Review: Benton Fermentation Eye Cream

Eye creams are generally underappreciated, I think, in the world of skincare. Many people think that eye creams are for more mature women exclusively, but they're a invaluable preventative measure when it comes to the fight in anti-aging. I've been using eye creams on and off since I was about 17 (and at least once a day since age 20-21), and I can definitely say that they make a difference in the dry-yet-somehow oily, easily irritated condition of my eye lids. A few months ago, Honey Su sent me the Benton Fermentation Eye Cream for review, and I think I've finally used it long enough to type up an accurate review. I fell in love with Benton Cosmetics many moons ago - it all started with their Snail Bee High Content essence and sheet masks, and the rest is history. Benton's new fermentation line immediately caught my attention, so I was chuffed to bits to be able to try out of the the products from the line. Warning: I totally lost the box that this came in. I know the box is super exciting, but alas. We must do without.

A little about Honey Su - Honey Su is a premium Korean beauty company based in Antwerp Area, Ravels, Belgium. They carry very luxe K-beauty brands, including Whamisa, Cremorlab, Aromatica, Swanicoco, and more. They don't support animal testing, so all of the products they stock are cruelty-free. They offer free shipping to the European Union, Switzerland, and Norway on orders above €50, but they ship worldwide. Shipping to the US is about €16.50, or about $17.64 USD. 

Price: €27.90 ($29.82 USD) for 30g

Purpose: Benton Fermentation Eye Cream is fortified with a high concentration of fermented ingredients, ceramides, EGF, and hyaluronic acid for improving wrinkles and fine lines around the eyes. The eye area is left plump, brighter, and hydrated. Benton's nutrient rich formula is free of artificial coloring and fragrances, making it a great choice for sensitive skin types. For reference, my skin type and concerns are combination-dry skin (oily t-zone, dry cheeks), concerns include enlarged pores, redness, hyperpigmentation/scarring, and prevention of fine lines and wrinkles.

How to use: Using your ring finger, apply a pea-size amount onto the eye area (under eye and eyelid) without rubbing the skin. Dab gently and follow up with your facial cream. Suitable for all skin types. 

Ingredients: 

Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetostearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Water, Macadamia Temifolia Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Pentylene Glycol, rh-Oligopeptide-1, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbidensis Leaf Extract, Adenosine, Allantoin, Althaea Rosea Root Extract, Betaine, Panthenol, Beta Glucan, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, Sorbitan Stearate. CosDNA Analysis

The Benton Fermentation Eye Cream has so many rich, nourishing ingredients, including some awesome ferments galactomyces and bifida ferment lysate, as well as the Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) thrown into the mix. 

• Galactomyces - Fermented yeast filtrates which are a powerful antioxidant and very moisturizing. Galactomyces work to slow down the aging process and protect cells against free radical damage, preventing the formation of fine lines/wrinkles and lessening the appearance of current ones. Brightens and evens skin tone by fading hyper-pigmentation/scarring and controls cell turnover. 
• Bifida Ferment Lysate - A fermentation product of Bifida. Promotes a faster, more efficient oxygen supply to the skin, which helps repair cells damaged from UV rays and free radicals. Promotes cell turnover to make room for new and healthy cells to regenerate, resulting in youthful, radiant skin. Firms and restores elasticity to the skin, and strengthens the skin barrier to help prevent environmental damage.
• rh-Oligopeptide-1 (EGF) - Also known as Epidermal Growth Factor. A molecular chain of amino acids developed to speed up wound recovery. EGF stimulates cell turnover which is said to increase the production of collagen, although there still isn't enough research to prove this effect.

Galactomyces and Bifida Ferment Lysate pretty much have the same job: they promote skin cell regeneration and protect against free radical damage, helping your skin stay in tippy-top shape. This little black tube also contains a powerhouse of humectants, including:

• Hyaluronic Acid - Also known as sodium hyaluronate, hyaluronic acid is an intensive moisturizing ingredient which attracts water to the skin to keep skin hydrated. It is a natural substance found in the human body and is made up of amino and uronic acids. It can retain 100 to 1,000 times its weight in water, making it the perfect ingredient for intense hydration.
• Glycerin - Seals in moisture and helps maintain skin's moisture balance on a cellular level, which results in healthy, hydrated skin. Has emollient properties that make skin look supple and radiant.
• Beta Glucan - A naturally-derived compound of mushrooms, yeasts, oats, and grains. Helps stimulate the production of collagen, speed up wound healing, and has anti-inflammatory properties to soothe irritated skin. It also has anti-aging and antioxidant benefits, and helps to repair the skin's barrier. 

