BeautyMate Nano Eye Essence

BeautyMate is a Taiwan-made skincare brand based in Hong Kong (I'm just guessing from their official website URL and contact address), although according to Sasa.com the products are "developed" by a Japanese company. No idea. Found some information on this company from this blog, but the blogger doesn't provide any sources for reference...

Anyway, BeautyMate makes sheet masks and skincare items. I've tried many of the masks (haven't reviewed any yet, sorry!) and recently I've begun to use this Nano Eye Essence too.

Honestly, the very first thought that came to my head upon holding the product in my hand was, "Holy crap this bottle is huge!!!" Yes, it's quite a generous 30mL - that's one(1) whole liquid ounce, folks! And only $9.20 at Sasa.com too! If you can't imagine how crazy cheap that is, try this on for size:

- My tube of DHC Eye Bright was 0.52oz. for $21.50 (by the way, I'm nowhere near finishing this tube. I had to put it away for something more moisturizing during the winter - this BeautyMate Nano Eye Essence!)

- The Lancome Renergie Microlift Eye R.A.R.E. I used for a while was 0.5oz. for $60!

- The Avon Solutions Plus Total Radiance Eye Gel was 0.5oz. for $12.50 retail, although you may be able to get it for cheaper on sale.

So yeah, you get the idea. This BeautyMate Nano Eye Essence is in the same price range with, if not cheaper than, Avon products, and yet it boasts of premium grade white truffle extract, Vitamin B3, hyaluronic acid, and collagen as ingredients. Even the packaging looks fancy! It came shrink wrapped in a plastic box. Then the bottle itself is brushed glass with very hygienic pump application and a fake-brushed aluminum-plastic cap in a golden champagne color. Sounds too good to be true, right?

Let's just say I approached this product with super heavy suspicion ^.^ Of course I read the few reviews on Sasa prior to buying, and although they all had something good to say, I was still very suspicious. But then I thought, whatever, for $9 I'll try it, and boy am I happy I did. This is really really nice stuff, especially for that price! I can't confirm the claim on Sasa that my eyes feel "noticeably firmer and brighter in just 10 days," solely because firming and brightening aren't really critical aspects for my eye area right now (right now, I said!) and I haven't paid any attention. That said, this stuff definitely feels way more substantial than both of the Avon eye creams, the Total Radiance Eye Gel from above and the Hydrofirming Eye Cream. Hell, it feels even better than the expensive Lancome Renergie Microlift R.A.R.E. as well as the Renergie Eye Creams! Wtf, right?

The eye essence is actually a white cream and not so much a runny or even translucent essence, as its name suggests. It's a white eye opaque cream that absorbs instantly upon application and does not leave behind any traces of greasiness. It is scented, but the fragrance is very fresh so I don't really mind it. My eyes feel very comfortable and adequately moisturized after application, but that's not why I'm impressed.

Generally, my biggest problem with most eye creams is that they will eventually melt the sunscreen off around my eye area as due to some sort of oil ingredient (ahem, Lancome!). Towards the end of the day, or in the worst case scenario a few hours, my eyes would be burning with the sunscreen seeping in slowly. So if I want to use something for my eye area during the day, it would have to be a gel or a very light cream. But of course, gels and light creams are not adequately moisturizing during the colder months (yes, I'm talking about you, DHC!). Avon and Olay Age Defying Revitalizing Eye Gel were only okay as they barely, just barely, managed. As a result, my eye area usually suffer severe dryness during certain time of the year and I would have to compensate for the drier daytime with a super heavy night time eye cream. It's like hitting myself on the head with a hammer and then taking painkillers to help with the pain. Not very effective or healthy.

This Nano Eye Essence, on the other hand, actually held up perfectly underneath my sunscreen even though it contains jojoba oil! I was incredulous but after a few weeks' use now I am convinced I have something excellent on my hand. I am now limiting its use to only daytime, as I can always use other heavier eye creams at night. It's not because I will run out of it anytime soon. This 1oz. bottle will probably last me for a very long time since I don't even use half a pump each time! Just that I like it so much I feel I must "save" it for use during the day LOL! When it gets warmer and more humid, I will probably have to switch back to the DHC Eye Bright, precisely because this eye essence would be too moisturizing then.

Forget about Sasa's firming and brightening claims for this stuff. If you are in the market for a moisturizing eye cream for use in the winter that will not deteriorate under your stubbornly drying but water-resistant Japanese sunscreen, try this BeautyMate Nano Eye Essence!