I felt ready to write my review of AQ Skin Solutions Eye Serum ($99 in the TIA shop) about two weeks in. I knew it was going to be a winner. My under-eye area was looking smoother and the lids a little lifted. Five weeks later, I pronounce it one of the best I have ever used. AQ’s serum for the face is an impressively effective product and the Eye Serum is a totally worthy companion.

Of course, the key active is AQ’s human fibroblast conditioned media. This contains growth factors – specifically, TGF-Beta, GM-CSF and PDGF. These signal the cells to do a myriad things, including repairing wounds, stimulating collagen and glycosaminoglycan production, and inhibiting matrix degradation. Growth factors are at the cutting edge of anti-aging skincare, but they aren’t the only potent actives in AQ’s Eye Serum.

Two peptides that make up Matrixyl 3000 are here. This ingredient should be very complimentary to the growth factors as the peptides also encourage collagen synthesis. In addition, there are no less than three ingredients that are supposed to help depuff the eyes: dipeptide-2, which is supposed to improve lymphatic circulation, hesperidin methyl chalcone, which can help strengthen the capillaries, and N-hydroxysuccinimide, supposed to eliminate blood-originated pigments.

The skin around the eye may also be brightened by aminoethylphosphonic acid, which may inhibit melanin (although there isn’t much research that I could find to back this up), lactic acid and grapefruit extract.

AQ’s Eye Serum has a very light, almost watery gel-like consistency and I can’t believe how far it goes. A tiny, pea-size pump does both eyes (under and upper, including the lid). I don’t really suffer from dark under-eye circles and so can’t testify to its effectiveness in that department, but I have it to be an excellent depuffer. Best of all is the skin tap test – when I gently tap my under-eye area with my finger, the skin feels firm and tight as a drum.

To all of those people who have emailed me recently to say that they love the results they are getting with AQ’s face serum and have been dying to know what I think of the eye serum, here’s the answer in a nutshell: highly recommended.

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Human Fibroblast Conditioned Media, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Glycerin, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Steareth-20, Dipeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Butylene Glycol, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Seed Extract, Polysorbate 20, Chrysin, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Aminoethylphosphonic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Extract, Lactic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol.