The L'Oreal Collagen Micro-Pulse Eye reeks of the same concept as another product that failed to impress us, the Clarisonic Opal
. However, given that it is a much less expensive version (and optimistically speaking, could possibly give more bang for less of your buck), it only seems fair to judge it on it's own accord.
The Collagen Micro-Pulse Eye is supposed to pulse away puffiness, wrinkles and dark circles with it's Collagen and Erasyl Eye Cream, while stimulating circulation and unclogging blood vessels with its micro-pulse massager.
Based on ingredients alone, there are a few red flags. Mineral oil is a potential irritant, and high up on the list. Lithium magnesium sodium silicate could be irritating to the eye area and triethanolamine
could cause allergic reactions including eye problems.
As Marta noted in a review on L'Oreal's alfalfa collagen rebuilder
, alfalfa extract has no proven research to back it up as a 'collagen bio-activator' like L'Oreal claims it is, although it does contain saponins that have antioxidant properties.
That isn't to say that I wasn't happier with some of the other ingredients. Caffeine
is present here to fight free radicals and reduce puffiness, which it does by constricting the blood vessels in the delicate eye area. There's also n-hydroxysuccinimide in the formula, which is supposed to activate the elimination of blood originated pigments responsible for dark eye circles.
And there is Matrixyl
3000 in this product, a combination of palmitoyl tetrapeptide- 7 and palmitoyl-oligopeptide, which together can boost the growth of connective tissues, naturally increase the production of collagen in the skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Marta has seen it work for herself, as have some readers.
Topped with the inclusion of what is called soluble collagen, which according to the Cosmetic Safety Database
is a “nonhydrolyzed, native protein derived from the connective tissue of young animals...and consists essentially of a mixture of the precursors of mature collagen.”, the serum itself seems like it could be somewhat effective at a reasonable cost.
I'm not so sure if the massager makes much of a difference in the absorption of this serum, but if it does help with circulation, it'd probably be better at reducing those dark circles. And at just $21 instead of Clarisonic's hefty $280, it's a lot easier to toss out or refill without wincing in dismay at the bill.
aqua/water, dimethicone, paraffinum liquidum/mineral oil, glycerin, alcohol denat, nylon-66, myristyl myristate, stearic acid, palmitic acid, peg-100 stearate, glyceryl stearate, lithium magnesium sodium silicate, peg-20 stearate, stearyl alcohol, triethanolamine, caffeine, medicago sativa extract/alfalfa extract, palmitoyl oligopeptide, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, ammonium polyacryldimethyltauramide, ammonium polyacryloyldimethyl taurate, soluble collagen, n-hydroxysuccinimide, chrystin, cetyl alcohol, tocopheryl acetate, phenoxyethanol, caprylyl glycol