banana bright eye creme reviews

Brightens, firms, improves concealer wear and instantly reduces look of fine lines and wrinkles.

Banana Bright™ Eye Crème

Brightens, firms, improves concealer wear and instantly reduces look of fine lines and wrinkles.

Variations

• Size 0.5 oz

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Wake up before you makeup with your favorite under eye brightening cream. OLEHENRIKSEN Banana Bright eye cream brightens and instantly targets fine lines and wrinkles, delivering age-defying results. Collagen-boosted, it firms and deeply hydrates even as it feels deliciously lightweight making this your go to vitamin c eye cream that promises to help revive and illuminate the entire eye area over time.

Inspired by the makeup artist must-have—“banana powder”—this sunny yellow brightening eye cream contains special pigments to instantly brighten and color-correct the eye area. But that’s not all: It creates a smooth, well-rested canvas and is proven to improve concealer wear. Dark circles—diminished. Crow’s-feet—conquered. Now, go conquer the day with your favorite OLEHENRIKSEN brightening eye cream®!

• Brightens
• Illuminates
• Color corrects
• Improves concealer wear

agree this product smooths skin*

agree this product leaves skin soft*

agree this product smooths skin*

Made without parabens, sulfates, or phthalates.

Vitamin C

Ole’s “gold standard” for targeting visible signs of aging

Collagen

Helps improve the look of skin’s youthful elasticity

Banana powder-inspired pigments

Full List

Aqua/Water/Eau, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Isododecane, Coconut Alkanes, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Polyglyceryl-3 Rice Branate, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Cetearyl Alcohol, 3-0-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Dilinoleic Acid/Propanediol Copolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Cocoyl Proline, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polyacrylate-13, Mica, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Polyglyceryl-6 Ricinoleate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-3 Cocoate, Phenoxyethanol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Polyisobutene, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Parfum/Fragrance, Tamarindus Indica Seed Polysaccharide, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbic Acid, Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Silica, Sodium Benzoate, Propanediol, Collagen, Aroma/Flavor, Ascorbic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Pullulan, Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract, Linolenic Acid, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol, Citral, Limonene, Linalool.

– Apply to entire eye area. Provides a beautiful base for makeup.
– Pair with Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum for brighter, bouncier skin
– Follow with your favorite OLEHENRIKSEN® moisturizer, such as C-Rush™ Brightening Gel Crème or C-Rush Brightening Double Crème (if your skin is on the drier side).

Please Note:
For external use only. Use as directed.
If irritation occurs, discontinue use.

In addition to making this cream both feather-light and nutrient-packed, Ole drew inspiration from a makeup artist secret he observed during his years of on-camera work: banana powder. Its pale yellow tint is designed to instantly brighten and color-correct, making it the perfect prep step for concealer. It features the same sweet, energizing citrus scent as bestselling Truth Serum.

Banana Bright Eye Crème’s vit C goodness comes via ascorbic acid, a very pure and potent form; tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, a lipid-soluble form that absorbs into the skin very effectively; and ethyl ascorbic acid, which is a vitamin C derivative that’s highly stable in both water and oil formulations. The three all work harmoniously together for maximum brightening bang for your buck.

Formulation

The heaviest hitter, ingredients-wise, is that aforementioned vitamin C trio. Vit C is unquestionably one of the best ingredients to use on the skin around your eyes. It brightens and fights off environmental damage from UV and pollution. It also boosts collagen synthesis, which is particularly welcome under the eyes to help maintain a well-supported skin structure, AKA no bags.

Banana Bright Eye Crème’s vit C goodness comes via ascorbic acid, a very pure and potent form; tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, a lipid-soluble form that absorbs into the skin very effectively; and ethyl ascorbic acid, which is a vitamin C derivative that’s highly stable in both water and oil formulations. The three all work harmoniously together for maximum brightening bang for your buck.

That aside, seed oils, including jojoba and tamarind, along with classic nourisher glycerin, see off dryness, while shea butter and coconut alkanes have an emollient effect, meaning they form a cushion-like layer on top of the skin and prevent natural hydration escaping.

