When I had the amazing Iron Cream Mask facial treatment at Ildi Pekar’s salon in NYC, the treatment included a little eye massage with Dermophisiologique’s Optyma eye cream. Ildi generously sent me away with some samples and, oh boy, this is some eye cream. Actually, being English, I rarely use terms such as oh boy, or (god forbid) awesome, no matter how over-excited I am. But I am somewhat at a loss for words. And oh-my-goodness in my best Helen Mirren voice doesn’t seem to cut it. Anyway, to get to the point: this eye cream could give my wonderful Your Best Face Correct a run for its money. And regular TIA readers know that I can’t possibly mean that lightly.
At first blush I was not particularly impressed. The first raft of ingredients are mostly emollients and emulsifiers and it doesn’t get interesting until you get to magnesium sulfate, which has anti-inflammatory properties. From there on in, Dermophisiologique Optyma ($85) has many plant-derived antioxidants (yeast extract), green tea and vitamin B in the form of panthenol. But in their midst is a mystery.
And it is one that has flummoxed my detective skills. I think (and stress the word think) that poiesis factor has something to do with human growth factor. Poiesis is Greek for ‘growth’ or ‘to make’ and there seems to be various poietins – haematopoietic, grythropoietin, and thrombopoietin – that all faciliate cell proliferation in the blood. We have emailed Dermophisiologique for more information, but if anyone out there can shed some light I would be grateful.
Some of the botanicals worth a shout out include sylibum marianarum (linden) anti-inflammatory. There is also vaccinium myrtillusanthocyanosides is bilberry, the focus of recent research in Europe. Bilberry extract has been evaluated for efficacy as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and lipid-lowering agent. Although pre-clinical studies have been promising, according to Medline Plus, the human data are limited and largely of poor quality. Sadly for those of us who knew that RAF pilots were given bilberries to improve their night vision, the evidence suggests a lack of benefit in this regard.
I particularly like the use of escin, which is a saponin found in horse chesnut and is responsible for extracts of that plant being able to mend broken capillaries. It is also a collagen booster. Then there is hypericum perforatum, St John’s Wort, has a medical history associated with the treatment of depression and, more recently, has been discovered to have antioxidant properties, as well as being an anti-inflammatory and wound healer.
Whilst waiting to get to the bottom of poietins, what I can tell you is that the effects of this eye cream are really good. Wrinkles are smoothed away, skin looks plumper and feels much, much firmer. I have a caveat, I don’t know what the long-term effects are (this review comes after three weeks of sampling) either on prolonged wrinkle reduction or whether there is a possible side effect of milia (this is a very thick cream). But in the short term, I coudn’t have had a pleasenter surprise.
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Ingredients
Water, PEG-30 dipolyhdroxystearate, dicapryl ether, zea mays oil, glycerin, caprilyc/capric triglyceride, cetearyl ethylhexanoate, sweet almond oil, beeswax, triethylhexanoin, aluminum starch, octenyl succinate, capryloyl glycine, olive fruit oil, silica, propylene glycol, magnesium stearate, magnesium sulfate, tocopheryl acetate, yeast extract, panthenol, wheat germ oil, coconut oil, poiesis factor, sylibum marianarum extract, lilium candidum extract, vaccinium myrtillus extract, malllow extract, helycrisum extract, centella asiatica extract, echinacea extract, hypericum perforatum extract, fragrance, linseed oil, hyaluronic acid, hydrolized glycosaminoglycans, glycine, escin, hexamidine disethionate, decyl oleate, sodium benzotriazoyl, butyphenol sulfonate, buteth-3, tributyl citrate, lecithin, ascorbyl palmitate, tetradibutyl pentaerithyl hydroxyhydrocinnamate, citric acid.
(3 votes, average: 6.33 out of 10)Posted In:
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Hi Marta,
I see that at the top of ingredients list there is aluminum starch. Whenever I see anything aluminum I just scare away from such product. I thought that aluminum was a toxin to be avoided in any form. Am I confusing something here?
Thanks
Beata
Where to buy?
Oh Barry! I am slightly guilty about reviewing a product that is not easy to find in the US (the brand is Italian). Dermo’s website is useless and it does not appear to be widely distributed. The best I can do is point you in the direction of my esthetician, Ildi Pekar. She will ship. http://ildipekar.com.
