Now I haven’t experienced any loss of firmness around my eyes (yet), so I can’t speak to its firming or plumping effects. However I will say that this, like all eye creams before it, failed to address my dark circles, which is expected. My dark circles are mostly due to not sleeping well (something that’s improving now), but if yours are due to excess sun exposure then the brightening ingredients will be able to improve their appearances.

What makes a good eye cream? The Paula’s Choice Ceramide-Enriched Eye Cream review

If you’re overwhelmed by the millions of eye cream options out there, keep reading, because I’m sharing the 3 things I look for when buying eye creams, plus a review of the product that checks off all the boxes.

First there’s the question whether or not you even need an eye cream. If you’re on a budget or are in your teens, then this is a product you can probably skip. You can layer on a bit more of your usual moisturizer or facial oil around the eye area, but be careful not to apply too close to the eyes to prevent irritations.

Which brings me to my point on why I’m pro eye creams. Yes, the value per weight is outrageous, but these products are specifically formulated to be safe for use around the eyes, so we don’t have to worry about tearing up profusely if any gets in.

Skin around the eyes are also drier and fragile compared to the rest of our face, so the creams and serums we use might not be enough. Lastly the eye area is often where we first show signs of fine line, so if you’re big on anti-aging like me, an eye-specific treatments might be worth the splurge. Here are the 3 things I look for when buying eye creams:

1. Ingredients that focus on moisturizing, anti-aging, and rebuilding collagen. So things like retinol, vitamin c, peptides, fatty acids, ceramides, and emollient plant oils/butters, are what I like to see on the label.
2. Fragrance-free. Even though I like scented products and feel like they elevate my skincare routine, eye creams are the one exception. That means no essential oils, and definitely no synthetic fragrances. Nobody needs any potential irritants near their eyes.
3. Airtight/opaque packaging. This ensures all the actives I’m hoping to find in my eye cream stay fresh (and potent) for as long as possible. Jar packaging exposes these active ingredients to oxygen and decreases their efficacy significantly, not to mention it’s not as hygienic. Also I’m constantly losing the little spatulas because my cats steal them.

Pretty packaging, but not practical

Granted I’ve tried and enjoyed two eye creams in jars – the Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado (reviewed here) and Instytutum Eye Cream (reviewed here) – and while I still recommend them, I feel like they are the exception rather than the norm.

However, eye creams that come in pumps or tubes have generally worked well for me, and today’s example is one that definitely checks all the above boxes, and then some.

4 installments of $8.75 with Klarna Learn more

Paula’s Choice RESIST Anti-Aging Eye Cream (0.5 fl. oz.)

A deeply moisturizing and nourishing eye cream that improves the signs of aging.

• 

4 installments of $8.75 with Klarna Learn more

4 installments of $8.75 with afterpay Learn more

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Paula’s Choice RESIST Anti-Aging Eye Cream visibly improves multiple signs of aging including fine lines, wrinkles, loss of firmness, under-eye shadows, and puffiness. Vitamin C and licorice brighten sun damage while peptides encourage a more youthful-looking eye area. Shea butter boosts hydration and reinforces a firm, supple feel.

Key Ingredients:

• Vitamin C and Licorice: brighten and diminish dark circles caused by sun damage
• Antioxidants and Peptides: minimize the appearance of crow’s feet and strengthen skin’s barrier
• Shea Butter: imparts rich, long-lasting moisture

Key Benefits:

• Brightens, softens, and enriches skin
• Helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles
• Significantly boosts hydration and moisture

Apply sparingly to entire eye area using a gentle patting motion. For daytime, follow with a broad-spectrum sunscreen rated SPF 30 or greater.

Aging Skin: Crow’s Feet, Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Application Area: Eyes
Ideal for these Concerns: Dryness and Dehydration, Sun Damage
Eye Care: Eye Creams and Moisturizers
Ingredient: Resveratrol, Shea Butter
Preferences: Certified Cruelty-Free, Fragrance-Free
Skin Care: Eye Care

Water (Aqua), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Sodium PCA, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Copper Gluconate, Troxerutin, Disodium Rutinyl Disulfate, Resveratrol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Phytic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Acetyl Glucosamine, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Adenosine, Dextran, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sea Whip Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi (Bearberry) Leaf Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Maltodextrin, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol.

If you’re new here (or looking for more general information about skincare) and you haven’t read my Skincare 101 & My Routine post, head over there first for a crash course on skincare and a look and what products I’m currently using. That post is still 95% accurate, except now I’ve switched from the Moisture Boost Hydrating Treatment Cream mixed with the Resist Hyaluronic Acid Booster that I used around my eyes previously, to the Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream, exclusively.

