When most people have undereye bags, they usually go for things like eye creams, but we know that eye creams are overpriced moisturizers. And while a caffeine eye cream can be good, Cassandra actually prefers eye patches.
What are the different types of under eye patches?
Regular eye patches hold and support the under eye, and they help with de-puffing. Eye patches can make ingredients penetrate into the skin more deeply.
Cassandra also came across dissolving microneedle eye patches. We know that microneedling at home is not a good idea, especially on the under eye area. Under eye skin is delicate even though it’s anatomically similar to the rest of the skin.
What are microneedle under eye patches?
When it comes to microneedling eye patches though, we're not actually referring to using small needles that cause microdamage, and in turn, stimulate collagen building. Microneedling eye patches are similar to pimple patches in the way that they have little micro darts that dissolve in the skin.
How are under eye microneedling patches different from other under eye skincare products?
Microdart patches are different from regular patches because they not only hydrate and hold up the under eyes, but they directly impart ingredients to remedy discoloration and puffiness. Yes, there are eye patches with serums, but the purpose of the microdart eye patches is to deliver skincare formulas more directly by using darts that dissolve in the skin. Additionally, caffeine under eye serums simply helps with vasoconstriction (constricting blood vessels under the eyes.) And finally, vitamin C under eye serums brighten skin over time by delivering antioxidants that protect against free radicals.
Which microneedling eyepatches should I buy?
In this blog, Cassandra will test, compare, and contrast two microneedling eye patches, Skyn Iceland and Freeman Microdarts.
Skyn Iceland Dissolving Microneedle Eye Patches - $14
These don’t burn or sting, when Cassandra woke up, her undereyes were much brighter. The puffiness was not a major issue either. These patches primarily offer peptides and hyaluronic acid.
Freeman Micro Darts Pro Under Eye Patches (Not vegan and cruelty-free) -$7
This brand has been problematic in the past, but the ingredients in this one are actually pretty good. Similar to Skyn Iceland, the packaging says the hyaluronic acid and amino acids melt deep into skin’s surface layers to deliver results, and it’s 100% painless.
But, how do the Freeman Microdarts compare to the Skyn Iceland Dissolving Microneedle Eye Patches?
Both patches are made in Korea, but the Skyn Iceland ones are 100% vegan and dermatologist-tested whereas the Freeman Beauty ones are not.
The directions are similar as well, but not identical. The Freeman Beauty one says “lightly press the patch a few times into place for two hours. Use twice a week."
In contrast, the Iceland one says to "press on for 5 to 10 seconds to secure and activate. Then, wait two hours or overnight for maximum absorption. For best results "use weekly."
The ingredients
When it comes to the ingredients, the two patches are not identical, but they are very similar. The first ingredient for both of these is a form of hyaluronic acid.
The Skyn Iceland patches contain sodium hyaluronate which is similar to hyaluronic acid. The Freeman eye patches contain hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid. The Skyn Iceland patches have cellulose gum, propanediol, root water, carnosine, madecassoside, and jojoba oil. The formula within the microdarts can impart lipids and ceramides to the skin. Next, there's heptapeptide seven. This is an amino acid that helps build this skin. And lastly, there's citric acid which helps adjust the pH of the products and gives antioxidant benefits to the skin.
The Freeman patches have glycerin too, but they don't have an abundance of peptides.
The results
The Iceland one comes with a protective shield. The spikes are very tiny. The inner corner doesn’t go all the way to your eye, and the protective seal helps the dissolving spikes from getting into your eyes. They are thick and stick to the skin very well. These patches thoroughly depuffed Cassandra's under eye area, and the discoloration was really brightened. Cassandra has never had an under eye patch that’s brightened her skin overnight.
The Freeman ones are much smaller, but the microdarts are much smaller. It’s more difficult to tell which corner is which, and they don’t really resemble an eye shape, meaning they don't curve to the eye shape. It gets a little on your lash line, making it uncomfortable to pull off. They fall off, and the darts didn’t dissolve very well. They’re no longer sticky in the morning, but Cassandra’s puffiness did go down marginally overnight.
Coverphoto cred: Cloud10 beauty