I hadn’t tried Tula products in the past, but I was intrigued by their use of probioitics. So when they reached out to see if they could send me some products to try, I happily said yes and I am very glad I did!

Out of all of the products, the Tula Multi-Spectrum Eye Renewal Serum honestly took me by surprise… I didn’t expect to love it SO much especially since I already have a committed relationship with my beloved Chanel Le Lift eye cream.

If you have been following me for a bit you may know that I have a deep love of the Chanel Le Lift eye cream. The main reason I am so willing to shell out the big bucks ($105 for 0.5 oz) is because I found that with near daily use over a long period of time my eyelids were a bit tighter and less crepey. It has other great effects (that I talk about in my review), but it was specifically the tightening of the eye area that sold me. 

Well…. it looks like my beloved eye cream has some competition. Actually, competition isn’t the right description, because I plan to always keep both of these in my skincare arsenal–using one in the morning and one and night to reap the benefits of both. And technically, the Tula one is a Serum, so I could just apply it under the Chanel, but I don’t think that is necessary (although in the winter it is a nice touch).

Do I NEED both? No. But you can’t force me to pick a favorite 😉

Ok, on to my review.

This serum is PACKED with amazing ingredients to improve skin quality and clarity, accelerate the skin renewal process, reduce fine lines, and keep skin supple and smooth. It has caffeine (from green tea), mushroom extract and hydrolyzed rice protein, all of which can help to make eyes look more awake, less puffy and with reduced dark circles.

BUT the thing that I like most is that it is has a number of antioxidants to provide the skin with protection against damage by UV light, oxidative stress, and fighting glycation.

• Glycation leads to the formation of irreversible and highly-detrimental Advanced Glycation-End products (ironically referred to as A.G.E.). AGEs damage the collagen network and are a leading cause of accelerated skin aging. When the collagen network is damaged, you  lose elasticity, leaving your skin wrinkled, sagging, and thin (Gkogkolou et al., 2012; Pageon et al 2014). Here’s the real bummer (at least for someone like me that has a major sweet tooth….) the more sugar you eat, whether processed or natural, the more AGEs are produced. This got me thinking that perhaps some of my droopy, saggy eyelid issues may be, at least in part, due to glycation.  So a HUGE draw to this serum is that it has two antioxidants to protect against glycation. 

Price:

• $68 for 0.5 oz
• ((Great news is that, unlike Chanel which almost never works for coupon codes, Tula does! In fact, right now if you purchase it through dermstore.com and use the coupon code WINTER you can get it for 20% with free shipping. AND if you check ebates for the day you can get additional money back. As of today, the ebates deal is 4% but sometimes it goes as high as 10%))

Pros:

• I can use this on my eyelids and it never stings my eyes
• Non-fragranced
• Lightweight and non-greasy creamy serum (this is designed to be used under a thicker eye cream if you need that additional moisture, I personally didn’t)
• Extremely hydrating
• Never resulted in any milia (for me)
• Works well under makeup (even on eyelid) and didn’t contribute to any concealer creases
• Seemed to help with reducing some puffiness and dark circles as a result of lack of sleep (this won’t do anything for hereditary dark circles)
• It comes in an air-tight tube with a built in metal tip that is designed to stay cool as you apply the product. I love the packaging, especially for travel.
• It can help to relax and soften fine lines over time.

Cons:

• Sometimes I push out too much product and then I have to use it up because I can’t get it back in the tube.

Do I Plan to Purchase this When I am Out? YES

A Closer Look at Some Ingredients

• Lactococcus Ferment Lysate:  This is the probiotic in the product. It is said to stimulate the skin’s natural renewal process and help it adapt to external stressors. It can also improve cell turnover while increasing hydration levels.
• Albizia julibrissin bark extract: Potent antioxidant believed to protect against glycation (which is the process by which your skin loses suppleness and can contribute to eyelid sagging). This can also help fade the look of dark circles.
• Retinyl Palmitate: Retinol ester that can be converted into retinol. Considered a much more gentle and less irritating form of Vitamin A
• Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 [Argireline]: Inhibitor peptide that relaxes the muscle contractions and minimize the actions that cause wrinkles. Expression lines are softened and it helps to improve the firmness and tone of the skin.
• Camelina Sativa Seed Oil: Rich in omega-3 and 6 fatty acids. It hydrates and locks in moisture and can improve skin’s suppleness.
• Camellia Sinensis [Green tea] Leaf Extract:  Potent antioxidant that has been extensively studied (Hsu, 2005). It is an anti-inflammatory, anti-irritant, and it can help prevent skin damage caused by sun exposure and pollution. This ingredient also provides caffeine to help reduce the appearance of puffiness in the under eye area.
• Silybum Marianum [Silymarin] Seed Oil: Antioxidant that helps prevent  skin damage caused by UV sunlight
• Chrysanthellum Indicum [Golden Chamomile] extract: Anti-inflammatory, soothing, and it can also strengthen the capillaries and can help reduce redness.
• Hydrolyzed Rice Protein: Helps to improve microcirculation which increases oxygen supply to the delicate tissues around the eyes. It can also strengthen the collagen and elastin matrix as well as visibly reduce dark circles and puffiness around the eyes.
• Tumeric: Potent antioxidants known to protect against environmental stressors and act as an anti-inflammatory and minimize fine lines and wrinkles
• Blueberry fruit extract: Antioxidant that helps improve thin crepey skin and can help protect against glycation
• Ganoderma Lucidum (Mushroom) Stem Extract: a high source of vitamins, minerals, & antioxidants mushrooms can help your skin fight the signs of aging, while also reducing inflammation and improving water-retention of the skin

Complete Ingredients

Aqua/Water/Eau, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate [emollient], Butylene Glycol [humectant], Glycerin [humectant], Silica, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Micrococcus Lysate, Retinyl Palmitate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 [Argirilene], Camelina Sativa Seed Oil [nourishing and moisturizing], Camellia Sinensis [Green tea] Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract [potent antioxidants known to protect against environmental stressors], Avena Sativa (Oat) Bran Extract, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract [Persian Silk Tree] , Lactic Acid, Serenoa Serrulataruit Extract [moisturizing], Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum (Mushroom) Stem Extract, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract, Algae Extract, Silybum Marianum Seed Oil, Yogurt Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Cichorium Intybus (Chicory) Root Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Olus/Vegetable Oil/Huile Vegetale, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate, Darutoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Sorbic Acid, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891)

References

Gkogkolou P, Bohm M. Advanced glycation end products: key players
in skin aging? Dermatoendocrinol. 2012;4(3):259–270.

Hsu S. Green tea and the skin. J Am Acad Dermatol 2005;52:1049–59.

Pageon H, Zucchi H, Rousset F, Monnier VM, Asselineau D. Skin aging by glycation: Lessons from the reconstructed skin model. Clin Chem Lab Med 2014;52(1):169–74.