This is all great stuff and almost amounts to the perfect 5/5 eye cream, but the inclusion of artificial fragrance just stops it getting there for me. Yes, the product smells delicious and experts are divided on whether fragranced skincare is a real problem, so it may just come down to personal preference. For me, it’s just an unnecessary addition and one that could irritate very sensitive skin. I’d rather my eye cream smelled too funky than too lovely – but perhaps that’s just me.

References for this information:
Molecules, July 2018, ePublication
Pharmacology Review, July 2013, pages 97–106
Dermatologic Therapy, May-June 2012, pages 252–259
Current Drug Delivery, November 2011, pages 640–660
Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, May 2011, pages 4676–4683
Journal of Biophotonics, January 2010, pages 82–88
Guidelines of Stability Testing of Cosmetic Products, Colipa-CTFA, March 2004, pages 1–10

Banana Bright Eye Crème

Ole Henriksen’s Banana Bright Eye Crème receives a lot of fanfare, and with its beautiful aesthetics, we can see why. Unfortunately, potentially irritating fragrance and jar packaging crash the party and put a damper on things.

We’ll tackle the packaging issue first. Upon opening, this eye cream’s jar steadily renders this formula’s light- and air-sensitive ingredients unstable (we explain this in-depth in the More Info section). That means its superstar ingredients like vitamin C and other antioxidants will break down prematurely.

Strike two: This eye cream contains skin-sensitizing fragrance ingredients, some of which are citrus-based, lending to this product’s creamsicle scent. As we explain in the More Info section, you might not necessarily feel or see the irritation in the moment, but fragrance’s inflammatory effects wreak havoc on skin over time. Luckily the aroma isn’t overpowering, but still, fragrance-free eye creams are a much safer bet for skin.

What a shame, considering Banana Bright Eye Crème otherwise contains a nice mix of ingredients that offer a wide breadth of anti-aging properties. Skin is treated to beneficial fatty acids, antioxidants, and emollients that rejuvenate dry skin. Multiple forms of vitamin C are on hand to back up the skin-brightening claims. This also contains mineral pigments to lend a subtle luminous finish.

More to love, the cream texture strikes a nice balance of dense dewy emollience that melts into skin without being overly slick. And true to claim, it layers well under concealer.

In case you’re wondering, this eye cream doesn’t actually contain any banana-based ingredients. Instead, its name was inspired by the yellow-tinted “banana” powders that many makeup artists use to color-correct the under-eye area. Similar to those kinds of powder, Banana Bright Eye Crème has a subtle golden hue, which delivers a sheer glow.

• Treats skin to beneficial fatty acids, antioxidants, and emollients that rejuvenate dry skin.
• Contains multiple forms of vitamin C to back up the skin-brightening claims.
• Densely emollient texture melts into skin without being overly slick.
• Lightly illuminating finish perks up a fatigued-looking eye area.

• Fragranced formula poses a risk to skin.
• Jar packaging compromises the benefits of key antioxidants.

More Info:

Jar Packaging & Anti-Aging Moisturizers: Beneficial anti-aging ingredients, which include all plant extracts, almost all vitamins, antioxidants, and other state-of-the-art ingredients, are unstable, which means they begin to break down in the presence of air. Once a jar is opened and lets air in, these important ingredients begin to deteriorate, becoming less and less effective. Routine exposure to daylight is also problematic for these ingredients.

Jar packaging is also unsanitary because you dip your fingers into the jar with each use, contaminating the product. This stresses the preservative system, especially in water-based formulas, leading to further deterioration of the beneficial ingredients.

Remember: The ingredients that provide the most benefit in addressing visible signs of aging must be in airtight or air-restrictive packaging to remain effective throughout usage. Buying products in this type of packaging means that the ingredients have the best chance of remaining effective—to the benefit of your skin.

References for this information:
Molecules, July 2018, ePublication
Pharmacology Review, July 2013, pages 97–106
Dermatologic Therapy, May-June 2012, pages 252–259
Current Drug Delivery, November 2011, pages 640–660
Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, May 2011, pages 4676–4683
Journal of Biophotonics, January 2010, pages 82–88
Guidelines of Stability Testing of Cosmetic Products, Colipa-CTFA, March 2004, pages 1–10

Why Fragrance Is a Problem for Skin: Daily use of products that contain a high amount of fragrance, whether the fragrant ingredients are synthetic or natural, causes a chronic sensitizing reaction on skin.

