Honest Beauty | Skyn Iceland : Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels

Welcome to the first of my 2020 Beauty Reviews.
There are going to be more of them this year.

Honest, open, unbiased and to the point!
The photos won't be edited and you'll see me (and the products) "warts and all".

{Hopefully no warts but definitely everything else!}

First off... This post has not been paid for by the brand {Skyn Iceland} and I bought the eye gels myself.

Lets get stuck in...

WHAT'S the PURPOSE of the  SKYN ICELAND HYDRO COOL FIRMING EYE GELS?

What the brand says:

"When you're run down and stressed out, the delicate skin under your eyes really takes a beating, resulting in puffiness, dark circles and premature wrinkling. In just ten minutes, this cooling transdermal gel patch infuses the eye area with highly potent actives and Icelandic glacial water to firm, tone, brighten and reduce the appearance of puffiness and wrinkles. Eyes are revived, soothed and rejuvenated."

What I Say:

I've tried A LOT of different eye masks and products because I have very fine skin and every glass of wine (or salted peanut) shows up as a black and hideously puffy eyebags on my face.
My skin shows up my indiscretions (of which there are a few) very easily, and as I've gotten older it's becoming harder and harder to hide them from the world.

I've given most eye-related products a good go...

• Creams and gels (countless).
• Masks and Pads.
• Even DIY remedies.

You name it, I've tried it!

Some products are okay.
Some are great.
{Cold Teabags, cucumber or slices of potato are some of the good ones.}
Others are a complete waste of time and money.

So, when I received a sample of these eyepatches as part of a gift (from a friend, not the brand) I didn't hold out much hope.
I've tried a few eye patches in the past and I've always been disappointed.

WHAT ABOUT THE 'SKYN ICELAND' BRAND?

All the brands' blurb:

At Skyn ICELAND We Offer Skincare Solutions To Treat The Damage Caused By Stress.

Our inspiration comes from nature, in the pure, unspoiled natural resources of Iceland – with its mineral-rich waters, antioxidant powered berries, soothing algae and mosses and immune-boosting angelica archangelica. With these potent naturals, we created products that soothe, stabilize, fortify and nourish skin, bringing it back into balance and returning it to a glowing, youthful state.

Our commitment to nature is in everything we do. We favour packaging that’s easily recyclable. We're free of parabens, petroleum, mineral oil and sulfates. We don't test our products on animals and we're 100% vegan. Our simple-to-use products indulge the senses, bringing on an overall sense of calm and ultimately re-energize you and your skin. Our goal is to help you feel as good as you look so you can take on the world and its challenges.

Open a jar. Push the pump. Feel the tingly clean, soothing, calm sensation. Inhale the energy of nature's fragrances. Treat your skin to the ultimate chill pill.

What I think:

I'm not a fan of brand BS, and much as I love their ethos (as it is written here) I did have a couple of problems with their waffle.

First of all parabens, sulfates and mineral oils are not "baddies" and are not always a bad thing to have in a product.
I'm no expert but I know how brands like to play on our fears and concerns and get us to part with our cash.

The second issue I have is with their packaging.
The wrapper and the backing for the eye patches are not recyclable where I live.
Maybe it is where you are, but I found it to be a problem and this blurb is misleading.

On the positive side, I'm completely against animal testing so that gets a BIG thumbs up from me.
Overall I like what I'm reading here.
It's not groundbreaking, but the right boxes are getting ticked.

{Albeit the packaging needs attention}

HOW MUCH DOES THIS PRODUCT COST?

This pack of 8 masks isn't cheap in itself BUT when you break it down to approximately £3 per mask, it works out pretty good value.

• $32 direct from Skyn 
• £25 from Amazon (plus delivery)
• £25 from M&S (plus delivery)
• £20 from Feel Unique (Free Delivery)

You can also get them from other retailers such as BOOTS and JOHN LEWIS.
Have a look online for your favourites.

(They also come in smaller and larger packs)

What I paid:

£20 with free delivery from Feel Unique (it was a no-brainer for me).
I use Feel Unique quite regularly because of its good prices and fast delivery.

{Before you ask, Feel Unique aren't sponsoring me to recommend them, I just like them!}

PACKAGING

Here lies the only issue I have with products like these.
The amount of single-use plastic involved.

I'm not sure what the alternates are, but surely there has got to be a biodegradable or compostable option out there?
I find this aspect of the beauty industry so frustrating.
I know that some brands are leading the way when it comes to re-useable and re-cyclable packaging but other's need to follow suit.
More innovation, please!

HOW TO USE / EASE OF USE

These masks are packaged like any others you may have used.
A simple tear-open, peel them from their backing strip and apply.

I applied mine when I was fresh out of the shower onto bare skin (you can see my flushed cheeks in these photos!).

The first thing you'll notice (that is VERY different from the norm) is that these gels are not wet.
Not at all.

If you hate the feeling of dripping and slipping then you'll love these.

The other great thing about them is that they stick in place and don't slide around like other gel eye masks.
Brilliant.

You can go about your business and forget about them.

I deliberately put these masks on the wrong way around.
(With the chubby part near my nose.)
This is because I have most of my puffy 'issues' in this area.
I would have put them on the other way if crepeiness and wrinkles were my issues.
These masks are VERY easy to use and you can go about your business as they get to work as they're not going anywhere!

After applying the gels I added a layer of a mask to the rest of my face...

RESULTS

All of this 'ease of use' and 'brand ethos' is very well and good but let's get to the point here...

DO.
THEY.
WORK.
?

The answer (for me) is a big YES.
The reason I know that they work is that my husband commented on how rested I looked after using them.

(The first time that is, not after he knew I was writing this review.)

Yep... that's the clincher.
A genuine comment from someone who would be otherwise oblivious to the trials and tribulations my eyebags and I.

Let's face it, peering and micro-analysing our own face is one thing.
A friend commenting after you've told her you were trying something new is another.
BUT... the best of all is a non-beauty obsessed man noticing a change.

That sealed the deal for me.

BEFORE

AFTER

VALUE FOR MONEY?

Despite the initial £20 price tag, these patches work out quite cheap!
Good value anyway.

Compared to other brand's (E.g Elemis gels are £50.50 for 6) they're giving them away for free!
Even 'cheap' masks (like those from Garnier) are around the £3 mark.

A fair price for a product that works.

If they were out of your price range for regular use they'd be a brilliant treat for a special occasion.

PROS v CONS

Let's cut to the chase here and weigh up the pros and cons to get the full picture.

Pros

• The biggest pro of all... They work!
• My eyes were looking and feeling much better after 10 short minutes.
• The patches are not drippy or wet.
• They stay in place and don't slide down or drop into your tea!
• They're not too expensive.
• You can re-use them (unofficially!)... I broke the rules and used mine 3X!

Cons

• The packaging... all of that single-use plastic doesn't sit comfortably with me.
• You need to buy them online.
• The effects are temporary (what a shame).
• You need to peel them off which can pull at the skin slightly.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THEM TO A FRIEND?

Bottom line... Yes, I would.

Have you tried these patches?
Or, do you have another brand you could recommend?
I'd love to know!