Battle of the Eye Creams: Kinerase vs. N.V. Perricone

Now that I'm well into my 30's, I've become increasingly interested in anti-wrinkle and anti-aging products, especially ones that combat wrinkles around the eyes (since that's where I've noticed them the most on me).

The ladies at Sephora were super nice and gave me free samples of the two best-selling eye creams known to combat not only wrinkles, but also the dark circles under the eyes. I didn't know there was a cream to combat undereye circles, I always thought that was a problem that only responded to concealors and extra water in your diet, but apparently there's a cream to cure anything and everything out there these days.

The two creams I sampled were Kinerase Under Eye Rescue and N.V. Perricone's Advanced Eye Area Therapy, both of which are considered the best you can buy without a prescription in this class. Both products claim that you have to use them for up to three months to see results, but I don't have patience or the money to wait three months. In my book, I have to see at least a slight improvement in a week otherwise, I'm not buying it.

N.V. Perricone Advanced Eye Area Therapy, $95

This cream is comprised of a combination of vitamins (K and C) and other anti-oxidants that are supposed to combat fine wrinkles and the blue in under eye circles. I really wanted to like this eye cream, but it stung like mad upon application, and after three days, I didn't want to put this instrument of torture on me anymore, no matter what it promised. Perhaps I was allergic to this eye cream, but even if I wasn't I didn't like the texture of this cream. The sample I got didn't spread easily and was slightly grainy as well, who wants to put something with little grains in it around the eyes? Not to mention, even in a mere three days, I didn't see it working one bit, and my undereye area looked more healthy after I stopped using it. I gave this one a thumbs down for both stinging me and for being outrageously priced.

Kinerase Under Eye Rescue, $75

Now this, my friends, is the superstar, and very worth the money since just a little dab is enough to cover both eyes, and the tube will last you at least a month or two before you need to purchase again. This didn't sting me at all, and it glided on smoothly, instantly moisturizing the area under my eyes. The secret ingredient in this cream is Kinetin, an anti-oxidant that is derived naturally from an anemone flower in Holland. Kinetin has been known to keep the anemone flower's petals hydrated and wrinkle free, and scientists have discovered that it does the same for the human skin as well. It's a huge hit among celebs in Hollywood, and Courtney Cox is the spokesperson for the product.

And I have to say the product does live up to the hype. I used this for only seven days and noticed a significant improvement in the appearance of wrinkles under my eyes. One morning I woke up, sleep deprived as usual, but when I looked in the mirror, I looked like I had a good night's sleep, it was that effective. As far as the circles went, they didn't disappear entirely, but they did start to look less noticeable, which I thought was amazing considering I had only been using this product for seven days. They make just an anti-wrinkle cream called Intensive Eye Cream ($59) as well, if all you want to target is the wrinkles and not the under eye circles. It costs less too. I didn't try it, but judging from how well the Under Eye Rescue worked, it's probably just as effective. I give Kinerase Under Eye Rescue an A+ and I think it makes an excellent addition to my skincare routine.