brighten the under-eye areas, it takes longer before the lines and wrinkles are significantly smoothed out. It can be discouraging to not see those results right away.
Finally, this cream is on the expensive side; it’s a high-end product from a nearly 200-year-old company. However, not only do you get what you pay for with this product, but again, you don’t need to use a lot at a time, so it lasts for a good while. Also, as always, we offer this eye cream at an incredible price and you’ll even get free shipping with your order.
Alternatives
If you’re still looking to try different eye creams or get different results, there are other eye creams out there.
La Mer’s The Eye Concentrate is a fast-absorbing and hydrating cream that also uses antioxidants. It is primarily for minimizing dark circles, fine lines, and wrinkles as well as protecting the skin from signs of aging. However, this formula is more than twice the price of Guerlain’s Abeille Royale Eye Cream and it doesn’t work as well at reducing puffiness or signs of fatigue.
From the same brand, Guerlain also has its Orchidee Imperiale Black – The Eye and Lip Contour Cream, which smooths lines and wrinkles and makes the skin look denser, tauter, less tired, and more radiant. However, it doesn’t tackle puffiness, dark circles, or plumping the skin. Also, it is significantly more expensive.
This eye cream has a floral orchid scent with rose, white musk, precious cedarwood, as opposed to the honey scent of the Abeille Royale formula. The Orchidee Imperiale Black cream also got its results from self-assessed satisfaction surveys. The Abeille Royale Eye Cream used those as well, but it also got its results from clinical assessments.
On the less expensive end, Shiseido’s Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream hydrates the skin and minimizes wrinkles, but it doesn’t deal with dark circles, puffiness, or fatigue. Then Peter Thomas Roth’s FIRMx Collagen Eye Cream uses collagen and collagen-supporting ingredients to hydrate, firm, and smooth the skin while reducing dark circles and puffiness, but I’ve found it can also irritate sensitive eyes and even swell allergy-prone skin.
Verdict
Overall, I would give this eye cream a rating of 4.5/5. I am extremely impressed with the results I’ve gotten, but I can’t be sure every person will have the same success as me.
Also, I understand it might be on the pricier side for some, but because it lasts for so long by only needed a bit at a time, and because it works so well, I think it’s at least worth a try.
For questions, concerns, or article ideas, feel free to reach out to our eCosmetics Beauty Editor directly at beauty@ecosmetics.com.
