I Tried the Celeb-Beloved Under-Eye Patches That Instantly Shrink Bags—And They Really Did Work

Like much of the general workforce, I spend the majority of my week staring at a computer screen. From a health standpoint, it’s simply not good—by 4:00 p.m. most days, my eyeballs feel like sheets of glass, my neck is sore from doing the over-the-laptop-hunch, and my head is one Slack notification away from a pounding migraine.

But the worst of it seems to be the bags under my eyes, a side effect from all that screen-induced blue light. Come dinnertime, I look like a zombie, dark and haunted from a day’s worth of writing. I’ve tried everything from classic cucumber slices to trendy ice globes and brightening serums—nothing seems to do the trick. As a last-ditch effort, I ordered Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels ($33) after researching celebrity hacks for brighter under-eyes—and I’m glad I did.

TIP

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Skyn Iceland, Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels (Pack of 8) — $33.00

These cooling patches are infused with Icelandic glacial water that soothes puffy, angry under-eye circle.

These icy eye patches have won the hearts of some of our favorite celebs, like Jessica Alba, Kaley Cuoco, and Cara Delevingne. Kristin Bell and hubby Dax Shepherd have been known to slap them on for some instant “de-puffing,” too, as has Kourtney Kardashian, who swears by them before a big night out. If they can work for A-listers like these folks, surely they’d work their magic on my peasant eyes, too, right?!

Right. Unwrapping these chilly gelées, I could see right away they were the real deal. They’re made by Skyn Iceland, a luxury skin care brand that uses pure ingredients from the Nordic country, which includes arctic cloudberries (which are real, not fictional Dr. Seuss fruits), sea kelp, and Siberian ginseng.

As for these patches, they’re specifically infused with Icelandic glacial water that’s naturally enhanced with skin-loving minerals. They don’t look exactly hydrating—they’re not dripping with water or solution like other cooling patches I’ve used. But the feel is what really makes them stand out from the pack. Just putting them on I could feel a cooling sensation on my fingertips. Under my eyes, it felt like I had been hit by a gust of winter wind, giving my face much-needed icy relief.

After 10 minutes, I peeled them off and was wowed by the results. My circles were less dark and dramatic, as if I hadn’t just worked a full eight-hour day. The skin under my eyes felt firmer and looked visibly brighter, making me look much more awake than I did when I first put them on. And they felt softer, too. Thanks to ingredients like cranberry seed oil and hydrolyzed extensin (a moisturizing protein), the thin skin underneath my eyes felt plumper and moisturized, as if the glacial waters had been sealed deep within my pores.

Now I know why celebs like Kristin Bell and Kourtney Kardashian have been long-time fans of these hydrating heroes—they really provide icy, instant relief. And they leave you way less puffy than before. Topped off with a dollop of brightening moisturizer, Skyn Iceland patches are enough to send those under-eye bags packing.

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