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Product Review: Neutrogena Anti Oxidant Age Reverse Eye Cream

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Neutrogena Anti Oxidant Age Reverse Eye Cream ($16.95, Amazon.com) claims to neutralize skin-damaging free radicals, crow’s feet, puffiness, and dark circles. Yet how effective do the ingredients indicate the eye cream really is in treating these signs of aging?


What are the antioxidant sources in this product?

Neutrogena Anti Oxidant Age Reverse Eye Cream contains three antioxidant sources: Soybean Extract, Feverfew Extract (Chrysantemum Parthenium), and Vitamin E (in the form of alpha-tocopherol). Interestingly enough, Johnson and Johnson manufactures this product and has the rights to “active soy” (soy without estrogenic compounds) and feverfew extract without parthenolide (an irritant). As such, it is an excellent source of safe forms of soybean extract and feverfew extract. Furthermore, vitamin E as alpha tocopherol has been shown to have an environmental protection factor (EPF) of 80 on a scale of up to 100, and as such is considered to be a potent antioxidant.

In comparison to other skin care formulations, how potent are the antioxidants in this product?

In comparison to other antioxidant formulations, unfortunately, the product does not contain two or more “network antioxidants,” which synergistically enhance the power of one another (source: Dr. Leslie Baumann). These “network antioxidants” are vitamins C and E, glutathione, lipoic acid, and coenzyme Q10. (One source containing two or more “network antioxidants” is Skinceuticals C E Ferulic serum.) In addition, no single antioxidant on the market has the antioxidant potency of CoffeeBerry (which is not found in this product) as measured by Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity Score (ORAC) — a method developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the standard to measure the antioxidant capacity of natural substances.

However, despite the lack of “network antioxidants” or coffee berry, Neutrogena Anti-Oxidant Age Reverse has been found in studies by Johnson & Johnson to neutralize 99% of free radicals in the skin. This is highly impressive, as an established, more expensive product like Esteé Lauder Advanced Night Repair claims to neutralize only “up to 90% of free radicals” in studies released by Esteé Lauder Companies. Therefore, Neutrogena Anti-Oxidant Age Reverse seems to be highly effective in neutralizing free radicals. Hopefully, studies in the future will compare the efficacy of this product directly to those containing synergistic network antioxidants and supreme antioxidants like coffee berry.

Can the product improve my crow’s feet like products with retinoids or glycolic acid?

Antioxidants protect against future damage by neutralizing free radicals within the skin that can damage DNA. However, of soybean extract, feverfew extract and vitamin E, soybean extract has been noted in this study in the British Journal of Dermatology (amongst others) to stimulate the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid in human fibroblasts. Over time, this will increase the firmness, elasticity, and suppleness of skin.

However, no independent scientific research has demonstrated that topical application of the ingredients in Neutrogena Anti Oxidant Age Reverse Eye Cream can significantly improve crow’s feet. This is unlike retinoids and L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C), which have been reported in this 2003 study in the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery to improve the appearance of crow’s feet. (One eye cream with retinol is RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream.) Use of glycolic acid has also been shown in this 2007 study in the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery to improve the appearance of crow’s feet over vitamin-based formulas or placebo, although both retinoids and glycolic acid tend to make the skin photosensitive, so a broad-based sunscreen must be used everyday with either ingredient.

The dearth of research on soybean and feverfew extract and crow’s feet may be due to the fact that they are relatively new to skin care formulations; if information surfaces to indicate they are as effective in treating existing wrinkles as retinoids, vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) or glycolic acid, I will certainly report it and correct this article!

Can this product really help puffy eyes?

Puffy eyes are normally caused by fluid retention, stress, allergies, and/or hormonal changes. Skin care formulations that claim to take care of puffy eyes often include caffeine to shrink the blood vessels, reducing the amount of fluid in the area. However, based on the ingredients list, Neutrogena Anti Oxidant Age Reverse Eye Cream does not contain caffeine, so puffy eyes caused by fluid retention would not be helped by this product. [A complete article on puffy eyes is available here.]

On the other hand, if puffy eyes are the result of stress and/or certain hormonal changes, the product contains many soothing and anti-irritating ingredients (shea butter, dimethicone, feverfew extract without parthenolide), that calm the skin. Puffiness may therefore be reduced.

Can this product improve the appearance of dark circles?

It depends on the cause of dark circles. According to Dr. Leslie Baumann in her text Cosmetic Dermatology, the complete origin of dark circles is not entirely known, but it may be related to vasodilation of the blood vessels, making them appear more visible through the skin, or excess melanin production. If dark circles are caused by hyperpigmentation, it has been reported in this 2000 study in the journal Dermatology that products containing soybean extract have been shown to lighten hyperpigmentation after twice-daily application for two weeks. If dark circles are caused by vasodilation, applying cool, moistened tea bags under the eyes for ten minutes should ease their appearance.

Cosmetically, the product contains mica and silica to reflect the light away from dark circles. However, these ingredients do nothing to actually treat dark circles.

How does this product compare to Neutrogena Anti Oxidant Age Reverse Facial Moisturizer?

Based on ingredients alone, the products are similar; a review about the facial moisturizer is available here from November 30, 2007. However, unfortunately, unlike the daily facial cream, the eye cream does not contain a sunscreen. Although care needs to be taken when applying sunscreen in the area, the undereye area is thin and delicate and needs to be protected from the sun. One eye cream with SPF and vitamin C (an antioxidant) is Murad Essential C Eye Cream SPF 15 ($65.00, Sephora.com).

Overall opinions?

Based on research of the ingredients, the product would be excellent at soothing/calming the skin and moisturizing the skin. I would say the eye cream is also excellent at preventing future damage (with antioxidants soybean extract, feverfew extract, and vitamin E), but it does not contain a broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen, which is instrumental in preventing future damage.

Depending on the source of puffy eyes and dark circles, the product may help (with soybean extract). However, based on the published research that is available, the ingredients in this product are not heavy-hitters against existing wrinkles in comparison to reigning champions like retinoids, vitamin C and glycolic acid. As such, a great eye cream, but wear a sunscreen over it, and don’t expect it to get rid of your existing wrinkles anytime soon. Overall rating: 7.5/10 (like the day lotion, but -1 for no sunscreen)

Ingredients (courtesy Amazon.com):

Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Soybean (Glycine Soja) Seed Extract, Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Feverfew (Chrysanthemum Parthenium) Extract, Silica, Tocopherol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, 1,2 Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Methylisothiazolinone, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, Ethylene Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Acrylamide/Ammonium Acrylate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Triethanolamine, Fragrance.

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