Finally, the last post in my three-part review of SkinCeuticals products! These are the last three of the products I received for review, and I'll also have some final thoughts about my experiences with the brand.
SkinCeuticals AOX+ Eye Gel
AOX+ Eye Gel is a complementary product to Serum 10 AOX+; they are both intended to provide antioxidant and anti-aging benefits to the skin using ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and ferulic acid. I previously mentioned that Serum 10 AOX+ has a very mild but bitter scent; the same odd scent is stronger in the Eye Gel, though it's not so bad that it's a deal-breaker.
It also contains
caffeine, which seems to draw mixed opinions about its efficacy as an eye de-puffing and anti-inflammatory ingredient, and butcher's broom extract, another possible anti-inflammatory ingredient. The presence of denatured alcohol worried me a little, but I didn't have any problems with it; I'm assuming/hoping it's there to help the beneficial ingredients penetrate the skin better.
The gel texture absorbs easily and is suitable for daytime use. For night time, I would prefer something a little heavier. I appreciate the pump packaging that helps keep the antioxidant ingredients stable, but aside from hydration, I didn't really notice any difference in using it. Then again, my eye area doesn't have the inflammation or puffiness that the product seems to be targeting. I'm planning to use up my tube but I wouldn't be able to justify the $92 USD pricetag to repurchase.
SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense
Physical Fusion UV Defense is a broad-spectrum physical sunscreen (titanium dioxide- and zinc oxide-based), which is great for those that are sensitive to chemical sunscreens. I love the lightweight texture of this sunscreen "fluid"; it's not as thin as Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense, which I found
too runny and hard to control. I personally look for products with an SPF rating of at least 30, but ideally 50, so I'm happy with the SPF 50 here--this provides protection against an estimated 98% of UVB rays. (FYI, the benefit of SPF above 50 is
marginal.)
It's not explicitly stated on the packaging ("enhance[s] natural skin tone"), but Physical Fusion UV Defense is a tinted sunscreen--this is either a good or bad thing, depending on your skin tone. If you're in the light-medium sort of skin tone range like me, you'll love the way this evens out your skin and the natural finish. If you're quite fair or deep, then you may find that the tint alters your skin tone too much. The coverage is lightweight, so you don't need to worry about if it's an absolute perfect match. It's very similar to my beloved
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-fluid, except not quite as warm-toned.
Physical Fusion UV Defense has become a staple in my everyday routine--sun protection + enough tint to make me look a little more put together
+ absolutely minimal fuss. It blends perfectly with just fingers; usually I prefer brushes/sponge for base products for better results (probably something to do with my forever-cold hands). Since it's a little more neutral than the LRP, it's also better suited to my winter/spring skin tone.
FYI, Physical Fusion is also available in a
mattifying formulation, as well as
non-tinted.
SkinCeuticals Physical Eye UV Defense
Much like Physical Fusion, Physical Eye UV Defense is a tinted sunscreen product, but obviously targeted for the eye area. The texture is a little drier and thicker than Physical Fusion, but it still blended easily into my dry undereye area without looking heavy. Unfortunately, the tint does pretty much nothing for my dark circles.
I struggled with incorporating this product into my daily routine, not because it's a bad product, but because a separate sunscreen product for my eyes isn't necessary for me: I am already applying Physical Fusion UV Defense around my eyes with no problems. It's billed as being "non-migrating", so I imagine it works well for oily skin types or active people who might be sweating a lot. (FYI sweating sunscreen into your eyes
hurts like hell.)
I think it would probably also be a great for those who already have a sunscreen they love, but have sensitive eyes and need a separate product.
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| SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense, SkinCeuticals Physical Eye UV Defense, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard, Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer in 4 Creamwhip |
I've swatched Physical Fusion UV Defense and Physical Eye UV Defense along with some somewhat common face products to get an idea of the colouring. UV Defense is a little warmer than Physical Fusion, but neither are as warm as NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard, nor are they as pink-toned as this Clinique foundation in Creamwhip.