PAULA’S CHOICE RESIST ANTI-AGING EYE CREAM REVIEW

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a skincare post, so today I wanted to bring you a review of my new favourite eye cream — the Paula’s Choice Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream! Whenever I test a product out, I use it for as long as it takes for me to really understand how the product works, and see the results the product claims. I’ve been using this eye cream for the past two months, and I really love it! If you’ve been with me for awhile, and are familiar with my Skincare 101 post (where I walk you through my entire skincare routine), you may be a bit confused about by why I’m using a specific eye cream — because in that post I mention that you can use any well formulated eye cream around the eyes. And while that’s true, Paula’s Choice set out to create ‘the best eye cream possible’ to answer consumer demand (watch the video about Paula addressing the subject here). Their customers were looking for a product specifically formulated for the delicate eye area, so Paula’s Choice answered back. And I just had to try the best eye cream possible!

General Skincare Information

If you’re new here (or looking for more general information about skincare) and you haven’t read my Skincare 101 & My Routine post, head over there first for a crash course on skincare and a look and what products I’m currently using. That post is still 95% accurate, except now I’ve switched from the Moisture Boost Hydrating Treatment Cream mixed with the Resist Hyaluronic Acid Booster that I used around my eyes previously, to the Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream, exclusively.

First Impressions

My previous eye cream, mixed with the Resist Hyaluronic Acid Booster did a good job at keeping the skin around my eyes hydrated, but my skin is always a little bit more dry as we transition into the cooler months in Alberta. If you live here, you know our winters are downright frigid — my hair and skin always rebel! So, I thought it was the perfect time to give this eye cream a try.

When I first squeezed a little bit of this cream out onto my finger, I was surprised at how thick it was. It’s almost balm-like in texture. I thought there was no way that it was going to work under makeup, so I opted to wear it at night only for the first week. It’s so emollient and moisturizing, I noticed that my undereye area was still very hydrated when I woke up — extra soft and supple to the touch. So, I decided to try it during the day, under my concealer and loose powder, but was skeptical. I was shocked that it wore so beautifully under makeup, too!

The Packaging

The Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream comes in a 0.5 oz triple-lined poly foil packaging, to ensure the ingredients remain stable throughout the duration of its use.

Like all Paula’s Choice products, I appreciate the simple, fuss-free packaging. The cream is easy to squeeze out, and it’s great for travel.

The Product

The product itself is an extremely thick, balm-like cream — the formula is a rich and concentrated. It claims to reduces dryness, sun damage, discolouration, and loss of firmness around the eye area. It’s formulated with age-fighting antioxidants, peptides and skin-identical ingredients to reinforce the skins moisture barrier and smooth fine line and wrinkles. Like all Paula’s Choice products, it’s fragrance-free and non-irritating.

The reason why I love and trust Paula’s Choice products is because their claims about how product affects skin have to be backed up by published research — meaning they don’t make outrageous claims without research to back them up (like most cosmetic and skincare companies!). If you’re interested in learning more about the research behind this eye cream, check out the ‘Research’ tab on the product page. Or, do your own research by searching any ingredient on the product’s ingredients list on the Paula’s Choice Beautypedia database.

The Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream does take awhile to soak into the skin, and remains a bit dewy throughout its wear time. It wears beautifully under makeup and on bare skin. Since I use a loose powder to set my undereye concealer, that mattifies the look of my undereye area during the day.

You need so little of this cream for both eyes — the amount I have shown below is the amount I use. What I like to do is squeeze a little bit of cream out onto the pad of my ring finger, then warm it up and spread it around with my other ring finger, dispersing it evenly on both fingers. Then, I gently pat the cream around my eye area. It spreads very easily once it’s warmed on the skin, so there’s no pulling or tugging at your eyes.

I can even see a difference in the skin on my hand before (left) and after (right). The skin on the right looks smoother, more hydrated and supple. Even as I sit here and edit this post (a few hours after I took these photos), the back of my left hand looks visibly more hydrated and smooth than my right. That small amount of cream covered the entire back of my hand, up to my wrist.

I should also mention that I have extremely sensitive eyes, and am a contact lens wearer. This cream doesn’t irritate my eyes. Here’s a full list of ingredients, which you can also find on their website.

The Results

I’m doing pretty well in the fine line and wrinkle department, but it never hurts to be extra preventative (I am 30 now!). Since I’ve been using the Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream, the skin around my eyes definitely looks more supple and hydrated. I can notice a the biggest difference at the end of the day when I wash my makeup off — because my skin is more hydrated (and therefore has greater elasticity), product settles into fine lines less (which even the best products will do a little bit, if you’re been wearing them for 15+ hours!).

The Final Verdict

Overall, I really love this product, and have switched over from the Moisture Boost Hydrating Treatment Cream mixed with the Resist Hyaluronic Acid Booster that I used around my eyes previously, to the Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream, exclusively. It’s less fuss, and it makes my eye area feel more nourished, especially in these colder temperatures. I still use and love the Resist Hyaluronic Acid Booster though — now I mix it into my nighttime moisturizer to help give my winter complexion some extra hydration.

