The Sonya Dakar SuperLift Advanced Contouring Eye Serum Is Meant to Be Worn Like Sunglasses
By Sarah Kinonen. Photos: Hannah Choi/Allure.
Having a decent skin-care routine can drastically change the appearance of your complexion. With just a daily dollop of moisturizer, your face will seamlessly transform from flaky to hydrated, while a decent spot treatment can help eliminate the appearance of breakouts. And don't even get us started on the magic of sunscreen. But, as far as eye creams go, it's a house divided. Some Allure editors swear by the whipped, luxurious formulas meant to be swept under dark circles to help de-puff, while others find the idea of using an eye treatment an extra, unnecessary step in their daily regimen. Luckily, I'm in the former camp, and boy, have I found a game-changer. World, meet the Sonya Dakar SuperLift Advanced Contouring Eye Serum, my new favorite — and hopefully yours, too.
The just-launched Sonya Dakar SuperLift Advanced Contouring Eye Serum is a lightweight gel serum (no, not a cream) made with maca root, which acts as barrier to protect that ever-so-delicate skin against environmental stressors. There's also tamarind seed, a vegan-based alternative to humectant hyaluronic acid to hydrate and plump up skin, and edelweiss plant cells to tighten the thin-skinned zone. But perhaps what sets this soothing serum apart from other eye-specific products on the market is that it was formulated to be applied under, over, and around the eyes (yes, really) as opposed to the traditional under-the-eye treatment.
"Apply the serum like sunglasses — not eye glasses," Dakar, the natural skin-care line's founder, tells Allure. "Look in the mirror and smile. Where do you see expression lines first? It's [usually] at your cheekbone, extending to your hairline. A lot of women (and men) make the mistake of applying a tiny amount [of product] just under the eye like a pair of bi-focal eyeglasses. This is a mistake, as they are only treating one tiny area."
So, to apply à la Dakar, with just a single drop of the serum — which is "enough for both eyes," she explains — start at the inner corner of your eye and gently pat the viscous, silk-like product in the hollows under your eyes, out past the cheekbone, then to the hairline, and then upwards to the eyelid. From there, continued swiping the serum along the brow bone, between the brows at the "elevens," and then back to the under eye. "This is going to make your eye cream and serum really work for you," she says.
Dakar, who's worked with big-name celebrities, including Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow, says she specifically created this product after discovering a need for a powerhouse eye product — without cosmetic enhancement — within her client list. "I was seeing a lot of women and men very concerned with their eye area, who'd ask my opinion on injectables and fillers," she says. "My approach has always been non-invasive, natural, and corrective, so I made it my mission to create a product that would work like fillers, but without side effects, chemicals/synthetics, and needles."
And alas, after two years of development, the Sonya Dakar SuperLift Advanced Contouring Eye Serum was born. And let me just tell you, it was well worth the wait, because it's good. Like, the perfect (unscented) potion to quench skin (even sensitive skin types, like myself ) in the changing temps. And as Dakar mentioned, a little bit goes a long way, so each time I apply it to my own eyes — sunglasses style — I savor the serum and only use a teensy tiny bit. And unlike other rich creams I used in the past, this luxe-like formula goes on smooth, without the ouch factor. No stinging at all.
I always give it a couple extra seconds to dry down completely before moving on to my makeup, because, according to Dakar, it can also be used as a primer. "It doesn't move and leaves the skin extremely smooth and soft, making it perfect for makeup application," she says. I can't say I use the serum as an eyeshadow primer (mostly because I don't wear eyeshadow), but I will say it definitely keeps my under-eye concealer in tact — at least through lunch, which is long enough for me.
The Sonya Dakar SuperLift Advanced Contouring Eye Serum is available, starting today, for $110 at sonyadakarskinclinic.com.
This story originally appeared on Allure.
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