Under Eye Gels from Frownies: How They Work, What's Inside, and How to Use Them
The skin under your eyes is much thinner than the skin on the rest of your face, which is why it tends to show dryness, tiredness, and fine lines first. Under eye patches are one of the most popular at-home treatments for it, and ours have a twist: they're reusable.
Frownies Cactus Collagen Under Eye Gels are cooling, gel pads soaked in a hydrating serum made with plant ingredients like cactus and aloe. As a deep nourishing treatment, you apply for 15 to 30 minutes and your skin gets a concentrated dose of moisture. They soothe puffiness, brighten the look of dark circles, and soften the look of fine lines and crepey texture.
Here's the honest part: eye gels are a treat, not a substitute for daily care. The routine that works best for most people is simple. Use an eye cream every day, and use the eye gels once to three times a week as a deep-hydrating reset. Here we will dig deeper into what's inside them, how to use them, and how to build a routine for hydrated, bright under eyes.
What Are Frownies Under Eye Gels?
Each pack comes with three sets of eye gels, packed in a tray and soaked in a rich serum that keeps them moist. A few things worth knowing:
- They're not adhesive. They're made to be worn lying down initally. They may slide a little the first time, and they get a little stickier with each reuse.
- They're reusable. Each set is good for 3 to 5 treatments when you rehydrate it with Rose Water Hydrator and store it in the fridge. You'll notice the pads shrink over time as your skin absorbs the ingredients. Because they are silicone free, they will gradually absorb over time.
- They're gentle. The gels are HRIPT tested by a dermatologist and formulated to be hypoallergenic and non-irritating, including for sensitive skin.
- They're a short treatment. Wear them for 15 to 30 minutes, not overnight. They dry out and can crease if left on too long.
Think of the eye gels as a carrier. It holds the serum's ingredients against your skin while you rest, which is what makes this a spa moment rather than a quick swipe of product.
Why Hydration Is the Point
As skin ages, it can look dull, feel rougher, and become more prone to irritation, redness, and fine lines. Dryness makes those fine lines easier to see, so keeping the eye area well hydrated is one of the simplest ways to help it look smoother.
The moisture-binding ingredients in the gels work in three ways:
- They smooth the surface. Humectants like glycerin help fill in the tiny dry cracks that make skin feel rough, so it feels softer to the touch.
- They help skin hold onto water. These ingredients attract water and help limit how much escapes through evaporation, keeping skin hydrated and balanced.
- They support the barrier. Skin with a healthy barrier holds moisture in and keeps irritants out. That's especially welcome in winter, when cold, dry air takes its toll.
What's Inside: Ingredients, Starting With Where They Come From
We care about the ingredients that go into our products and onto your skin!
Aloe Vera
Succulents grow in warm, dry regions and store water to survive harsh climates, which is a big part of why they work so well in skincare. People have used succulents like aloe on skin for centuries, and you've probably been told to put aloe on a sunburn at least once. Studies show aloe vera helps soothe irritated or dry skin, and it absorbs easily into all skin types, from oily to dry.
Cactus Collagen
Cactus is another succulent that stores water, and it's the ingredient these gels are named for! We've been using succulents in our skincare for years, and cactus collagen brings that same plant-based hydration to the delicate skin around your eyes.
Brown Seaweed (Sodium Alginate)
Sodium alginate is extracted from mineral-rich brown seaweed. This fine white powder turns into a jelly when it meets water, which gives the gels their cool, cushiony texture and helps hold the other ingredients against your skin.
Hyaluronic Acid
Your body makes hyaluronic acid naturally. It's a gel-like, water-holding molecule that can hold over 1,000 times its weight in water, which is why it helps keep skin plump and hydrated. Studies show it's ideal for locking in hydration and smoothing the look of fine lines around the eyes.
So why add more if your body already makes it? An average body holds about 15 grams of hyaluronic acid, and roughly a third of it is broken down and replaced every day. Skin also makes less as we age, which is why you'll find it in so many skincare products.
Glycerin
Glycerin is a humectant, which means it draws water into the top layer of skin and helps it stay there. It also acts as an emollient, leaving skin soft and supple, and it helps support the skin's barrier. Because it's so gentle, it's a skincare staple you can use every day.
Your Skin's Own Moisture Binder (Sodium PCA)
Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid, an amino acid found in many proteins. It occurs naturally in human skin, where it helps bind moisture to skin cells. It's highly water-absorbent, holding several times its weight in water, which makes it an excellent humectant.
Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide)
Niacinamide is a favorite for maturing skin. It helps keep skin firm and protected, supports the barrier so skin holds on to moisture, and is known for supporting the look of even tone and smoother-looking pores.
Gentle Preservatives (Phenoxyethanol and Ethylhexylglycerin)
Water-based gels that live in a tray of serum need a preservative to stay fresh and safe to use. We use phenoxyethanol at a low level as an alternative to parabens, which many people prefer to avoid. It's approved for cosmetic use in the European Union and Japan at up to 1%. It's paired with ethylhexylglycerin, a glycerin-derived ingredient that conditions skin and boosts the preservative's effectiveness, so only a small amount is needed.
Water
Water is the base of the formula. It also helps deliver water-loving plant extracts so they can do their job.
Together, these ingredients help enhance the appearance of the delicate under eye area.