I’d say if you’re looking for a really heavy duty eye cream, or live in a very dry or cold climate, give it a try! If your skin is extremely oily, or you have oily eyelids, I wouldn’t recommend this product.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT SKINCARE?

If you try the Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream, or any of my other recommendations from Paula’s Choice, please let me know how you like them. Paula’s Choice has totally changed my skin, and I’m happy to pass my skincare knowledge along. I’ve been using their products almost exclusively for two years now, and everyone I’ve recommended them to loves their products just as much as I do.

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored, and contains my genuine thoughts and recommendations. JustineCelina uses affiliate and referral links, which allow me to receive a small commission when you make a purchase through one of my links. Your purchases help to support JustineCelina.com!

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11 Comments

This is such a lovely review. I am about to order this cream and your post was such a booster in decision making 🙂

Thanks, Misha! I’m so glad you found it helpful. I’m still using it morning and night, and loving it! Thanks for stopping by.

Such a helpful review! I am a long time reader of your blog and always find something nice to read while over here 🙂 This was extra helpful! Xx Frida

Thanks, Frida! I’m still using (and loving) this eye cream. It’s the best I’ve tried!

Hello. Do you apply this product before the Paula’s Choice anti aging serums?

Hi Alex! I don’t currently use this eye cream in conjunction with any anti aging serums. However, you can just mix a few drops of whatever serum you’re using into the cream any then apply it around the eye area. I hope this is helpful! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Would this be a correct routine: MORNING – Cleanser,shave(I am a male), Toner, BHA,Anti age serum,lip balm,eye cream and moisturizer+SPF
EVENING – Cleanser,lip scrub(twice a week) face mask(once a week),toner,BHA, anti age serum, lip balm, eye cream and moisturizer

It sounds like you’ve got it right! I personally apply my eye cream as the last step in my routine, but that’s personal preference. If you’d like to read more about my full skincare routine, I have a post outlining it in detail: https://www.justinecelina.com/skincare-routine-spring-2015/

[…] Paula’s Choice Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream Review […]

[…] This is an extremely thick, balm-like cream — the formula is a rich and concentrated. I love it because you need so little of this cream for both eyes. What I like to do is squeeze a little bit of cream out onto the pad of my ring finger, then warm it up and spread it around with my other ring finger, dispersing it evenly on both fingers. Then, I gently pat the cream around my eye area. It spreads very easily once it’s warmed on the skin, so there’s no pulling or tugging at your eyes. It does take awhile to soak into the skin, and remains a bit dewy throughout its wear time. It wears beautifully under makeup and on bare skin. Since I use a loose powder to set my undereye concealer, that mattifies the look of my undereye area during the day. If you’re looking for more information, read my dedicated review here. […]

[…] Paula’s Choice Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream Review […]

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We love that our customers do comparison shopping and if they feel another product will work better for them at a better price that is great but if they compared the detail of all the combined ingredients and not just one or two along with the stability of our formula we believe ours would come out way ahead.

Ingredients

What are the key ingredients?

Shea Butter
This plant lipid, extracted from the karite tree, is used as an emollient and has smoothing properties for dry skin. it’s also a rich source of antioxidants.

Peptides
Portion(s) of amino acids, some have a remarkable skin-soothing effect, others can improve the appearance of wrinkles, loss of firmness, and help to soften the look of expression lines.

Bearberry Extract
Has antioxidant properties, and there is some research showing it can have skin-brightening properties.

Ingredients:
Aqua, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter (antioxidant/emollient), Glycerin (hydration/skin replenishing), Dimethicone (hydration), Sodium PCA (hydration/skin replenishing), Hydrogenated Polyisobutene (texture-enhancing), Ascorbyl Glucoside (vitamin C/antioxidant), Sodium Polyacrylate (texture-enhancing), Hydrogenated Lecithin (skin-restoring), Glucosyl Hesperidin (skin replenishing), Copper Gluconate (skin-restoring), Troxerutin (skin-restoring), Disodium Rutinyl Disulfate (skin-restoring), Resveratrol (antioxidant), Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 (skin-restoring), Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3 (skin-restoring), Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract (skin-soothing), Phytic Acid (skin replenishing), Beta-Glucan (skin-soothing/antioxidant), Acetyl Glucosamine (skin replenishing), Tocopherol (vitamin E/antioxidant), Allantoin (skin-soothing), enisonedA (skin-restoring), Dextran (hydration/skin replenishing), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (emollient), Sea Whip Extract (skin-soothing), Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi (Bearberry) Leaf Extract (antioxidant), xilaS Alba (Willow) Bark Extract (skin-soothing), Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 (texture-enhancing), lyporpyxordyH Cyclodextrin (texture-enhancing), Xanthan Gum (texture-enhancing), Cetearyl Alcohol (texture-enhancing), Maltodextrin (hydration), Benzyl Alcohol (preservatives), Phenoxyethanol (preservatives).