Telephone: 212-682-6080
E-mail: salon@ildipekar.com
Beata,
I’m not wild about the use of aluminum. Specifically, aluminum starch appears to be safe. See our entry in the ingredients directory with links to research: http://www.truthinaging.com/2005/12/aluminum-starch-octenylsuccinate.html
Thanks, I will.
Marta
What is the cost, please?
Good catch Kathy. It’s $85. I’ll add that to the review.
Marta,
Any updates on longer term usage? I received a sample of YBF Correct (via a very kind email from one of the founders – impressed!) which I loved. However, I don’t have $150 right now to replace it. I did see Copley’s review of Belli SKin Care Eye Brightening and also the organic but reasonably priced eye cream in your Top 5 list.
Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Deborah
YBF is still the best. But I would put Optyma is the best alternative found so far (although cheaper it is still $85). I haven’t tried Nurture My Body’s, but the price is great considering the quality of products. Its difficult to advise without knowing how badly you need antiaging as opposed to a nice moisturizing eye cream. If you are wrinkle free, go with Nurture. If you have lines you have to get out the heavy guns – Optyma at the very least and start saving for YBF.
Thanks – anti-aging is definitely required, having recently crossed that half-century milestone (blech). Sounds like YBF is what it’s going to take!
I am emailing you at samples@truthinaging.com
to give you my address for a sample
to do a review. Thank you
Mary
I’ve been an esthetician for the last 14 years. When I find a product that I love, whether I can sell it or not, I like to tell my clients. They appreciate my knowledge of the skincare ingredients and if I love something I believe that they should know about it!
I would love to try a sample of Optyma 24-hour eye contour cream. I come from a family where the women have had to have the upper eye lid surgery due to droopy lids. It would be great to find a alternative to that surgery..
I would LOVE to try this!
ML
I so want to try this. I am 45 and have reached the point where, at the end of a hard days slog, I wish I could just slide my face back into place. Gravity is starting to pull hard.
Thank you.
I just purchased 3 products from the same Optyma (facial cream, cleanser and serum)from the TIA web store but could not find this eye cream and would love to try it.
Will report results..thank you, Eileen
I would be more than thrilled to test Optyma for TIA! I have been searching for a product that will help with the wrinkles around my eyes, and maybe this will be the one that will work?
I haven’t put on eye makeup in months since it just draws attention to the lines and wrinkles, making me look older than I am, but would love to be able to again!!
Thanks for the opportunity.
I can vouch for the effects 6 weeks in. I am actually quite astonished. Using this cream morning and night and I look refreshed, tighter and brighter in the eye area. Crow’s feet seem diminished. Will take a lot for me to stray. Also – it lasts pretty well, the price isn’t too bad in the end, for the results and the length of service per bottle.
Wow! This sounds like just what I need. I’m 45 and the eye wrinkles and crepiness is just starting and I”d love to hold it off as long as possible! I would love to try this as well. How long will you have it available for purchase on your site?
Thanks Matina
Hi Marta,
I read in your newsletter that you’re looking for testers for the Dermophisiologique Optyma 24-hour Eye Contour Cream. I would love to do it and will write a review. I am also so pleased you’re selling it. It’s been hard to find, as you know.
I will also write a review, if you’d like, for Dermaxine’s Eye Lift. You have listed their eye cream in the top 5, but I also bought the lift, since my 50 yr old top eyelid is doing weird things lately and drooping!
Hi Marta
I have just come across this site and have found it fascinating. I have used many many products over my 49 years, ie IS Clinicals which seemed to be the best out of the many I have tried. But you have me very interested in the two eye creams you are talking about,Dermophisiologique Optyma 24-hour Eye Contour Cream and the one you like YBF. Which is the better cream for getting rid of crows feet. Just re-reading your comments, I believe YBF is better, correct me if I am wrong. Where can I obtain this product from and is it possible to obtain any sample/s of either cream/s. I am currently using Retin-A (perscription) which I heard was supposed to be the best of all. Can you comment on that! Thanks Annie
Hi Annie
These are all good creams – Optyma does best at lifting the eyelid and brow. YBF does a great job on crow’s feet. We’ll be getting YBF in our store with a special promotion very soon. In the meantime, you can approach both companies direct for samples – http://www.ybf-skincare.com/ http://www.dermophisiologique.com/
Regarding retin, yes it works but it does so by a somewhat aggressive exfoliation that forces production of new cells. It is very drying as a process and you could be speeding up the limit (just over 50) times that normal cells can reproduce themselves. You can read more about Retin A here: http://truthinaging.com/face/retinol-when-to-use-it-how-to-use-it/