The SubQ Eyes anti-aging eye serum by the Canadian skincare brand Hylamide has been part of my skincare routine for years. I don’t use it continuously, but I repurchase it regularly. Yet, I’ve never given it the honor of a dedicated review. So I’m going to fix that mistake right away! 😉
To tell you the truth, I don’t even remember when I started using it… Maybe three years ago?
When I discovered the Deciem brand, I first joined the The Ordinary bandwagon, like everybody else. And I really enjoyed discover these not so ordinary products!
And then, I took a look at the other brands from the Canadian group, especially Niod, which seemed very cutting-edge (and quite difficult to apprehend as I told you in this article on copper peptides) but also Hylamide.
Hylamide, for me, is somewhere between Niod and The Ordinary: a very sophisticated skincare brand, quite innovative but concepts far easier to grasp than Niod, and with very decent prices.
Their range is quite short (only 10 skincare products) but it addresses the main skin issues with anti-oxidants, high-performance moisturizing ingredients and lots of peptides to name a few! For me, these are perfect products to complement my “stronger” treatments (acids, retinol, etc.).
I didn’t try everything from the brand, far from it, but I bought the products from the SubQ line several times, because I like their versatility!
Today, I’m going to take a closer look at their eye contour serum, SubQ Eyes. Here is my review!
Hylamide SubQ Eyes, product presentation:
Hylamide describe themselves as “the first skincare line that brings active ingredients to every layer of the skin”.
The brand claims formulas able to offer results not only on the surface but also in the deep layers of the skin. To achieve this, they use a wide range of molecular sizes in their formulas, which have the ability to penetrate multiple layers of the skin.
This simply means that the ingredients are able to go where you want them to go! 😉
Here, with SubQ Eyes, you get a multitasking eye contour product that will not only improve hydration and comfort (more on the surface) but also improve micro-circulation (which is a phenomenon that occurs in the deeper layers of the skin) to reduce dark circles and puffiness.
There are also ingredients that target the visible signs of aging, such as wrinkles and loss of firmness (this is a very long-term action 😉 ).
Specifically, in the formula, you can find:
– Flavanoid Bio-active Glucoside to help boost circulation and reduce dark circles,
– a Darutoside complex for a more toned upper eyelid,
– a complex of Walgerin-1 peptides that reduces the appearance of wrinkles around the eyes. These ingredients are believed to promote more visible anti-aging results than retinol with less irritation,
– some moisturizing glycerin,
– some nourishing squalane,
– antioxidants such as Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, a high-tech version of EGCG found in green tea, and vitamin E,
– there are also calming plant extracts (extracts of Fucus Vesiculosus, Ascophyllum Nodosum …),
– and a very slightly exfoliating PHA ingredient.
And all this in a lightweight texture, which looks like a liquid emulsion (I consider it as a serum, personally).
The bottle actually looks like mini-serum, with a small pipette. It has a capacity of 15ml but you only need one drop for both eyes, so it lasts quite a long time (3-4 months if you use it only once a day, as I do 🙂).
Hylamide SubQ Eyes, my experience:
As for my eye contour, as I often say, I try to have reasonable expectations, because I know that cosmetics have their limits, especially on some of my concerns!
I have deep dark circles, which no skincare product can do anything about, but they’re also quite tinted (my eye contour doesn’t have the same color as the rest of my face). As I get older, I have more and more fine lines and my upper eyelid is increasingly less toned.
On the other hand, I don’t have any eye bags (you can’t have it all 😉 ).
So in short, if I can find an eye contour product that will leave my skin comfortable all day, and that helps a little with the color of my dark circles, that’s all I need! I just want a slightly refreshed look and a smoother skin.
Usually, for my skin comfort and the effect on fine lines, I rely on my eye contour moisturizer (I always use my Belif cream, which apparently refuses to end), but for dark circles, I’ve tried tons of products and few have really made an impact!
But I find that SubQEyes actually helps to reduce the color of my dark circles! Especially if I use Drunk Elephant C-Tango Eye Cream in the morning, I really think it makes a difference!
At least, I found that my dark circles are more visible when I don’t use it. I alternate it with Dr. Dennis Gross Ferulic + Retinol Triple Correction Eye Serum which I love to use to smooth out my eye area but which sadly costs an arm.
I don’t think it works on the same skin issue, but if I had to choose, I think I’d stick with Hylamide SubQ Eyes (because, to tell you the truth, I use my tretinoin product around my eyes, so my wrinkles should be reduced at one point!).
And the fact that the price is affordable is a real plus.
Anyway, I use this Hylamide serum in combination with my Belif cream every night. And I intend to keep repurchasing it!
The brand Hylamide is only distributed on Deciem’s website (I put a link to the product below) as well as in their stores.
Note: I don’t know how to explain it, but from time to time, the SubQ eyes can have a tendency to tingle a little when I apply it. It’s not consistent at all and it always goes away very quickly. I don’t really know why this happens but since it’s very temporary and it doesn’t happen all the time, it doesn’t scare me any more than that… I just wanted to point it out!
In conclusion:
I am a faithful client of this Hylamide SubQ Eyes serum because I find it quite complete and well suited to my eye contour concerns.
It may be a little too lightweight if you have a very dry eye contour, but personally, I see it more as a serum so I always combine it with a moisturizing cream on top 🙂