This reaction in turn leads to all kinds of problems, including disrupting skin’s barrier, worsening dryness, increasing or triggering redness, depleting vital substances in skin’s surface, and generally preventing skin from looking healthy, smooth, and hydrated. Fragrance free is always the best way to go for all skin types.

A surprising fact: Even though you can’t always see or feel the negative effects of fragrant ingredients on skin, the damage will still be taking place, even if it’s not evident on the surface. Research has demonstrated that you don’t need to see or feel the effects of irritation for your skin to be suffering. Much like the effects from cumulative sun damage, the negative impact and the visible damage from fragrance may not become apparent for a long time.

References for this information:
Toxicology In Vitro, February 2018, pages 237-245
Toxicological Sciences, January 2018, pages 139-148

Biochimica and Biophysica Acta, May 2012, pages 1410–1419
Aging, March 2012, pages 166–175
Chemical Immunology and Allergy, March 2012, pages 77–80
Experimental Dermatology, October 2009, pages 821–832
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2008, pages 191–202
International Journal of Toxicology, Volume 27, 2008, Supplement, pages 1–43
Food and Chemical Toxicology, February 2008, pages 446–475
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2003, pages 789–798

Brightens, firms, improves concealer wear and instantly reduces look of fine lines and wrinkles.

Ole Henriksen At-A-Glance

Strengths: The Protect the Truth SPF 50+ Sunscreen is good.

Weaknesses: Expensive; not all-natural as claimed; jar packaging for antioxidant-rich products is pervasive; terribly irritating toners; several average serums and moisturizers, including eye creams; lip balm that contains irritating ingredients.

“Facialist to the stars,” L.A.’s “number one face man,” and “one of Hollywood’s hottest facialists” are but a few of the accolades Denmark-born Ole Henriksen has garnered since he first made a name for himself in Los Angeles back in 1974. Henriksen’s skin-care philosophy was, and still is, a mix of holistic teachings, common sense, and, as seen in countless other cosmetic lines (though Henriksen was somewhat of a trailblazer when he started), an affinity for Mother Nature and all she has to offer the skin.

We agree with Henriksen’s philosophy that feeling good from the inside can manifest itself on the outside, and we applaud the fact that he admonishes his clients for being too hard on themselves when it comes to their complexions. That bromide loses some of its believability, however, when you realize that Henriksen’s products are all about fixing the outside of you, especially the parts with wrinkles, puffy eyes, skin discolorations, and on and on.

For example, all the self-confidence in the world won’t change the need for sunscreen or change your genetic propensity for certain skin conditions. Clearly, Henriksen believes that, too, because his skin-care products are meant to help his devotees put their best faces forward. He maintains that his products are different because they are “pure,” “natural,” and “high performance” productsnow really, how often have we heard that? Way too many times, and as is often the case, the products aren’t pure or all natural in the least. It turns out that Henriksen’s products aren’t anywhere close to being all natural. Every product is rife with plenty of unnatural ingredients, most of which are used industry-wide. (That doesn’t make them bad, but marketing hype and distortion should not be the basis for making decisions about what skin-care products you use.) In essence, the only unique aspect of this line is Henriksen’s ability to charm his clients into thinking that his products are in some way unique and worth the money, when they absolutely are not. A quick review of the ingredient label reveals far more problems than is acceptable for anyone’s skin.

Stepping away from the marketing aspect, this product line has way too many missteps to make it interesting or beneficial. While it does contain helpful plant extracts and oils, it is certainly not the only line that includes those ingredients. Sadly, the potency, and yes, even the purity, of many of the good plant extracts are compromised due to his tendency to use jar packaging rather than more stable, airtight options (all plant extracts deteriorate when exposed to air or light). And the amount of irritating plant extracts makes some of his products just hurtful for skin.