How to Use Under Eye Gels
- Cleanse your face. The gels go on clean skin.
- Set the mood. Find a comfortable place to recline for 15 to 30 minutes. Put on something relaxing, and light a candle if you like.
- Place the gels. There's no front or back, so apply them in whatever direction fits your under eye shape. You can also place them on your eyelids with your eyes closed. Smooth out any creases, and if you have deeper lines, press the gel gently into them.
- Relax. Stay reclined for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Rehydrate and store. Remove the gels, place them back in the tray, and spritz them with Rose Water Hydrator. Slide the tray back into its sleeve and store it in a sealed bag in the refrigerator.
- Use up the serum. Gently massage any leftover serum into your skin with upward strokes, and pat dry if needed. On the first use, you can also rub off extra serum from the gels onto your face, neck, and chest, since it's good for your skin too.
- Finish your routine. Apply your eye cream, serum, and moisturizer, then Frownies Facial Patches over your expression lines at night.
Eye Cream Daily, Eye Gels Weekly: A Simple Under Eye Routine
Eye gels and eye cream do different jobs, which is why they work so well together.
Frownies Vitamin E Eye Cream is your everyday step. It's a lightweight formula with oat oil (a natural source of vitamin E), aloe vera, meadowfoam and rosehip seed extracts, green tea, pomegranate, and caffeine. It's made to hydrate, support the look of smoother skin, and help with the look of puffiness and dark circles, and it's suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin. Use it morning and evening on the skin under your eyes, at the corners, and on your eyelids. In the morning, it makes a smooth base for eye makeup. At night, it keeps hydration going while you sleep. A little goes a long way, and one tube typically lasts several months.
The Under Eye Gels are your reset. A short, once-to-three-times-a-week session gives skin a deeper dose of moisture than a cream alone, and the cooling, lie-down-and-relax ritual is its own kind of self-care.
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Every morning | Eye Cream under the eyes, at the corners, and on the eyelids, then eye makeup if you wear it |
| Every evening | Cleanse, Eye Cream, serum, moisturizer, then Facial Patches over expression lines |
| 1 to 3 evenings a week | Eye Gels for 15 to 30 minutes after cleansing, then Eye Cream and the rest of your routine |
| Before a big event or a long trip | An extra gel session, kept cool in the fridge |
A few tips for putting them together:
- Gels first, cream after. Apply the gels to clean skin, then follow with eye cream for extra moisture.
- You don't have to choose. Using both on the same day is perfectly fine, and many people find the gels make a nice weekly treat on top of a daily cream.
- A pack goes a long way. Each pack has three sets, and each set is good for 3 to 5 treatments. That's roughly 9 to 15 sessions, so one pack lasts about a month at three sessions a week and longer if you use them once or twice.
Add a Serum for the Eye Area: Frownies Apple Stem Cell Serum
If you’d like one more step, Frownies Apple Serum is a lightweight option that fits between your gels and your eye cream. It’s made with Malus Domestica fruit cell culture extract, grown from a rare Swiss apple variety known for staying firm long after it’s picked. It’s paired with hydrating ingredients like snow mushroom extract, oat kernel extract, and glycerin. It comes in 1 ml ampoules, so you always open a fresh, measured amount. The serum is designed to help soften the look of fine lines, including crow’s feet. We think of the serum as a lightweight, hydrating step for the eye area that works alongside your gels and eye cream, not in place of them.
How to use it around the eyes:
- Apply it to clean skin, after your gels on gel days and before your eye cream.
- A drop or two per eye area is plenty. A half to a full ampoule covers the whole face and neck.
- Pat it gently along the bone beneath your eye with your ring finger, staying clear of the lash line and the inner corners.
- Use it morning and evening. Pop the top back on the ampoule to save the rest for later.
- Patch test first, especially on the delicate eye area. Because the extract comes from apples, skip it if you have an apple allergy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Frownies Under Eye Gels reusable?
Yes. Each set can be used 3 to 5 times if you wear it for 15 to 30 minutes per treatment, rehydrate it with Rose Water Hydrator between uses, and store it in the fridge.
How often should I use under eye gels?
Once to three times a week works well as a deep-hydrating reset alongside a daily eye cream. You can use them as often as you like, and many people also reach for them before special events or while traveling.
Can I leave the eye gels on overnight?
No. They're a 15 to 30 minute treatment, and they can dry out and create creases if left on too long.
Why do my eye gels slide down my face?
They're not adhesive and they're meant to be worn lying down for your initial application. They come soaked in serum, so on the first use they can be slippery. Blot a little of the serum off or rub it into your skin, and know that each reuse makes the gels a bit stickier so they stay in place better.
Should I use eye gels or eye cream first?
Gels first, on clean skin, then eye cream afterward for extra moisture. It's also fine to apply other skincare before or after the gels.
Can I use eye gels on my eyelids?
Yes. Lie down, close your eyes, and place them on your lids.
The Bottom Line
Under eye gels are a little moment of calm that also gives the delicate skin around your eyes a concentrated hydration boost. They work best as part of a simple routine: eye cream every morning and evening for everyday hydration, and eye gels once to three times a week for a deeper reset. Keep them cool in the fridge, rehydrate them with Rose Water Hydrator, and they'll keep working for several treatments!