Under-Eye Peptide Cream

The under-eye area is the thinnest skin on the face and the first area to show the effects of fatigue, ageing, and dehydration. It requires a different formulation from the rest of the face — gentler, more emollient, and with actives specifically chosen for the mechanisms of periorbital concerns.

What This Is

The Under-Eye Peptide Cream addresses the three primary under-eye concerns — dark circles, puffiness, and fine lines — through three complementary active systems: peptides for collagen stimulation and fine line reduction, caffeine for puffiness reduction, and niacinamide for pigmentation and brightening. The cream base is significantly more emollient than the face moisturiser, appropriate for the very thin, dry-prone under-eye skin that requires more occlusive moisture support than the thicker facial skin.

The Peptides

Palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 — the two peptides in the widely studied Matrixyl 3000 combination, present at 0.1% combined. These peptides signal skin cells to produce collagen and fibronectin — the structural proteins that give the dermis its thickness and the skin surface its smoothness. In the very thin skin of the under-eye area, where the dermis is significantly thinner than elsewhere on the face, stimulating collagen production reduces the hollowed appearance of the tear trough and the visibility of the fine surface lines that appear first under the eye. The peptide signal is delivered directly to dermal fibroblasts and produces measurable increases in collagen synthesis in research using the Matrixyl 3000 combination at concentrations above 0.05%. Acetyl tetrapeptide-5 at 0.05% — a peptide with specific evidence for reducing under-eye puffiness through its inhibitory effect on ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme), which reduces the fluid accumulation in the periorbital tissue that produces the swollen under-eye appearance. This peptide's mechanism is unique among commonly used cosmetic peptides and specifically addresses the puffiness rather than the pigmentation or fine line aspects of the under-eye concern.

The Caffeine

Caffeine at 2% — a vasoconstrictor that reduces the diameter of the small blood vessels beneath the under-eye skin, which has two effects: it reduces the blood pooling in the periorbital region that contributes to the appearance of dark circles (dark circles have multiple causes — melanin, blood, and structural — and this addresses the vascular component), and it reduces the fluid accumulation around the blood vessels that contributes to puffiness. Caffeine in topical formulation penetrates the epidermis and acts directly on the periorbital capillaries rather than systemic absorption being required — the local concentration effect is what produces the visible depuffing result within twenty to thirty minutes of application.

The Niacinamide

Niacinamide at 3% — lower than the face serum concentration because the under-eye skin is more sensitive to concentration-dependent tingling that niacinamide can cause at higher concentrations. At 3%, niacinamide provides its melanin-transfer inhibition benefit — reducing the contribution of melanin to the dark circle appearance — and its barrier-supporting ceramide stimulation benefit, without the sensitivity risk of the 10% face serum concentration.

The Cream Base

A rich, emollient base — shea butter, squalane, and a small quantity of avocado oil — that provides the occlusive moisture support the under-eye skin requires. The base is fragrance-free and formulated without any potential sensitisers — the under-eye area is in proximity to the eye, and any ingredient that migrates into the eye causes irritation. No essential oils, no fragrance compounds, no retinol (which is contraindicated in the under-eye area due to the thin skin's sensitivity to retinoid irritation).

How to Use

Apply a small amount — a grain-of-rice quantity per eye — with the ring finger (the finger that applies the lightest pressure) by tapping rather than rubbing gently around the orbital bone. Apply after serums and before the face moisturiser in both the morning and evening routines. In the morning, follow with SPF — the under-eye area is one of the most UV-exposed areas of the face and one of the least consistently protected. Store in a cool location — the caffeine is most potent when the cream is cool, and cool application to the under-eye area provides an additional physical depuffing benefit.

Details

15ml. Matrixyl 3000 peptides 0.1%, acetyl tetrapeptide-5 0.05%, caffeine 2%, niacinamide 3%, squalane, shea butter. Free from: parabens, fragrance, retinol, essential oils. Dermatologist-tested. Ophthalmologist-tested. Made in India.