It’s no secret that I try hundreds and hundreds of skincare products. So when I find one that’s genuinely innovative and gives me visible results in just a few weeks, you can expect me not to shut up about it. That was my precise experience with Angela Caglia’s Cell Forté Eye Créme, which I’ve been testing since early August. It’s hydrating and plumping, which has improved my dark circles. Although it’s not an official treatment for eczema, I swear it’s calmed the irritation on my eyelids.
My obsession inspired my 56-year-old mother, Mindy, to get a bottle of her own. She’s in the process of redoing her skincare routine—sourcing neck creams, serums, and face moisturizers that are specifically formulated to address the concerns of her mature skin. “Eye cream has honestly been the trickiest to find. I’m puffy and sunken in at the same time, my fine lines are getting worse (and I won’t do under eye filler), and I find that the least amount of product possible is better for when I go to apply concealer,” she tells me.
But, just like me, she’ll try anything once. That being said, read ahead for our mother-daughter review.
The Formula
- Exosomes: I’ll be honest, a lot of the formulas on the market start to sound the same. There are retinol-infused eye creams, those with peptides, and those containing squalane. But my ears perked up when I heard that Angela Caglia’s formula contained human-derived exosomes (most exosome products on the market use plant-derived exosomes). TLDR: exosomes are little messengers that are secreted by stem cells. They carry all the goods that help signal your skin to be rejuvenated, radiant, and function younger.
- Growth Factors: Another buzzy, anti-aging ingredient made its way into this formula. Growth factors can be meaty to unpack (I’ll spare you my science dissertation), but the main takeaway is that they promote cell proliferation, which in turn helps your skin receptors produce more collagen and elastin. The result: firmer, smoother skin.
- Peptides: These short-chain amino acids are great at reducing inflammation, providing hydration, and strengthening the skin barrier.
The Application
First, let’s talk packaging. This comes in a pump bottle, which is my preferred method of dispensing for an eye cream. Candidly, I don’t want my grimy fingers dipping into the same jar twice a day before putting product around the most sensitive part of my face. I think one pump is plenty for both eyes (using such a small amount of products helps me semi-justify the price). I have incredibly sensitive eyes, so I often find that eye creams make my eyes tear up, swell, and become irritated—especially overnight. I found this one to not just be tolerable, but actively soothing, which is a huge win in my book.
Mindy felt the same, but also had to shout out the texture. “With more mature skin, eye cream gets tricky. I need it under my makeup because I’m so dry now, but it can also make fine lines appear more prominent. This had the lightest texture and dried down to be smooth against my skin. It didn’t pill under concealer and I actually feel like it primed my under eye for smooth makeup application,” she says.
The Takeaway
Mindy Holender after applying Angela Caglia's Cell Forté Eye Créme.
This is the first eye cream (ever) that I can comfortably wear overnight without my eyes turning into a puddle of tears, swelling, and redness. But more than that, I’ve noticed a major difference in my skin barrier. The eczema on my eyelid and around the corner of my eye is on its way out, which is likely due to the anti-inflammatory effects and barrier-strengthening properties of the exosomes.
My mom, on the other hand? She swears to me that she “looks 46 again” because her under eyes are “bright, glowy, and plumped up in a good way—not a puffy way.” She’s jumped on board the Angela Caglia train—and is anxiously awaiting her Cell Forté Serum results to kick in.
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