Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense Review (UPDATED 2024): Don’t Buy Before You Read This!

Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense is a sunscreen designed for the sole purpose of protecting the eyelid and under-eye area from damage. This product was formulated especially for the thin, delicate skin around the eye—and promises not to cause irritation with use.

Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense features a mineral base offering UVA and UVB protection, plus ceramides for smoothing the area. This product is sheer—appropriate for all skin tones—and was designed for use under makeup, if desired.

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Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense Ingredients and Side Effects

Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense is a sunscreen first, with a couple of extra elements included for a smoother appearance. Skinceuticals lists both the active ingredients and the full ingredient label on their official website, making it easy for us to get a sense of what this formula is all about. Here’s a quick look inside:

Ceramides	Titanium Dioxide
Jojoba Oil	Zinc Oxide

Jojoba Oil: Jojoba oil contains antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that work to soften skin and soothe irritation. Jojoba oil contains vitamins A and E, which have an anti-aging effect on the skin, and it’s non-comedogenic—meaning it won’t clog pores or cause breakouts.

Ceramides: Ceramides are a class of waxy lipids that are often described as being the “cement” or binder that keep protective cells together. Ceramides are part of the skin’s natural barrier—which protects skin from environmental stressors, prevents wrinkles, dryness, and itching. We lose ceramides as we age—leaving skin prone to damage.

Zinc Oxide: This mineral function as a broad spectrum protector against UVA and UVB rays. According to the Skinceuticals website, zinc oxide won’t leave a white residue when applied to the skin.

Titanium Dioxide: Another UV filter, titanium dioxide works to deflect sunlight away from the eyes—protecting against damage. Due to its reflective effect, titanium dioxide is often used in eye products for an illuminating effect—creating a brighter appearance with use.

Read about the ingredients take eye creams to the next level — click here for more details.

Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense Quality of Ingredients

Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense, based on our look at the ingredient profile looks more like a sunscreen than your standard eye cream. It’s primarily mineral-based, with the addition of jojoba oil and ceramides for a smoother application.

For the most part, we like the look of this product, and the idea behind its creation. People often neglect to apply sunscreen near their eyes for fear of irritation or discomfort—but it’s one of the most delicate areas on our body.

That said, it’s clear that this product wasn’t designed to take the place of an anti-aging serum or cream—rather it sets out to prevent harmful damage from occurring in the first place.

We noticed that this product also contains paraffin—which is a petroleum byproduct. Most users likely won’t care about this element, but many others may find this to be a deterrent, as petroleum may be linked to adverse effects.

Read our latest reviews to see what our expert team had to say about all kinds of eye creams both popular and relatively unknown.

The Price and Quality of Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense

Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense is sold directly from the Skinceuticals website for $30 per 0.3-ounce tube. The price is comparable to other higher-end sunscreens, but being an eye product, you only get a small amount per each container of cream.

The Derm Store and Amazon also carry this eye-specific sunscreen. It retails for $30 from these sellers, as well. We also found someone offering this product on eBay for less than $15, but the packaging looked as though it were a previous iteration of the cream—meaning, the seller may have expired product they are trying to unload.

Click here to see which eye creams our panel of experts found most effective in treating the visible signs of aging.

Business of Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense

Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense is made by Skinceuticals—a company that makes an extensive lineup of mid to high range skincare solution.

Some background information, for your reference:

Phone: 800-771-9489

Skinceuticals is a well-known skincare company, owned by L’Oreal, that sells their wares across several platforms, including the DermStore, Amazon and others. Their products can get rather pricey, but tend to have good reviews and a loyal following of customers.

The Skinceuticals website is fairly straightforward—it’s your standard e-commerce site, offering discounts and promotions, along with a deep dive into the ingredients that make their solutions work.

In considering Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense, it was nice that the makers of this product provided some help to consumers who want to learn more about the product. You can look at which items are the active components and why this product might be worth the price.

Skinceuticals also provides the unique benefit of simplifying the science behind the product in a way most people can quickly grasp.

Additionally, the site helps consumers locate skincare professionals in their area—participating dermatologists and aestheticians that use Skinceuticals’ products in office.

Customer Opinions of Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense

Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense is one of the rare products we look at that has lots of reviews, spanning multiple platforms. Most people had nice things to say about this sunscreen, but there were a few issues consumers brought up, like price, the color of the cream, and the texture.

Here is a look at what past users had to say about their experience with Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense:

“I really appreciate the high SPF factor, as well as the silky, smooth texture of the cream. But, I don’t like the tint. While it worked with my fair-ish skin tone, I’d rather it not be there. Also, the cream stings a bit.”

“This product is terrible. It comes out of the tube very cakey and it’s really hard to spread. This product is not good for all skin tones—my skin is a lighter brown color and this is way too light.” 

“I had skin cancer recently and need to always wear sunscreen. This is perfect for protecting my surgical area from future damage. I recommend this product to those looking for a gentle, effective sunscreen.”

“This eye sunscreen does accentuate wrinkles and fine lines a little, but it’s good for sensitive skin and doesn’t melt into your eyes. It’s not perfect, but it’s a decent solution for those worried about UV damage.”

Unfortunately, it seems that Skinceuticals has made a product that doesn’t work for all skin tones. Sunscreen often comes with the issue of giving off a white cast when applied—it seems they’ve tried to offset this quality by making a product that is flesh colored—but only for those with fair skin. A missed opportunity, to be sure.

Read more about what goes into making potent eye cream — from the ingredients to staying away from ineffective fillers.

Conclusion – Does Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense Work?

Overall, it seems that Skinceuticals has made a sunscreen that effectively blocks out the sun and is gentle enough to be used near the eye. The sunscreen is a nice solution for people who wish to protect against UV rays, but it’s not really an eye cream in the true sense of the term.

Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense is not a product that we would recommend for use as an anti-aging tool. Yes, it prevents sun damage which may lead to a loss of collagen or wrinkles, but it’s not going to repair any existing concerns.

This product also isn’t really designed for all skin types. People with existing wrinkles and fine lines reported that the sunscreen caked into those grooves, making them more noticeable. People who don’t have very light skin may find this product doesn’t blend well—it’s only available in a light tint, rather than a full spectrum of tones.

Finally, Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense might be a little expensive due to the size of the tube, and the lack of versatility it provides to consumers. Sure, this seems like a decent sunscreen, but it doesn’t function as an eye cream—there are no retinols, peptides, antioxidants—ceramides and jojoba oil are the only ingredients that take this product beyond offering mineral-based UV protection.

Kremovage is our favorite eye cream within a crowded market. This product soothes delicate skin and helps rebuild structure and firmness lost with age. The unique formula impressed our experts; it contains antioxidants, Matrixyl 3000, ocean-based retinol, and a lot more. To read our full Kremovage evaluation, click through to our website.