Also in this medley of awesome ingredients are some humectants, lipids, and emollients: aloe vera, panthenol, ceramides, and macadamia nut oil. 

Really impressive ingredients list, in my humble opinion! And it only gets better - Benton includes adenosine, arginine, and betaine, three ingredients that all contribute to a youthful, radiant, glowing complexion.

Last but certainly not least, s few botanical ingredients made their way into the mix, namely Althaea Rosea Root, Pulsatilla Koreana, Usnea Barbata, and Zanthoxylum Piperitum. 

All of these ingredients are great for hydration, moisture, and anti-aging. The antioxidant and inflammatory ingredients definitely help with puffiness and dark circles, soothing and hydrating tired eyes. Personally, my eyes are both dry and oily at the same time (which can happen - usually as a result of severely dehydrated skin!), so I love the fact that there are so many moisturizing and emollient ingredients in this eye cream. 

The eye cream comes in a sleek black plastic tube with 30g worth of product. The product itself is easily dispensable, and has no scent from what I can tell, which might excite all you scentsitive folks out there. I love how chic this packaging looks; it's very downplayed but elegant in its simplicity. Look at all those fancy words. I'm a true reviewer now, eh?

The cream has a thicker consistency, but not so much that it doesn't sink into the skin. In fact, it does the opposite; it sinks in within a matter of minutes without leaving a greasy film behind, making this the perfect eye cream to use in the morning under makeup. I tend to pile this on like mad when I'm about to go to sleep, but a pea-size amount works well for both eyes in the AM. 

Benton suggests using the eye cream after applying any essences/serums and before any lotions. I normally apply this right after I tone (and sheet mask when the occasion arises), since I like to protect my delicate eye area from ingredients of other products that could be too harsh for that area. I tap gently with my ring finger, applying gentle pressure to the eye area to stimulate circulation and blood flow. Patting your products in instead of smearing or rubbing them into your skin helps promote better absorption, giving your complexion a bouncy, youthful glow. Benton claims that this eye cream has a pH of 6 (in an effort to stay close to skin's slightly acidic pH). I haven't tested that claim yet (I lost my testing strips, whoops), but I'll make sure to update this post when I do.

Final Thoughts: One thing that I really love about Benton is their natural approach to skincare, which isn't always easy to come across in the K-beauty world. Benton uses only natural ingredients and natural preservatives, and all of their products are 100% cruelty-free. The lack of artificial preservatives can be both good and bad - better for your face, but the product will go off sooner. Benton's products only have a shelf life of about 18 months, which is half the time normal products usually have before expiring, so make sure you do not horde a bunch of these eye creams like I originally wanted to. Until I remembered mold exists. Ew. 

Honestly, I wasn't expecting much out of this eye cream; the idea of fermented ingredients excited me, but I didn't think Benton would come through. Of course, first impressions are often wrong. This is a really solid eye cream, especially for my skin concerns (dry yet oily lids, laugh lines, puffy dark circles). This cream really helped maintain my skin's moisture balance around my eyes, both directly after application and throughout the day. I have some subtle laugh lines (that I anticipate being much deeper when I'm older), and I saw a difference in the depth and appearance of those lines after just a week. I really enjoy the fact that it doesn't interfere with makeup application as well, and I'll definitely be purchasing another tube to see the long-term effects this will have on my eye area. 

You can purchase the Benton Fermentation Eye Cream on the Honey Su website for about €27.90 (or $29.82 USD for my 'Murican peeps). I've also seen this sold at W2beauty for $26.70 USD, and Memebox for $27. 

Have you tried any of the products from the Benton fermentation line? What are your thoughts on fermented ingredient in skincare? Let's get a conversation going!

This product was sent to me by Honey Su free for review purposes, all opinions are my own. If you're curious about my press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclosure policies. Click photos for link/source.