Murad Monday: Eye Cream Overview & Comparison

You haven't seen a Murad Monday here in a while, have you? I kind of abandoned the idea of a Murad brand focus for a bit, but it seems like some of you actually found the last one helpful - and I do still use their products, so it would make sense to talk about something I use in my daily routine for a change, not just the newest, brightest lipstick I whip out once a month (mmkay, who am I kidding here, we all love the lipstick posts... but anyway).

Thanks to some fantastic GWP deluxe samples I received in the past year or so, I've had a fair chance to roadtest a variety of Murad's eye creams. Granted, the line is quite extensive so I haven't tried every single one, but if you're in the market for a new eye treatment and would like a review and comparison of some Murad ones, you're in the right place.

Let's start with my current pick: Murad Renewing Eye Cream ($75 for 0.5 oz), 'a multiactive, antiaging treatment for the eye area that firms, brightens, and hydrates to minimize the appearance of medium to deep wrinkles and crows feet'. It boasts peptides, retinol, phytoestrogens and iris root extract and it's part of Murad's green Resurgence line, aimed at more mature, dry skintypes. The product comes in a sanitary, controllable pump and has no discernible scent. In terms of texture, this is the richest and creamiest of the Murad eye creams I've tried. It does slightly sit on top of the skin when first applied, but sinks in nicely after a couple minutes. While I don't have medium to deep wrinkles (yet) or very dry skin, I find that the Renewing Eye Cream moisturizes my eye area exceptionally well, combats any dehydrated, winter skin woes and slightly plumps up my fine lines. It also wears well under concealer, so in this frigid weather, I opt for it in the mornings too. My only gripe is, well, the price, but I also suspect that it might cause some clogged pores high on my cheeks, more than I usually have - I'm not completely sure though that it's a definite culprit.

I've also been testing out two eye creams from the orange Environmental Shield line: Essential-C Eye Cream SPF 15 PA++ ($69 for 0.5 oz), 'a patented antiaging eye cream featuring UV protection that brightens, renews, and protects the delicate eye area', and the newer release, Instant Radiance Eye Cream ($68 for 0.5 oz), 'a patented, brightening undereye and eyelid treatment clinically proven to minimize the appearance of dark circles and restore smoothness'. The first one is obviously geared to be used as a morning eye cream, and I find it to be creamy, but much lighter in texture than the green Renewing Eye Cream. Unfortunately, I don't find it moisturizing enough for the wintertime, and I question how much a small dab of SPF15 under your eyes is actually going to protect the skin against UV damage. The cream also contains caffeine to help with puffiness but I would say the effect is very slight. I find the Essential-C Eye Cream to be quite average, but perhaps a good recommendation if you're looking for a lightweight, daytime treatment with low SPF protection.

Now, the Instant Radiance Eye Cream is a bit of an oddball: it has a very thick, balmy texture that feels slippery and dry to the touch. It basically resembles a thick make-up primer, and no surprise, it is chock full of silicones. It also boasts a complex stimulating natural collagen production, retinol palmitate and tangerine butter, however a glance at the ingredients list reveals it actually contains shea butter AND tangerine peel oil - I'm quite annoyed at this unfortunate marketing blurb and while citrus essential oils have brightening properties, they can also cause photosensitivity and are potentially irritating, so... I'm not a fan. The Instant Radiance Cream is primarily supposed to minimize dark circles instantly as well as over time but I haven't really observed any such result on my under eyes - although it does help to mattify and smooth out any skin texture you might have, just as a silicone primer would for the rest of your face. It doesn't feel particularly hydrating or moisturizing.

To end this overview on a positive note, here's a quick look at my absolute favorite of the Murad eye creams I've tried: Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture for Eyes ($62 for 0.5 oz), 'an antiaging moisturizer for the delicate eye area clinically proven to relieve dry, dehydrated skin instantly and restore youthful resilience and tone', - not pictured since I've used up my sample a while back, but it comes in a clear plastic jar. The Hydro-Dynamic cream also has the Murad's proprietary collagen-stimulating complex, as well as peptides, Vitamin E and shea butter.  I've found this one to be the most hydrating (versus the most moisturizing ---> that would have to be the green Renewing Eye Cream) Murad eye treatment and possibly one of the most hydrating eye creams I've ever tried. It feels lighter and thinner in consistency and sinks in faster than the other ones, yet manages to lock in moisture for a full day/night. It never irritated my eyes, felt soothing, minimized fine dehydration lines. Overall, the Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture was best suited for my eye area concerns, and the only Murad eye cream I would consider repurchasing despite the higher price tag.

Have you used any of the Murad eye creams? Do you have a favorite eye treatment from the ones you've tried so far? Let me know in the comments!