What do you do when you need to leave your house in 10 minutes and your eyes are so puffy, you look like you’ve been crying all night? Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels promises to come to the rescue and depuff the delicate eye are in a jiffy. Does it deliver? I’ve put it to the test to find out:
What’s In Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels?
POLYACRYALIC ACID TO MINIMIZE FINE LINES
Polyacryalic Acid is a multitasker. It can be used as thickening agent, texture enhancer, and emulsion stabilizer. Here, it acts a film-forming agent. In plain English, it creates a thin, flexible film that gives a smooth feeling on the skin that helps minimize puffiness and fine lines. Of course, the result is temporary. Wash it off and your skin goes back to its original state.
OLIVE OIL TO MOISTURISE SKIN
Olive oil is derived from pressed olives. The greenish yellow liquid is rich in vitamins, antioxidants and moisturising fatty acids. Fatty acids create a protective barrier on the skin that locks moisture in and protects it from environmental aggressors. The result? Hydrated, soft, and smooth skin. Plus, it’s loaded with antioxidants like:
All together, they help prevent premature winkle and dark spots.
P.S. Olive oil isn’t the only natural oil here. But it’s the one that does the bulk of the work.
Related: 4 Skincare Uses For Olive Oil
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ARGIRELINE TO FREEZE WRINKLES… OR NOT?
Argireline is the nickname for Acetyl Hexapeptide-8. Brands want you to think it’s an alternative to Botox, but that ain’t true. Like Botox, Argireline was created to stop muscle movements. If muscles can’t move, they can’t etch wrinkles onto your face overtime.
A study published by the International Journal of Cosmetic Science in 2002 shows that a cream with 10% Argireline (way more than the amount usually used in skincare products) applied “on healthy women volunteers reduced wrinkle depth up to 30% upon 30 days treatment”.
Sounds impressive, if it weren’t for one not-so-tiny detail. Argireline can barely penetrate skin. Even after a few hours, it doesn’t get beyond the uppermost layers of skin. If it can’t get past that, how can it stop muscles from moving?!
Sure, there are ways to make it go deeper into the skin. For example, by increasing the water content in the emulsion. But even then, the results don’t even come close to what Botox does. Personally, this is a peptide I’d leave on the shelf. More often than not, it does NOTHING for your skin.
Related: The Truth About Argireline: Is It Really An Alternative To Botox?
The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients
NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products.
- Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin.
- Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet).
- Red: What is this doing here?!
- Water/Aqua/Eau: this is just the base that holds everything together. Think of it as the canvas for all the other ingredients to shine on.
- Glycerin: the hydration workhorse. It pulls water into your skin so it feels plump and soft instead of tight and dry.
- Angelica Archangelica Root Water*: a plant water with antioxidant and soothing properties, traditionally used to calm skin and protect it from stress.
- Sodium Hydroxide: not as scary as it sounds! It’s here just to balance the pH so the formula is skin-friendly.
- Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract: packed with antioxidants, it helps fight free radicals and may boost microcirculation for a fresher-looking complexion.
- Hydrolyzed Extensin: a plant protein fragment that helps support the skin barrier and improve hydration.
- Agar: derived from seaweed, this helps give the product a nice gel-like consistency. It also lightly hydrates.
- Caprylyl Glycol: a skin-conditioning ingredient that also doubles as a preservative booster to keep the formula fresh.
- Perfluorodecalin: a fancy oxygen-carrying molecule that can help skin look more revitalized and energized.
- Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil: technically a liquid wax, not an oil, but your skin loves it because it mimics your natural sebum. Super balancing and non-greasy.
- Xanthan Gum: another natural thickener that helps keep the texture smooth and stable.
- Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10): a powerful antioxidant that protects skin from environmental stress and helps keep it firm and youthful.
- Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf Extract: has antimicrobial properties, so it helps keep skin clear and fresh.
- Buddleja Davidii Extract: rich in antioxidants, known for helping protect skin from sun damage and premature aging.
- Rubus Chamaemorus (Arctic Cloudberry) Seed Oil: a rare berry oil bursting with vitamins C and E, it brightens and strengthens the skin barrier.
- Oxycoccus Palustris (Arctic Cranberry) Seed Oil: full of omega fatty acids and antioxidants to deeply nourish and calm irritation.
- Aluminum Glycinate: used to condition and protect the skin, also helps stabilize the formula.
- Polysorbate 60: an emulsifier that makes sure oil and water mix nicely without separating.
- Ceramide NP: one of the superstar lipids your skin barrier naturally makes. Adding more helps repair dryness and strengthen your barrier.
- 1,2-Hexanediol: a humectant and preservative that helps keep skin hydrated while preventing bacteria from growing in the product.
- Sucrose Palmitate: a sugar-based emulsifier that also makes the product feel smooth on the skin.
- Potassium Sorbate: a gentle preservative that prevents mold and yeast from setting up camp in your cream.
