I Couldn't Get Into Slugging Until This $30 Balm Totally Refreshed My Under-Eyes

Unlike many other beauty aficionados, I never got into the slugging trend. As someone with combination and acne-prone skin, I figured covering my face with Vaseline might not be the best idea. But I did wonder if I could experience its benefits through a more targeted approach by, say, "slugging” one spot instead of the entirety of my face. My tired, "still recovering from the holidays” eyes could use a little help, but I still wasn’t about to put something as thick as petrolatum under there. Thankfully, there is now an eyecare product that has slugging benefits without the fear. Enter the Jouer Cosmetics Luminize Overnight Dark Circle Slugging Balm ($30).

Jouer founder Christina Zilber used to slug with her mom "before it was called ‘slugging’” and was inspired to make the product to help with personal concerns. "I created the Slugging Balm as I was in a constant battle with my dark circles, and I wanted something that seals, hence the slugging, but also targets dark circles with supercharged ingredients,” she explains. While puffiness and a tired appearance are more my issues than dark circles, the ingredients in Luminize can help with all of it. The balm includes caffeine, which helps with puffiness as well as dark circles, vitamin C for hydration and brightening, and vitamin K for even more brightening and puff reduction.

How Is Eye Balm Different From Eye Cream?

I usually use eye cream rather than balm, so I wondered just how different they were. Carmen Castilla, MD, board-certified dermatologist and clinical instructor at Mount Sinai in New York, breaks down the distinction between them. "Eye balms and eye creams serve essentially the same purpose, but they differ in their formulation and consistency,” she explains. "Eye creams have higher water content and thinner consistency than thicker eye balms, which have higher oil content. Due to their high water content, eye creams tend to be easier to spread. They both serve to moisturize and provide extra nutrients to the delicate eye skin.” (It’s also important to point out that some brands use these terms interchangeably, so you may come across an "eye balm” that actually has the same consistency as a cream.)

What to Look for in an Eye Treatment

When looking for an eye balm or cream, Castilla recommends looking for one that contains ingredients that specifically target your skin concerns. I always love one that contains caffeine, and she says that caffeine helps constrict vessels and can help improve under-eye puffiness and bags. "For targeting fine lines and wrinkles, an eye balm containing retinol is helpful to boost collagen production. Hyaluronic acid is helpful for crepey skin since it hydrates and plumps the outer layer of the skin. Ceramides help restore the skin barrier and are great for targeting dry skin,” she says. If you are prone to milia, one piece of advice from Castilla that stood out was that "it is better to stick to a thinner formulation to avoid occluding the pores.” I actually waited to test the balm because I had two milia under my eye and didn’t want to risk clogging. Once my milia were all clear, I began testing the Slugging Balm, applying it every other night at first.

Why I Love Jouer’s Luminize Overnight Dark Circle Slugging Balm

After my evening cleansing and moisturizing, I use the balm as my last step before bedtime. I take a pea-sized amount, warm it up between my fingertips, and gently apply it to my under-eye area. In the morning, the balm gets removed with my face cleanser, and my eyes look refreshed (even on one particular occasion when I was up really late rewatching Girls). It’s safe to say Jouer’s Luminize Balm is officially my new hero.

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Up next, A Dermatologist Ranks the 5 Worst Nighttime Skincare Mistakes