This Active-Packed Eye Gel Has Become My Favorite Color-Corrector

In our series Trial Run, TZR editors and writers put the buzziest new beauty products to the test and share their honest reviews. This week, beauty news writer Eden Stuart is testing iS Clinical’s new GeneXC Firming Eye Gel.

Some people inherit antique credenzas; others inherit quilts sewn by their great-grandmother; and I inherited anxieties about my eye area. To be clear, I’ve inherited many other traits that I cherish immensely. But my mother and I do frequently bond over our shared desire for less puffiness and fewer fine lines under our big, beautiful eyes, and we’re far from alone — periorbital issues plague people of all ages, with those concerns becoming more pronounced as we get older. While there are countless products on the market designed to address these worries, few aim to hit as many as iS Clinical’s new GeneXC Firming Eye Gel.

The latest offering from the brand that quite literally has innovation in its name — the “iS” in iS Clinical stands for “innovative skincare” — the GeneXC Firming Eye Gel is an everyday treatment that targets just about every eye-related concern, including but not limited to puffiness, fine lines, dullness, and loss of collagen. It can be used day and night (“although most people prefer morning use because of the immediate reduction in the visible appearance of wrinkles and crepiness as the day begins,” says the brand’s clinical director Dr. Charlene DeHaven, MD), and can be worn alone under SPF or layered under other products or makeup.

These are pretty big claims — and we decided to put them to the test. Read on for our honest thoughts on this powerful new eye gel.

Fast Facts

• Price: $130
• Size: 0.5 oz
• Clean/Cruelty-Free: No
• Best For: Periorbital eye concerns, including fine lines, dullness, crepiness, and elasticity
• Ingredient Highlights: Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, peptides, bio-fermented actives
• What We Like: Depuffs instantly; gel is light and doesn’t pill
• What We Don’t Like: Has a tingling sensation that can be quite strong

The Formula

The star ingredient of the GeneXC Firming Eye Gel is the titular proprietary GeneXC Technology, which DeHaven describes as “superb at helping protect the skin against environmental stressors.” It includes “extremozymes to help support and fortify that protection, as well as the newest advanced forms of vitamin C.” (It features both the slightly gentler ethyl ascorbic acid and the more potent ascorbic acid, which work together to brighten and create a more even tone.) There’s also a blend of hyaluronic acids for hydration and smoothness, peptides for collagen-boosting — crucial for fine lines and wrinkles — soothing panthenol, and bio-fermented actives that refine texture and clarity.

Designed for daily use in the morning and at night, the lightweight, honey-hued gel addresses all the top-line eye area concerns: Fine lines and wrinkles, crepiness, dryness and dehydration, dullness, and volume and elasticity, over time and right away. “Within two to five minutes, there is an immediate reduction in the appearance of wrinkles and crepiness around the eye area,” DeHaven explains. “After four to six weeks of use, the intermediate and longer-term effects of the formula have begun to appear, so there is an improvement in the baseline appearance of eye aging. As use of the product continues, the visual effects of skin aging around the eye continue [improving] while the remarkable instant effects persist.”

It’s housed in a slim matte tube — in the brand’s signature shade of cobalt blue — and features a contour-friendly applicator that feels especially refreshing first thing in the morning. “This is a unique product not only for its immediate visible improvement in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but also for the overall sensorial experience it delivers,” says DeHaven. “The cooling applicator tip adds a refreshing feel on the skin during application, while the clinically advanced formula helps provide both those immediate and long-term visible benefits.”

Our Experience and Results

Eden Stuart, Beauty News Writer

“I’ve been using eye gel for about a month now, and kind of unexpectedly, my favorite thing about it is actually the barely-there-tint: It’s a soft peachy hue that does a great job of color-correcting, which is one of my top priorities as someone who has had dark circles since before she could vote. I also really like the cooling sensation provided by the metal applicator. Given both of those factors, I prefer using this one in the morning — one pump for each eye, because a little bit goes a long way! — as a little pick-me-up before I apply makeup.

I say I’ve been using it for ‘about a month now’ and not ‘every day for about a month’ because I do find the tingling sensation to be quite strong, strong enough that I realized pretty quickly that twice a day wouldn’t be my ministry. That said, I’ve asked around (journalism!) and found that for most folks, that feeling is more subdued. So my under-eyes might just be relatively sensitive. As such, I’ve settled into using it two or three times a week, which has still allowed me to reap the short-term benefits — particularly after especially poor nights of sleep, of which I have many — while slowly working my way toward the long-term ones.”

Erin Lukas, Deputy Beauty Editor

“I typically avoid using rich eye creams in the morning because many of them pill under my makeup. This lightweight gel offers comparable hydration, doesn't leave a sticky residue that messes with my concealer, and has a subtle tint that instantly brightens my under-eyes upon application. It's earned a spot in my morning routine.”

Is the GeneXC Firming Eye Gel Worth It?

While iS Clinical’s GeneXC Firming Eye Gel costs a pretty penny (coming in at $130 for .5 oz), it packs a powerful punch with its host of ingredients for brightening, toning, plumping, and more. This is definitely one to add to cart if you’re looking for an actives-packed solution to a wide range of under-eye issues.