- Sodium Benzoate: another preservative, this one fights off bacteria to keep your product safe to use.
- Component of Icelandic Glacial Water: a mineral-rich water source that brings natural trace elements for skin vitality.
Texture
These feel like little jelly patches straight out of the spa fridge. They’re cool to the touch (even before you pop them in the fridge, which you totally can for extra oomph) and stick nicely under your eyes without sliding around. They’re thin enough to feel comfortable but thick enough that you know they’re not going to dry out after five minutes. Basically, the kind of texture that makes you go “ahhh” the second you put them on.
Fragrance
Good news if your nose is picky: these don’t really smell like anything. No overpowering floral perfume, no chemical weirdness, just… neutral. Which is perfect because no one wants a cloud of fragrance hovering under their eyes while they’re trying to relax.
How To Use It
Super simple. You peel off the backing, plop one under each eye, and let them do their thing for about ten minutes. I like using them in the morning when my face is saying “nope” after a bad night’s sleep, or right before makeup if I want that smooth, de-puffed look. Bonus tip: keep them in the fridge and thank me later. The cooling effect is next-level refreshing.
Packaging
These come in little single-use packets, and honestly, that’s both the blessing and the curse. On one hand, it’s genius – you tear one open, slap the patches on, and you don’t have to deal with dried-out gels or digging through a messy jar. They stay fresh until the second you need them, which makes them perfect to stash everywhere: bathroom, purse, travel bag, even your office drawer for those “why do I look like I haven’t slept in a week?” emergencies. On the other hand, you’re tearing through a lot of packets if you actually rely on them. Not the most eco-friendly thing in the world, and definitely not the cheapest if you want to use them on the regular. But for convenience? They win.
Performance & Personal Opinion
Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels are huge. These adhesive patches fit nicely under the eye area (and beyond!). The first thing I noticed when I put it on was the tightness. It felt like I couldn’t move my skin at all, which was a bit uncomfortable. That’s the film formers for you. They “tighten” the eye area, helping to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and flatten the fad pads that cause eye puffiness.
Of course the results are only temporary. It’s a quick-fix, not a long-term solution. But, the effect is truly amazing. I tried the old wives’ remedies such as cucumbers and tea bags, but nothing reduced my bags this quickly. After 10 minutes, my undereye area looked a lot smoother, was a lot softer, and free of puffiness.
These Eye Gels aren’t part of my daily skincare routine, but come in handy on those days when I had a poor night’s sleep, or I have a special occasion to go to. I’ll have to stock up on these for those emergencies.
What I Like About Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels
- They actually de-puff in minutes – like, faster than cucumbers or tea bags ever could.
- My under-eyes feel smoother and softer right away, almost like I got extra sleep I didn’t actually get.
- They don’t slide all over your face, which makes them so much easier to use than those slippery patches that end up on your cheeks.
- They’re basically a little emergency kit for your eyes – weddings, interviews, hangovers, you name it.
What I Don’t Like About Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels
- That tightening feeling is real, and sometimes it’s like, “am I allowed to move my face right now?”
- The effect doesn’t last all day – you look great for a few hours, but it’s not fixing anything long-term.
- The packets pile up fast, so it’s not the most planet-friendly situation.
- If you get hooked, your wallet is going to notice because they’re not exactly budget-friendly.
Who Should Use It?
If you’re the kind of person who wakes up with puffy eyes, or you’ve got a big event and need to look alive in ten minutes flat, these are made for you. They’re like a cheat code for looking well-rested when you’re anything but. Brides, frequent flyers, new moms, or literally anyone who’s ever rolled out of bed and thought, “oh god, my face” – you’ll love them. Just don’t expect them to be your forever anti-aging solution. They’re a quick-fix, not a miracle worker.
Does Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| Cooling under-eye gel patches to help firm, tone and de-puff delicate under-eye skin within 10 minutes. | It de-puffs skin in 10 minutes, but it can’t tone and firm. |
| Eyes are revived, soothed and rejuvenated. | Your eye area looks brighter and younger, but the effects are temporary. |
Price & Availability
$34.00 at Blue Mercury
Do You Need It?
It depends on what you’re looking for. If you need a quick solution for a night out, you’ll like these. But if you expect anything more than that, these will disappoint.
Water/Aqua/ Eau, Polyacrylic Acid, Glycerin, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Angelica Archangelica Root Water*, Sodium Hydroxide, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Hydrolyzed Extensin, Agar, Caprylyl Glycol, Perfluorodecalin, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, , Xanthan Gum, Ubiquinone,Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf Extract, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Rubus Chamaemorus (Arctic Cloudberry) Seed Oil, Oxycoccus Palustris (Arctic Cranberry) Seed Oil, Aluminum Glycinate, Polysorbate 60, Ceramide NP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sucrose Palmitate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate * Component of Icelandic Glacial Water
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
