Kate Somerville CytoCell Dark Circle Corrective Eye Cream

Dark under-eye circles are a universal female gripe, compounded by the sleep deprivation and inadequate hydration to which we subject our bodies as we dive into the über competitive work force and pursue our respective career paths, and aggravated by the passing of time and the oft sadistic nature of the aging process. While many eye creams work to smooth out wrinkles around the delicate eye area (albeit to varying degrees), few deliver on the promise to illuminate this sallow skin. Luckily, rather than approach dark circles as unavoidable truths, skin wellness expert Kate Somerville tackled the issue head-on, developing a genial, award-worthy eye cream that battles all the skin concerns associated with aging: puffiness, fine lines and wrinkles, and dark circles.

The paraben- and fragrance-free Kate Somerville CytoCell Dark Circle Corrective Eye Cream features: antioxidant-rich vitamin C, a natural skin brightener that also protects skin from oxidative stress and free radical damage; Eyeseryl, a synthetic tetrapeptide developed by Barcelona-based, bio-tech firm Lipotec that reduces puffiness by minimizing liquid retention, one of the main causes of eye bags; milk peptides, which boosts the production of hyaluronic acid, which is key in moisturizing the skin from within and, hence, smoothing out wrinkles, and which stimulates the production of collagen to to yield firmer, younger-looking skin; light-diffusing pearls that create an aesthetically pleasing optical illusion; and the groundbreaking Peptide P-199, which stimulates stem cell activity.

So what exactly are stem cells? And why should an eye cream contain an ingredient that reactivates these dormant cells? Well, adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells (meaning that they don’t belong to any specialized type) found in many organs and tissues — from the brain to the teeth, skin, heart, liver and bone marrow. These cells’ main function is to repair the tissue in which they’re located and yet, oftentimes, they remain dormant for long periods of time, never fulfilling all their healing potential.

But, should a substance reawaken these stem cells, prompting them to divide and hence produce a greater quantity of active stem cells with regenerative properties, the skin benefits would be unparalleled. Peptide-199 is just one such catalyst, and its inclusion in skincare products should be regarded as nothing short of a cutting-edge development.

By incorporating the most revolutionary skincare technologies and the most effective skin wellness ingredients, the Kate Somerville CytoCell Dark Circle Corrective Eye Cream meets all of its trumpeted goals. Within four to six weeks of use, you should notice an improvement in overall tone, smoothness, and firmness. Best of all, you won’t have to smear on pounds of industrial-strength concealer to tackle those lugubrious under-eye circles.

Kate Somerville CytoCell Dark Circle Corrective Eye Cream, $75. Available at KateSomerville.com