Estee Lauder Idealist Cooling Eye Illuminator

Bottom Line

Estee Lauder Idealist Cooling Eye Illuminator is marketed as an eye cream for puffy eyes and dark circles. Its ceramic cooling applicator tip soothes and instantly reduces inflammation. Reviewers say it feels refreshing and produces noticeable results, but the light-reflecting pigments it contains don't cover dark circles well. If dark under-eye circles are your main concern, Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector (*Est. $40 for 0.33 oz.) gets better reviews.

Performance

Deflates puffy eyes. Reviewers love the ceramic cooling tip on Estee Lauder's Idealist Cooling Eye Illuminator and say it helps relieve under-eye swelling. Skin care expert Paula Begoun says, "To some extent, the coolness of the tip can help reduce puffy eyes -- at least the kind of puffiness that results from allergies or fluid retention, but only temporarily, until the irritation and swelling from those problems return." She says it has no effect on age-related puffiness. Editors at Allure magazine say the formula contains "skin-tightening caffeine" that also helps relieve puffiness.

The Cooling Eye Illuminator is tinted to help conceal dark circles, but several reviewers at MakeupAlley.com say it doesn't work very well. The shimmer brightens the eye area temporarily but a concealer is still needed to cover dark circles. One user says, "It does diffuse light but will not totally hide dark circles, just camouflage them a bit. It did not lighten the dark circles at all over the two-week period I used it for." Begoun warns that the shimmery finish emphasizes wrinkles and crepey skin, and the formula's fragrant plant extracts can cause irritation. She says, "The truth is you don't need an eye cream, although if occasional puffiness is your concern you may find a product like this worth the expense."

Feel And Smell

Soothing and cooling. Reviewers say Estee Lauder's Idealist Cooling Eye Illuminator ceramic tip feels very soothing when massaged around the eyes. They also like the lightweight formula's silky, airy texture. The eye cream is fragrance-free but contains fragrant plant extracts.