I think Physical Eye UV Defense would be a great product for the person that needs to fill that gap in their routine of an eye-specific sunscreen product. Because I have no problems with using the regular Physical Fusion all over my face, including under my eyes, it's not a must-have for me. Physical Fusion is only $4 USD more than the eye version, and has literally 5x as much product as the small tube, so I'd rather just buy another bottle of Physical Fusion, given the choice.
Having tried several products from SkinCeuticals, I'm happy to say that I found a few products I really love and would repurchase in the future, though there were some that underwhelmed me. The standouts for me are
Physical Fusion UV Defense,
Serum 10 AOX+, and
Antioxidant Lip Repair. Even Retexturing Activator has grown on me: previously I said I wasn't impressed by its exfoliating effects. But once I shifted my expectations of it from "exfoliator" (as it claims to be) to "oil-free hydrating serum", I actually liked it a lot. Generally, I feel that SkinCeuticals products are well formulated with solid ingredients to back up the claims. There's quite a range of skin care products, and I can already think of a few I'd like to try once I work my way through my stash.
In terms of price point, it's about on par with department store skin care or brands at Sephora; the bigger hurdle is that the brand isn't as easy as just popping into your closest mall since it's carried only by skin care professionals such as dermatologists' offices. However, this brand is definitely worth going a little out of your way to check out!
Part 1 of this post series:
SkinCeuticals Introduction + Gentle Cleanser, Serum 10 AOX+, Retexturing Activator
Part 2 of this post series:
SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture, MetaCell B3, Antioxidant Lip Repair
Available at
select skin care professional locations: AOX+ Eye Gel ($92 USD / 0.5 oz); Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 ($34 USD / 1.7 oz); Physical Eye UV Defense ($30 USD / 0.3 oz)
AOX+ Eye Gel ingredients: aqua/water/eau, dipropylene glycol, butylene glycol, undecane, bis-hydroxyethoxypropyl dimethicone, alcohol denat., ascorbic acid, dimethicone, caprylic/capric triglyceride, tridecane, phloretin, lauryl peg-9 polydimethylsiloxyethyl dimethicone, dimethicone/peg-10/15 crosspolymer, dimethicone/polyglycerin-3 crosspolymer, ferulic acid, Ruscus aculeatus extract/Ruscus aculeatus root extract, caffeine, disodium edta, sodium hydroxide
Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 active ingredients: titanium dioxide 6%, zinc oxide 5%
Non-medicinal ingredients: aqua, dimethicone, isododecane, c12-15 alkyl benzoate, undecane, triethylhexanoin, isohexadecane, nylon-12, caprylyl methicone, butyloctyl salicylate, phenethyl benzoate, styrene/acrylates copolymer, silica, tridecane, dicaprylyl carbonate, dicaprylyl ether, talc, dimethicone/peg-10/15 crosspolymer, aluminum stearate, pentylene glycol, peg-9 polydimethylsiloxyethyl dimethicone, alumina, polyhydroxystearic acid, phenoxyethanol, magnesium sulfate, caprylyl glyol, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, peg-8 laurate, disteardimonium hectorite, triethoxycaprylylsilane, tocopherol, propylene carbonate, artemia extract, bnzoic acid, c9-15 fluoroalcohol phosphate, peg-9
Physical Eye UV Defense active ingredients: titanium dioxide 9%, zinc oxide 4%
Non-medicinal ingredients: dimethicone, c12-15 alkyl benzoate, triethylhexanoin, isohexadecane, talc, hydrogenated jojoba oil, dimethicone crosspolymer, styrene/acrylates copolymer, c30-45 alkyldimethylsilyl polypropylsilsesquioxane, dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, aluminum stearate, alumina, polyhydroxystearic acid, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, phenoxyethanol, silica silylate, peg-8 laurate, triethoxycaprylylsilane
