This New Serum Promises a ‘Temporary Eye Lift in a Tube,’ and It Made My Under-Eye Wrinkles Disappear in 15 Minutes

When I heard that IT Cosmetics—a brand that’s known for its makeup products for mature skin—was debuting a new product billed as a “temporary eye lift in a tube,” I was eager to find out if it would deliver. I was admittedly skeptical, considering that my last experience with an eye cream that promised these types of results was not a good one. It happened in Las Vegas when I allowed someone hawking “miracle eye cream” at a mall kiosk to apply the product to my right eye. Several minutes later, the skin around my eye was uncomfortably frozen, my eyeliner and mascara were caked and faded, and I walked around the rest of the night with one side of my face looking like I was auditioning for a role in a zombie movie.

Understandably, this left me a bit wary, but my concerns were somewhat eased when I learned that IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Bags ($40) was formulated to adapt to facial movements and that 90 percent of users in a consumer study said the treatment “feels comfortable on the skin.”

IT Cosmetics, Bye Bye Under Eye Bags — $40.00

Developed after a decade of dermatological research, the eye treatment promises to reduce the appearance of moderate to severe eye bags and fine lines, along with puffiness and crepey skin under the eyes in 15 minutes. The cream uses a patented honeycomb technology to form a flexible adhesive film that compresses and depuffs undereye bags while tightening and smoothing the undereye area without pulling or cracking.

The translucent finish also allows the cream’s blurring effects to work on all skin tones and types, and—bonus—it can be worn over makeup, making it perfect for someone like me who tends to forget to apply products until it’s too late. (The treatment is designed to be the last step of your routine, so you shouldn’t apply makeup or any other products over it.)

What happened when I tried IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Bags

I began by applying the cream as directed—gently gliding a pea-sized amount from the inner to the outer corner of each eye two to three times, then blending outward towards my cheekbone and hairline. Then came the hard part—waiting 15 minutes without squinting, smiling, or generally moving my facial muscles to allow the product to dry. Although I felt a tightening sensation within seconds and started seeing results happening in less than a minute, I did as told, sat still, and waited.

When I looked in the mirror after the required dry time, the darkness under my eyes, crow’s feet, and fine lines under my eyes were noticeably reduced, and my eyes looked more lifted overall. Although I did feel a slight pull and tightness under my eyes, it wasn’t uncomfortable.

The tightness was less noticeable when I applied the cream over makeup, which I can happily report did not cake or run during the application or throughout the day.

Simply put, this treatment works, but note that it’s intended to be a quick fix and should not replace other products in your skin-care arsenal. Instead, it should be used to complement other de-puffing and line-reducing ingredients in your eye-care routine, like peptides, niacinamide, and retinol. It’s also strictly a daytime treatment, shouldn’t be worn overnight, and should be removed with an oil-based eye makeup remover. (I can vouch this is the only way you can get all of it off.) The cream is ophthalmologist tested, suitable for sensitive skin, vegan, and paraben- and fragrance-free.

All in all, the product definitely delivers the intended “eye lift” effect. While I won’t use it daily, it will be a go-to for any special occasions or nights on the town when my eyes need a little something extra to look their best. It would also be great to use after a night of little sleep or too much partying—which makes it perfect for my next trip to Vegas, where I plan on quickly walking by any mall kiosk selling eye lifts in a bottle.