[REVIEW] La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream (Before and After)

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[1]⚗️Ingredients Breakdown [2]Instructions [3]Results VS. Claims [4]Before&After [5]Verdict

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• Price: 20$

• Texture: Semi-thick gel

• What you get: 15ml/0.5 fl.oz

• Cruelty-free: No

• Instagram: @ larocheposay

+INGREDIENTS

+🇪🇺EU/🇬🇧UK version [US version down below]

Ingredients of the La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream: Water, Glycerine, Glycine Soja Protein/Soybean Protein, Sorbitan Oleate, Carbomer (Viscosity Controlling, + Emulsion Stabilising), Caffeine, Isohexadecane (Emollient + Solvent), Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate (Surfactant/Cleansing), Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide (Buffering), Disodium EDTA (Chelating), Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol (Moisturizer/Humectant + Emollient + Deodorant), ♦️Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 80 (Emulsifying + Surfactant/Cleansing), Acrylamide/ Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer (Viscosity Controlling + Emulsion Stabilising), Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Sodium Benzoate (Preservative)

⚗️In-Depth Details of Interesting Ingredients:

Glycerine: Widely used as a quality Hydrator (occurs naturally in skin, and its chemical structure attracts water). You can find this ingredient in most good skin-replenishing products.

Glycine Soja Protein/Soybean Protein: Antioxidant + Potentially Anti-hyperpigmentation (Reduces the absorption of melanosomes (the cells that produce melanin) by Keratinocytes (the cells that constitute the majority of your skin) Anti-Aging (Elastin and collagen-stimulating effects)

Caffeine: Antioxidant (slows down photoaging process) + Wound healing (promotes microcirculation)

Sodium Hyaluronate: Hydrating (water-binding properties) + Wound healing (promotes microcirculation)

Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid: Hyaluronic Acid is a relatively big molecule that tends not to penetrate the skin very deep. After its rise in popularity, different formulators have created smaller or different versions of this molecule. Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid means that this molecule has been ruptured into smaller parts. Depending on the final size of the molecule, it can have different properties. La Roche-Posay does not specify the size, but the properties all center around hydration/moisture, some even exhibiting anti-inflammatory and skin-repairing properties.

♦️Controversial Ingredient:

Ethylhexylglycerin: Either used as a texture enhancer or a preservative. I don't give particular importance to researching these types of ingredients; going to different sites and comparing what's being said about them usually allows me to determine whether they are considered safe to use or not. For this one, incidecoder, Paula's choice, skincarisma, and cosdna all had nothing negative to say. However, the European Union has "classified it as an irritant with limited evidence of eye toxicity," so some people react badly to it, and I happen to be one of those people. Not all eye cream formulations containing Ethylhexylglycerin irritate my eyes, while some have turned the area red immediately upon application. This one didn't make my skin particularly red, but it did irritate my under-eye area with a tingling, slight burning sensation. Also, note that EWG used to classify it as "an irritant with limited evidence of eye toxicity" but now has changed its score from 1/10 to 2/10 as more organizations are classifying it as an irritant. Will the score get higher? Stay tuned to find out.

🇺🇸USA version:

Ingredients of the La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Rehydration Eyes: Water, Glycerine, Carbomer (Viscosity Controlling, + Emulsion Stabilising), Glycine Soja Protein/Soybean Protein, Sorbitan Oleate, Caffeine, Isohexadecane (Emollient + Solvent), Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate (Surfactant/Cleansing), Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide (Buffering), Disodium EDTA (Chelating), Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol (Moisturizer/Humectant + Emollient + Deodorant), Polysorbate 80 (Emulsifying + Surfactant/Cleansing), Acrylamide/ Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer (Viscosity Controlling + Emulsion Stabilising), Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Sodium Benzoate (Preservative)

⚗️Only two differences:

[1]carbomer is higher on the list, so it’s either in higher concentration or the following ingredients are lower in concentrations. It doesn’t matter because it just switched from spot 4 to spot 3. I think this is mainly because the Hydraphase Intense Hyaluronic Acid Eyes is more creamy than gel-like since carbomer is mainly a thickening ingredient.

[2] There is no Ethylhexylglycerin, this is a preservative that my eyes tend to react badly to, and it’s been shown to irritate eyes.

+All in all, both eye creams perform the same, but I would prefer the Hydraphase Intense Hyaluronic Acid Eyes since it has a lower chance to irritate your eye area.

+HOW TO USE THE La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream

01: Cleanse & Moisturise

Cleanse and moisturize the face

02:Apply

Gently massage a small amount of cream with a light dabbing motion to the eye area

03: Massage

To reduce puffiness continue to massage the lower eyelid. Finish by applying light pressure to your temples to activate lymphatic circulation. Lightly tap under eyes.

+What does the La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream do?

Claims taken from the La Roche-Posay product page.

1.A daily eye cream for sensitive and dehydrated skin around the eye contour: This product contains Ethylhexylglycerin, a preservative with the potential to irritate the under-eye area. I’ve tried many eye creams that contain it because it’s a pretty popular preservative. While most of them have irritated or sensitized my eye area, some have not yielded any adverse effects. This one by La Roche-Posay slightly burns and reddens my eye area whenever I apply it. So while I do agree that this is a hydrating eye cream, it is not sensitive-skin friendly. 

2.Intensely hydrates dehydrated skin and smoothes the appearance of signs of dehydration, including dehydration lines and fatigue: Even though it irritates my skin, this product is a good hydrator. It manages to plump up some of my fine lines, but any 'fading' of the lines are more due to the gel texture of this eye cream, which, when applied, reflects light as to make it seem like my eye area is brighter and my fine lines less deep. I think people who are just looking for a basic hydrator (and aren't allergic or sensitized to Ethylhexylglycerin) might enjoy it. The gel is very refreshing when applied but doesn't get absorbed fully, and your skin will be left with a sort of tacky feeling to touch. This contributes to making the eye area dewier and less tired-looking.

3.Hydrate the eye area to leave it feeling refreshed: Again, apart from the redness and slight burning/tingling sensation, the gel texture of this eye cream provides a very refreshing and cooling effect.

If you don’t have sensitive skin or you know for a fact that you’re not allergic or sensitized to Ethylhexylglycerin, the La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream is a good product for people looking for hydration. I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend it to you because there are similarly priced options without this preservative on the market - some deliver more than basic hydration like the Purito Centella Green Level Eye Cream. Alternatively, I would encourage you to buy the US version of this eye cream which is the La Roche Posay Hydraphase Intense Hyaluronic Acid Eyes. It has the same ingredients except for two - a thickener which makes it more creamy than gel-like, and the lack of Ethylhexylglycerin makes it suitable for sensitive skin types. Note, however, that it is more expensive since La Roche-Posay is differently priced in the United States (33$).

All in all, I like this eye cream but using a product that sensitized my eye area is contradictory to the goal of skincare. Especially since inflammation - which is basically the reaction I got with this product, albeit minor- is linked to premature aging in all organs, including the skin.

+BENEFITS:

1. Hydrating enough for most people

2. The gel-type texture is very refreshing on application

3. A little goes a long way

-CONS:

1. Presence of potentially sensitizing ingredients (Ethylhexylglycerine)

2. Made my under-eye area slightly burn
   
   

⚗️⚗️Score: 2.0/5 ——— An okay hydrating and refreshing eye cream. It would get a higher score if it didn’t have Ethylhexylglycerine, which made my under-eye area react to it negatively.

+Amazon: Non-sensitizing US version

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