Welcome back to #InsideAlpyn, where we break down what’s powering the products that, as a young brand, are already being deemed cult classics. For our latest installment, we’re focusing on what we consider the best eye cream in the clean beauty business (and beyond), our PlantGenius® Eye Balm.
Like all of our products, this works for every gender in your household, and in addition to a dynamic cocktail of brighteners and tighteners, it includes a dose of natural caffeine. Why? “Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, which means it shrinks the blood vessels under the skin and temporarily reduces puffiness around the eyes,” Dr. Chaneve Jeanniton, a New York oculofacial plastic surgeon, tells GOOP.com in this piece featuring Alpyn’s best-selling Eye Balm.
And beyond caffeine’s de-puffing powers, Vitamin C and Uva Ursi offer flashbulb brightening, while Bakuchiol and Algae act like waist-training tighteners for under-eye bags. Today, we’ll explain the blend of research-backed and plant-based ingredients that make this such a powerful combination. Below, a two-minute breakdown of our Eye Balm’s star ingredients: 
THE BRIGHTENERS: Vitamin C & Uva Ursi
In terms of under-eye application musts, Dr. Jeanniton also recommends daily Vitamin C to help skin minimize free radicals and, in turn, free radical damage. Considered “the holy grail of skin care ingredients” by Allure, Vitamin C lightens brown spots and hyperpigmentation by interfering with pigment production. Plus, it helps keep inflammation at bay, which means that it’s providing a helpful assist in active tightening.
Uva Ursi is another name for bearberry, the glossy red fruit harvested from a small shrub with flowers that bloom in the same shade of blushy pink as our Alpyn formulas. Bears love eating the shiny bright berries, and who could blame them? Uva Ursi means “bear grape” in Italian. It’s also one of the only natural sources of hydroquinone, a compound known to lighten dark spots. Packed with antioxidants to protect from environmental aggressors, it acts as a mild astringent to further smooth delicate under eye skin.
THE TIGHTENERS: Bakuchiol & Algae
“Yes, this Alpyn Beauty PlantGenius® Eye Balm With Bakuchiol is fairly new at Sephora, but it's already racked up thousands of loves from other shoppers,” says Pop Sugar’s Morgan Ashley Parker in her feature including the Eye Balm as the best of Sephora’s lineup. “Skin's cared for under the surface even more with plant-based, retinol-alternative bakuchiol, which supports cell turnover to smooth out fine lines.”
This line-smoothing effect that Bakuchiol brings to the table is essential for the notoriously crepey skin under eyes– its tightening powers offer a smooth, glassy finish. What really sets Algae apart is its unique ability to pull in huge amounts of moisture and actually hold onto the hydration that it attracts. In studies, it’s been found to be as powerful as hyaluronic acid, sometimes even outperforming HA. In scientific tests, Algae improved moisture levels by 128%. When applied topically, the amino acids found in Algae have also been found to improve skin firmness and smoothness.
There’s a reason we call it magic.