Perhaps the saddest part is that a so-called skin-care expert can’t even get sun protection right. You place all that trust in someone’s expertise and they don’t even have the basics down! Henriksen’s Herbal Day Creme SPF 15 lacks titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone, Mexoryl, or Tinosorb. All the ballyhooed “calming extracts” and “pure botanicals” in the world cannot stave off one wrinkle if your sunscreen lacks sufficient UVA protection. A few of the sunscreens that do provide adequate UVA protection contain skin celldamaging lavender oil. Sigh. It’s not fun when you consistently run into examples in line after line that prove that natural ingredients are not inherently better for skin! Given how many consumers want to use such products, we’d love to offer them some slam-dunk options.

This aesthetician-created line has a few reasonably decent options to consider, but overall the line is not on par with many others. The overwhelming emphasis on “natural skincare” (which, we repeat, this line definitely is not) might sound like it will be good for you, but that is not what you will find here. A company’s apparent blindness to the published evidence that many of the natural extracts as well as many of the synthetic ingredients they include are potent skin irritants means you don’t want to shop this line through rose-colored glasses.

For more information about Ole Henriksen, call (800) 327-0331 or visit www.olehenriksen.com.

About the Experts

The Beautypedia team consists of skin care and makeup experts personally trained by the original Cosmetics Cop and best-selling beauty author, Paula Begoun. We’re fascinated by skin care and makeup products and thrilled when they meet or exceed our expectations, but we’re also disappointed when they fail to perform as claimed, are wildly overpriced, or contain ingredients scientific research has proven can hurt skin.

Our mission has always been to help you find the best products for your skin, no matter your budget or preferences. Beautypedia’s thorough and insightful reviews cut through the hype and provide reliable recommendations for all ages, skin types, and skin tones.

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It is a brightening, vitamin C-rich eye crème that targets signs of aging, reducing the look of dark circles while improving concealer application and wear—inspired by makeup artist secret, banana powder. It contains special pigments to instantly brighten and color-correct the eye area.

My Love/Hate Relationship With Ole Henriksen

I have no idea who and what Ole Henriksen was, but when I read a positive Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Creme review on Facebook with AMAZING before and after result photos, and claims it’s a Women’s Health 2018 Beauty Award winner, I immediately bought the product without reading other reviews. Even though the brand is not locally available in my country, it cost $39 for a very tiny jar, AND I’m aware that eye creams are one of the biggest scams in the beauty industry. (In case you’re wondering, eye creams are just glorified moisturizers.)

But first, what is Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Creme?

It is a brightening, vitamin C-rich eye crème that targets signs of aging, reducing the look of dark circles while improving concealer application and wear—inspired by makeup artist secret, banana powder. It contains special pigments to instantly brighten and color-correct the eye area.

Let’s start with what I hate

The Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Creme has a strong citrus scent that almost resembles a cheap cologne. Because of it, there are times I’m a bit discouraged on using this eye cream, especially on my “red days” when so many in my body is sensitive including my sense of smell.

Inside the jar, there’s a protective plastic cover to prevent the product from messing up the cap, but it’s so hard to lift! It doesn’t have those “pull tab”. I know it’s a little thing, but sometimes it really matters as Jeffree Star mentioned when he decided to put a pull tab on his setting powders.

What I love

I love the texture. It feels light and doesn’t feel sticky. It blends well on my under eyes making the area brighter and smoother for concealer application. It also helps in preventing my concealer from creasing.

What I hate, again

It doesn’t really drastically instantly brightens my under eyes like what an actual Banana Powder does. Honestly, I didn’t really expect it to be, but those misguiding reviews make it seems like it does. It does brighten instantly, but just a little. You’ll still need a concealer or actual banana powder.

And speaking of reviews, they say it helped brighten their dark under eyes with continued use. You see, there are MANY reasons why we have dark under eyes, from lack of sleep, rubbing eyes too much, to health reasons like anemia. So no eye cream could really guarantee it will remove your dark circles. Having said that, I used the Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream religiously for over a month, but I didn’t see any improvement compared to Purito Centella Green Level Eye Cream. And it gave me milia aka milk spots. If you read some reviews from Makeupalley, it seems like I’m not the only one.

What I love, again

It contains collagen which is a good topical moisturizer and it also has Vitamin C which absorbs and prevents the harmful effects of the UV rays during the daytime. Actually, too much sun exposure also causes dark circles so with Vitamin C it helps to lessen it.

They also claim that this cream is a perfect base for makeup. Whether you are baking your face, putting on concealer or under your eyeshadow, this cream will give an extra boost and luminosity to your look.

The Rundown on Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème

The Truth Collection features the best-selling Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème. I feel like banana creams are becoming a trend! (See my review on the Glow Recipe Banana Souffle Moisture Cream) Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème has been marked with a Clean at Sephora seal, you can rest be assured that the Eye Creme is made with safe ingredients.

But how does it really hold up? Let’s start with the cream’s product information and its claims:

• Brightens Under Eyes
• Targets Fine Lines and Wrinkles with Age-Defying Results
• Firms Skin
• Deeply Hydrates
• Lightweight
• Colour Corrects the Eye Area
• Smoothens Eye Area

Containing 0.5 oz/ 15 mL of product, this is a pretty standard amount for eye creams. The Banana Bright Eye Crème is infused with Vitamin C, which Ole considers as the “gold standard” to target signs of ageing. It also has collagen which improves the skin’s elasticity and banana powder-inspired pigments that will illuminate the skin.

As for its “banana-powder” ingredient, Ole was inspired by a makeup artist secret must-have during on-camera work. Banana powder is used to colour correct and brighten dark circles, which it does a great job at!

It also claims to deeply hydrate the skin and deliver a lightweight application. It also effectively reduces fine lines, wrinkles and dark circles. With its powerful Vitamin C formulation, it will help brighten your eye area.

They also claim that this cream is a perfect base for makeup. Whether you are baking your face, putting on concealer or under your eyeshadow, this cream will give an extra boost and luminosity to your look.

The cream comes in a small bright orange glass jar and in it is a yellow-coloured cream. The purpose of the yellow is to cancel out purple tones under your eyes. The cream also has a microscopic shimmer to give an instant brightening effect.

My Experience

So I’ll be honest, using the Banana Bright Eye Crème genuinely took me time to get used to and to start liking. After using it for a month consistently, I can see that there is certainly truth to it, but there are some factors that I didn’t notice to be quite as transforming as they claim to be.

I applied the cream twice daily, in the morning and evening. The consistency of this eye cream is quite thick, but it goes on soft, creamy and almost lightweight when applied. I noticed how fast it sinks into my skin as I applied it which is really lovely!

My initial reaction to applying the cream was how it instantly brightens my eyes upon application. As mentioned there is a subtle shimmer to the cream, I definitely noticed the slight shimmer effect when applied. As for the colour-correcting properties, it does offset the purple tones under my eyes a little, especially in the morning.

In terms of reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, I have not seen any drastic change throughout the weeks that I have tested it out. It hasn’t completely faded my dark circles but it does help with brightening my under eyes just a tad. Which I guess is also good!

I find myself using the cream more in the morning than the evening because I love how it gives my under eyes that instant woke-up-like-this radiant look. For the nighttime, I don’t find the cream hydrating enough.

For its makeup base claims, the cream does give a smoother base, but it’s nothing extraordinary. Some primers will also be able to provide a smooth base for your makeup.

My Thoughts

Do I recommend it? Good question!

When you have had a stressful day and a rough night, the Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème is definitely an excellent pick-me-up product! It will give you an instant brightening and healthier eye look. But to be honest, it is a little overhyped. It is not the most life-changing product out there, nonetheless, this cream definitely has its pros.

As much as everyone raved about how transformative this cream is, it does have its setbacks. You do have to be patient to actually see results. For the price, it is on the costly side especially as the jar is on the small side.

If you love that instant radiant eye look, I think you will really enjoy the Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème. Overall, however, I do not feel that the Banana Bright Eye Crème lives up to the hype that it has. Is it a good eye cream? Yes, but there are better ones for the same price and less!

What do you think about the Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème? What are your favourite eye creams?