The Paula’s Choice team has said for years that we don’t need to bother with eye cream, and now you have one! Why?

Paula and her team continue to say that not everyone needs a special product labelled as an eye cream. That’s because many well formulated face products such as moisturisers, serums, and other treatments can and should be used around the eye area too. We decided to create our own eye cream when we learned that even our most loyal customers were turning to other lines to purchase eye creams. This was especially frustrating because many of those products are just so badly formulated. We want to make sure our customers who feel they need to use an eye cream only use a truly outstanding one, so we formulated an eye cream that meets our stringent criteria for excellence. If someone is going to use an eye cream it needs to brilliantly formulated with effective ingredients, not make outrageous claims, and be noticeably different in texture and results from traditional facial moisturisers. This is exactly what you’ll find our Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream has. It is a completely different texture from our facial moisturisers—one that’s luxuriously emollient, rich, and long-lasting and yet still not greasy. Do you need this eye cream? Not if you’re happy with the results you’re getting from your facial moisturiser and serum when applied around the eyes. But if you want to do more to fight signs of ageing or if the skin around your eyes is drier than the rest of your face, Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream is absolutely worth using!

Is it OK to apply Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream during the day?

Yes, provided you follow with a separate eye cream or facial moisturiser rated SPF 30 or greater. For best results, this SPF product should contain only titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide as the active ingredients. These mineral actives are the least likely to cause irritation or stinging when applied near the eyes. Be sure to apply a thinner layer of eye cream than you would at night, as too much eye cream during the day can interfere with makeup application and longevity.

This eye cream can be used day or night, but I stick to night. If you’re using it during the day make sure you use SPF on top of it. You can also mix in Paula’s Choice Moisture Renewal Oil Booster, Hyaluronic Acid Booster, Josie Maran’s Argan Oil or Cover FX Jasmine or Neroli drops if you want to. All of these have mixed in fine for me.

Price
$32 for .5 oz.

About Paula’s Choice RESIST Anti-Aging Eye Cream
An exceptionally rich formula targets wrinkles and loss of firmness around the eyes. Helps skin retain moisture and boosts suppleness with long-lasting hydration that carries into the morning.

• Packed with age-fighting antioxidants, peptides and skin-identical ingredients.
• Cruelty Free
• Vegan

Ingredients
Water (Aqua), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Sodium PCA, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Copper Gluconate, Troxerutin, Disodium, Rutinyl Disulfate, Resveratrol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Phytic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Acetyl Glucosamine, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Adenosine, Dextran, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sea Whip Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi (Bearberry) Leaf Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Maltodextrin Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol.

Key Ingredients

• Licorice Root
• Shea Butter
• Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
• Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3
• Resveratrol

Paula has often said that eye creams aren’t necessary if you have a quality moisturizer, but some of us love eye creams. So she created an eye cream for those of us who use them. This eye cream is loaded up with pretty fantastic ingredients. Peptides are great because they’re supposed to stimulate collagen and elastin production. Licorice Root is good for anti-aging, as is resveratrol. Shea butter is an amazing moisturizing butter.

I love the packaging beccause it’s simple and effective. It’s a squeeze tube so you can get out an exact amount of product. The eye cream has a thick texture that is ultra hydrating and absorbs pretty quickly into the skin. I apply it by patting it on gently with my ring finger. I’d previously been using the Moisture Boost Cream as an eye cream but it wasn’t moisturizing enough for me.

This eye cream can be used day or night, but I stick to night. If you’re using it during the day make sure you use SPF on top of it. You can also mix in Paula’s Choice Moisture Renewal Oil Booster, Hyaluronic Acid Booster, Josie Maran’s Argan Oil or Cover FX Jasmine or Neroli drops if you want to. All of these have mixed in fine for me.

I really love the texture of this eye cream. While it certainly works well on its own and I used it on its own for the first few weeks, I started experimenting with mixing in some of my favorite skincare drops. I love it both ways. My eyelids are oily, but under the eye area gets dry like the Sahara Desert. So I try to load up on moisture under the eyes. During the day, I can’t use too rich of an eye cream under the eyes or it will travel to my eyelids and make my eyeshadow disappear. So I prefer thick eye creams like this at night.

Overall, I’m happy to see Paula’s Choice release this eye cream and it’s become a staple in my nighttime routine. If you’re looking for a moisturizing eye cream, I definitely think this is one to check out.

What do you think of Paula’s Choice releasing an eye cream?