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It is kind of hard to review a product like the facetheory Ocuwake Eye Cream PRO that you only get to know after it was reformulated. “Increased peptide power!” is what they say, and they increased the price quite a bit for that. Now I can imagine you would like to know if that was worth it, but I can’t tell. I don’t have the old version to compare – I could have bought it, as it is still available, but it takes me forever to go through an eye cream anyway, so I didn’t want to risk ending up with two I might not like.

It is kind of strange – the tubes are so small, I use one every morning and every night, yet it seems to be almost impossible to finish one. Is it the same for you?

What the facetheory Ocuwake Eye Cream EYE1 Pro claims

We’ve taken our best-selling Ocuwake vegan eye cream and increased the peptide power! Ocuwake Eye Cream PRO is formulated with a powerful combination of peptides to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines by promoting collagen production. Infused with a stabilised form of vitamin C and hexylresorcinol, this lightweight formula brightens the eye contour and tackles fatigue signs. Urea, Ginkgo Biloba and Hibiscus extract work together to hydrate, plump and smooth the eye contour.

Facts about the facetheory Ocuwake Eye Cream EYE1 Pro

Prize and size

One tube contains 15 ml (the regular eye cream size) and is available for 35 € on the website here. Just for comparison, the original one contained the same amount and was available for 24 €. All facetheory products are vegan.

Texture and smell

The first thing I noticed when using the eye cream was the scent – I had to double check the ingredient list as it has that Tranexamic Acid – Barbecue Sauce scent, albeit faint. I personally like it, but it is a little strange when it comes to skincare. There is no Tranexamic Acid in the formula though, and the scent doesn’t linger upon application. It is white and lightweight, making it easy to spread around the delicate eye area.

How to use the facetheory Ocuwake Eye Cream EYE1 Pro

I apply my eye cream after serum and before moisturizer, but despite people having very strong opinions about that online, I do think using it as the last step or before our serum wouldn’t make that much of a difference. (More info: Are eye creams just a waste of money?)
It is suitable for both morning and night time use or even twice a day as nothing it contains is either irritating or sensitive to UV exposure. It feels lightweight, yet hydrating and never caused my concealer to crease.

Ingredients of the facetheory Ocuwake Eye Cream EYE1 Pro

Aqua solv, Urea sii|h, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Bacillus Ferment, Cetyl Alcohol emo|vc 2 2, Glyceryl Stearate emo|emu 0 1–2, Coco-Caprylate emo, Tocopherol aox 0–3 0–3, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate aox|aacne, Hexylresorcinol sb|amic, Sodium Anisate amic, Sodium Levulinate, Lactic Acid exf|h|buff, Sclerotium Gum vc, Xanthan Gum vc, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose vc, Glyceryl Caprylate pres, Ferulic Acid aox|amic, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil emo 0 0–2, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil aox|emo, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Seed Oil aox|emo, Sodium Phytate chel, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Sambucus Nigra (Elderflower) Flower Extract so, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 cci, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 cci|h

Hover the mouse over an ingredient for short explanation. Read more on INCIDecoder.
The first ingredients after water are two humectants, Urea and Glycerin, followed up by Vitamin E, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate – a Vitamin C derivative – and later on Ferulic Acid, meaning it has something close to the Vitamin C+ E +Ferulic Acid combination Skinceuticals is famous for. (More info: The benefits of Vitamin C in skincare explained)
Hexylresorcinol is a Tyrosinase-Inhibitor, meaning it hinders the production of melanin (More info: The 10 best ingredients to fight hyperpigmentation) and the peptides that distinguish this one from the original are Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, according to the manufacturer promoting collagen production, and Acetyl-Hexapeptide-8 or Argireline, the one you might have heard called “botox in a jar”. That is of course wildly exaggerated, as nothing you apply topical will even come close in effect to an injectable, but it still is quite popular and might have a slight smoothing effect. (More info: The benefits of peptides in skincare explained)

More info: How to read the ingredient list in skincare products

Does it live up to its claims?

Yes.

I mean, “increased the peptide power” is pretty vague, but they added peptides. It is hydrating, meaning it will reduce the appearance of fine lines, and it has two ingredients that can help against hyperpigmentation, which is where the “brighten the under eye area” claim comes from. (More info: Can you get rid of dark circles under the eyes?)

How does it compare to…

The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream

I have been a fan of the Caffeine Eye Cream from The Inkey List for ages (my review dates back to November 2018!) and it is the one I keep coming back to. It is hydrating, depuffing and contains some peptides as well, so basically offers a similar effect as the one from facetheory. What it is missing in comparison is ingredients targeting hyperpigmentation, so depending on whether dark circles or puffy eyes are more of a concern, one or the other might be slightly better for you.

You can read my full review of The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream here.

The Inkey List Brighten-i Eye Cream

Brighten-i Eye Cream is the version from The Inkey List with a specific focus on brightening, so here you won’t find any peptides, but ingredients that either claim to inhibit melagonesis or that, like the added Mica, reflect the light and make the under eyes appear brighter. I think this is more aimed at younger skins, as the effect is subtle and the Mica could, if you already have deeper wrinkles, settle into your lines and enhance their appearance. Although that wasn’t a problem for me, I admit I wasn’t the biggest fan and would prefer the version from facetheory over this one.

You can read my full review of The Inkey List Brighten-i Eye Cream here.

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum

This is of course a different product in terms of ingredients – it contains retinoids and has the aim to stimulate collagen production. It is a little lighter in texture and, despite the price, my favorite product for the under eyes. If you want to use an eye cream, I would recommend one with retinoids – everything else is an extra you can do, but in my opinion not a necessity.

You can read my full review of the Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum here.

Would I repurchase and which skin types do I recommend it to?

So even though I can’t compare this one to the original and tell you if the increased price in comparison is worth it, I do like this one a lot in the mornings. If I had to choose, I would always go for a retinol eye cream over a peptide one, but as retinol is reserved for the evenings, I do have a spot for this one in my morning routine.

It should work for all skin types.

Shop facetheory skincare here

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