This French Eye Cream’s Secret Ingredient Is 62x More Effective Than Vitamin C—and It’s 20% Off for Prime Day

I have bad news (for myself): I’ve been having trouble sleeping. (Does anyone truly get adequate sleep these days?) And, like one can guess, you can tell by my eyes. Usually, when I don’t get enough zzzs, I’m left with those infamous designer under-eye bags. But now I’m noticing more dark circles than usual. I’m working on my sleep issue (magnesium, baby!), but in the meantime, I need a little bit of reinforcements. Enter: Caudalie’s Vinoperfect Dark Circle Brightening Eye Cream with Niacinamide (normally $55, now $45), my new holy grail for faking a restful eight hours of sleep when I need it most.

Good news for my fellow insomniacs—the French eye cream and all the brand’s luxury skincare products are 20 percent off for Amazon Prime Day, happening July 16 and 17.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Dark Circle Brightening Eye Cream with Niacinamide — $44.00

Originally $55

Pros:

• Instantly effective
• Soothes and cools inflamed under-eye area with cooling tip
• Features a proprietary formula that’s been clinically proven to work
• Lasts a long time (a little bit goes a long way)
• Applicator is much more hygienic than tub
• No added fragrance (great for sensitive skin)

Cons:

• Expensive
• Maybe take a couple weeks to show long-term results

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How it works: 

When it comes to Caudalie, grapes are like gold. Allegedly, young women working in the French vineyards back in the day used to rub grapevine sap on their faces and hands, which helped combat the damage that resulted from long hours working in the sun. Caudalie took this knowledge and studied the skin benefits of the extract. Since 1999, the French brand has used these active ingredients, calling the vine “an inexhaustible treasure of benefits and riches.”

For the Vinoperfect Brightening Eye Cream in particular, the vine-based hero ingredient is viniferine, which was shown to be 62 times more effective than vitamin C. It also contains caffeine, a known ingredient to visibly awaken the eyes (and my brain in the morning), and my favorite, niacinamide.

For the uninformed, niacinamide helps with skin texture and discoloration, among other benefits. Because it’s versatile, suitable for all skin types, and gentle on the skin, it complements many other skin-care ingredients. “Niacinamide is a well-studied antioxidant that nearly approaches the amount of published scientific investigation that we have on retinoids and L-ascorbic acid [vitamin C] in terms of substantiated benefits,” Loretta Ciraldo, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Dr. Loretta Skincare, previously told Well+Good, calling it a “very skin-friendly ingredient.” Gentle, yet powerful, no wonder I like it.

My honest review:

First, I love the vehicle the eye cream comes in, which is a tube and ceramic applicator. While I have many favorite eye creams that come in jars, I can’t stress just how much easier (not to mention more sanitary) it is to apply an eye cream without having to dip my fingers in a tub. The bulbous ceramic tip is naturally cold, making the experience of the application entirely soothing. I’ve looked forward to applying it every night and morning. After a few days of regular application, I saw improvement in my under-eye circles. My eyes looked brighter and less tired, despite the fact that I’m still working on my sleep schedule.

Now, to the niacinamide aspect. I’ve noticed that whenever I use a skin-care product that contains this ingredient, my skin looks incredible. (See: my Alastin A-Luminate review). While I’m a longtime fan of Caudalie’s other products (the Beauty Elixir, hello!), this eye cream is a cherished new addition to my eye care lineup. This is definitely one that I’ll want to keep in stock long after I hit empty. In fact, I can’t wait to see what my eyes will look like after longtime use. I have more fine lines in my area these days and some pigmentation that could use a little help. But if I could bet money on the Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Eye Cream, I would.

What other reviewers say

I’m not the only one who’s a fan. “I have mature skin, crows feet, dark circles, and puffiness. I’ve noticed that the puffiness around my eyes has reduced and the dark circles have become lighter. The eye cream has a cooling ceramic applicator that helps with the puffiness and gives a lot of relief. It immediately moisturizes and cools my under eyes. I really love this product,” one shopper writes on Caudalie’s site.

Another says, “I’ve only been using this for less than a month and have already seen such a big difference! I will be repurchasing for the foreseeable future and already bought my mom the other eye cream. The applicator is also fantastic.”

No matter your sleep schedule, don’t snooze on this eye cream. Get yours for 20 percent off at Amazon during Prime Day on July 16-17 here.