ROADTEST: 'One of TikTok's favourite eye creams just got a new formula. Here's my verdict.'

When it comes to skincare, eye creams always seem to fall to the bottom of my priorities. Interestingly, when it comes to makeup, concealing my dark circles is right at the top.

This seems counterintuitive. I mean wouldn’t it be easier if there were no dark circles to conceal in the first place? 

With this in mind, I felt it was about time I entered the eye cream game and follow suit with the rest of #skintok to test out Ole Henriksen’s relaunch of their iconic Banana Bright+ Eye Crème. 

With raving reviews and some of the most prolific voices in the industry standing behind it (like everyone’s fave TikTok skinfluencer, Hyram) I was excited to put this eye cream to the test.

Here are my honest thoughts.

My skin concerns

Like many, I struggle with dark, dull under-eyes. I’ve theorised that my self-perpetuating cycle of not getting enough sleep, paired with an embarrassingly low intake of water each day are to blame.

While I’m actively working towards fixing my sleeping hours and upping my water intake, it’s relieving to know there are reliable, targeted products out there that can work their magic to revive tired eyes and improve the appearance of dark circles.

Before. Image: Supplied.

When I trial a product, I set my expectations as a list of points I want it to achieve. For the Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Eye Crème I was looking for it to do three things. 

Brighten, hydrate, and firm.

I wanted the product to feel light in consistency and not too greasy, but creamy enough for my under-eyes to fully absorb in when tapped into the surface of the skin barrier.

Ideally the product would also give instant results with long-term benefits and needed to play well with my other skincare/makeup products. 

Not too much to ask for, right?

How to apply

Light hands and tapping motions are all you need to do to get the most out of this product.

It’s no secret that our skin is the most delicate around the eye area but what you may not know is that it's also one of the first places to show signs of ageing. This is why gentle application is absolutely necessary. No tugging or pulling needed.

My process of application went like this. 

First, I’d tap the top of my finger into the jar to grab some product. I’d then apply three dots under each eye. 

Using my ring finger, I’d do a gentle press and release motion from one side of my under-eyes to the other to activate the product with the warmth of my finger and then softly work it into my skin. 

A little goes a long way with the Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Eye Crème, so for the fastest-acting results, I would recommend applying the product at the end of your AM and PM skincare routine.

Image: Supplied.

The results

I’m happy to report that the newly upgraded Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Eye Crème formula ticks all the above. And gets extra points for being both fragrance-free and vegan-friendly because as we all know, the skin around our eyes is sensitive with a capital S. 

This eye cream’s new formulation hits the mark in terms of being the perfect balance between skincare and makeup. You can use it as your go-to eye cream, your under-eye primer before makeup, or even as a lightweight concealer itself. 

And it's packed with fast-acting, high-quality ingredients to give you immediate results with long-lasting benefits. 

In my trial of this product, there was a noticeable improvement in my under-eyes in both feeling and appearance.

The skin under my eyes felt softer, smoother and bouncier to the touch which is all thanks to newly added ingredients of vegan collagen, antioxidant-rich citrus bioflavonoids and orange extract – a fierce trio in the hydration department. 

My dark circles also looked replenished and illuminated which as we now know, is not necessarily a true reflection of my lifestyle. The formula instantly gives your skin the hydrating boost it needs and lasts for hours. 

The brightening powers of this product come from its triple vitamin C complex, rich formula, and infusion of real gold (yes, real gold) which actually helps to deliver those longer-lasting results. Who knew? 

Overall, the skin under the eyes looks healthier and you look more awake as a result. And who doesn’t love a product that makes you look like you got more sleep than you did?

After. Image: Supplied.

The product also proved to be makeup friendly, acting as a smooth canvas for concealer. 

And here’s where the banana part of the eye cream comes in. One of the eye cream’s hero ingredients is banana powder which lends itself as a lightweight colour corrector too. 

It’s actually crease-resistant and also helps to extend concealer wear. You can even mix the product in with your concealer before application and it feels like you’re walking around concealer free. As a fan of multi-purpose products, this was a big win from me. 

Shop the Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Eye Crème, a brightening, vitamin C-rich eye crème that targets signs of ageing and the look of dark circles.

Feature Image: Supplied/Mamamia.