New eye creams from Kinvara and Clinique that deliver

Eye creams; do they really work? Some people swear by them while others find they fall a little flat or quite simply, don't deliver. I've recently been testing out two; Pep-Start from Clinique (€28) and Kinvara's new offering Eye Wow! Eye Serum (€29.95) which both promise to leave the delicate eye area feeling fresher, looking more hydrated and youthful as well.

I've only had my paws on them for a few days, so while that doesn't give lots of time to come to a definitive decision, it certainly gives enough time for some first impressions - especially as they both claim to give results, fast.

I'll kick things off with Pep-Start, so called because of the seven peptides (that help in the maintenance of collagen) which make up the formula along with the two other main ingredients, algae extract and caffeine, which work to energise skin and reduce puffiness.

It comes with the bold claim that it takes just "three seconds to look wide awake and refreshed" and while I'm not one for flashy tag lines it did work a treat on me and a few clients I've tested it out on recently. The formula is incredibly refreshing, glides over skin and leaves it perfectly prepped for makeup, and it can even be tapped on over makeup to freshen it up later in the day or before top ups.

There's been some chatter online about the tube and how it functions; it looks like a normal roller ball but isn't technically one at all - rather it works much more like a water bottle top that you pop up. It's handy enough when you get it, but be sure not to squeeze the tube too hard otherwise it'll go all over the place (trust me on that!).

Next up is Kinvara's Eye Wow! Eye Serum, which as the name states, isn't technically an eye cream at all. It's the first eye product from the brand and has been created as an all-rounder, promising to diminish dark circles, hydrate skin, reduce puffiness and plump out fine lines. The formula is fresh, lightweight and absorbs quickly into skin, more akin to a liquid and unlike the Clinique Pep-Start, does come in the traditional roller ball style packaging.

As with Kinvara's other products, Eye Wow! has been made with natural ingredients such as Baobab, fig extract and green coffee extract (you can read more about that here) so is ideal for anyone who gravitates towards more natural skin care.

In terms of performance, both Pep-Start and Eye Wow! deliver on the promise of instantly fresher looking (and feeling) eyes and reduce puffiness quickly too. I'll need to give them both another couple of weeks to see how they perform on my fine lines but first impressions are good so far and I like that both are suitable for day and night time, absorbing quickly enough to throw on make-up or jump into bed.

Have you tried either of these? Tempted?