Clarins Total Eye Lift is marketed as an instant smoothing and lifting eye treatment for the full eye zone, not just under the eyes. The promise is fast results for puffiness, creasing, and that tired, heavy look that settles in around the eyes as you get older or just do not sleep enough. The brand positions it as both quick effect (soften lines, lift the look) and long term support (more firmness and less collapse in the eye contour over time).
This review will walk through what it actually does, how to use it so you are not wasting it, who will benefit, and who should skip it.
Quick Verdict
Best for:
Eyes that look puffy, lined, or heavy, especially in the morning. Mild hooding on the upper lid. Makeup settling into crow’s feet. That tired “everything is drooping a little” look around the eyes.
Skip if:
Your main issue is deep, genetic dark circles that are almost blue or purple. You are extremely sensitive to fragrance around the eye area. You want a rich, buttery balm texture at night. This is a lifting, smoothing treatment, not a barrier repair ointment.
Texture and feel:
Light cream-serum. Spreads easily, absorbs fast, leaves a soft smoothing film so concealer glides instead of grabbing. It does not feel greasy or heavy.
Price band:
Prestige. This sits in the high end eye cream category. You are paying for a targeted “eye lift” positioning, not a basic moisturizer.
Bottom line:
Total Eye Lift aims to make you look more awake and lifted, fast. It is especially good if you notice creasing, puff, and a little sag starting around the lids, and you want that smoothed before makeup.
Key Ingredients and What They Actually Do
Harungana extract and cassie flower wax (firming and smoothing):
Clarins leans on plant-based actives that are positioned to support firmness and create a gentle tightening effect on the surface. This gives that quick “more lifted, less slack” look. Think of it like a subtle tightening mesh, not glue.
Caffeine and de-puffing botanicals:
Caffeine style ingredients are often used in eye products to help reduce morning swelling by encouraging fluid under the eyes to move. That matters if you wake up puffy or baggy and spend the first two hours of your day trying to look less tired.
Peptide style support and moisture:
The formula also hydrates the thin eye area and softens the look of fine lines at the outer corners where makeup usually creases first. Smoother skin reflects light better, which helps the area look brighter.
Finish:
Soft, slightly satiny, not shiny. You can layer concealer over it once it sets, and it generally helps concealer move more smoothly instead of settling in creases.
How It Performs on Real Skin
Puffiness and morning swelling:
Total Eye Lift gets a lot of love from people who wake up with pillow lines and under eye puff. The lightweight texture plus de-puffing angle helps knock that down so you look less swollen and more rested. If you are the person who presses cold spoons under your eyes in the morning, this is that same vibe, just in product form.
Fine lines and crinkles at the outer corner:
Small creases around the outer eye and under the lower lash line can make concealer bunch and age you in pictures. The smoothing action here helps soften those edges so makeup sits nicer. This is one of the biggest reasons mature users keep it in rotation. It is not filling anything. It is giving slip and support so that the area looks less dry and collapsed.
Upper lid droop and early hooding:
One of the key claims is a “lifted” look across the full eye zone, including above the eye. That is different from many eye creams that only talk about under eye circles. If your upper lid is starting to sit a little heavier on the lash line, Total Eye Lift is sold as something that helps that look less collapsed. You are not getting surgery in a bottle, but you can get a slightly more open eye look, especially in the first hour or two after application.
Tired look from screen time:
Screen fatigue shows up as dull, shadowed, almost gray coloring around the eyes and a kind of deflated look at the outer corners. Hydrating and smoothing that area can make you look more awake even if nothing about your sleep changed. That “I look less wrecked” feeling is a big part of the appeal.
Deep discoloration:
If your under eye darkness is structural (hollow under the eye casting a shadow) or genetic (blue or purple tone that has been there your whole life), this product will not erase that. You will still need color correction and concealer. This is surface smoothing and lift, not pigment removal.
Results timeline:
First use: Area looks a touch smoother and less puffy, concealer sits nicer.
One to three days: Outer corner lines and crease-prone spots under the eye can look softer and less dry. Eyes look a little more awake in the morning.
One to two weeks: Some people describe a more supported, less “saggy” look around the upper lid and brow line, especially first thing in the day.
Who Should Use It (and Who Shouldn’t)
Best match if:
- Your eyes look puffy or heavy in the morning and you want them to look more lifted and open
- Concealer keeps settling into fine lines and making you look more tired, not less
- You are starting to see that soft collapse at the outer corners and along the upper lid and you want support
- You want smoother under eye texture without a greasy balm
Probably not for you if:
- You mainly want intense overnight barrier repair because the skin under your eyes is cracked, raw, or peeling
- You react badly to fragrance in eye products
- You are expecting dramatic dark circle erasing on deep blue or purple discoloration
- You want a thick occlusive eye balm for winter comfort
How to Use It Without Wasting It
Morning:
After cleansing, tap a rice grain amount around the full eye zone, including under the eye, outer corners, and just under the brow bone. Do not rub hard. Tap and press. Give it a minute to settle before concealer. This is the moment where it does its best work because it smooths the canvas before makeup.
Night:
You can also use it at night as your dedicated eye step after moisturizer. At night the goal is more long term support and less puff by morning. If you are already using a strong retinol around the eye area, keep them separate at first so you can tell which product is doing what.
Under concealer tip:
If your concealer keeps creasing, try applying less concealer after using this. Over-applying product on top of a smoothing eye cream can create slipping. A thin layer of concealer usually looks more fresh and less cakey because the skin is already smoother.
One caution:
Do not get aggressive and smear it onto the mobile lid all the way down to the lash line if you are sensitive. The skin there is very thin. If you notice stinging or watering, keep it to the orbital bone and outer corner.
Pros / Cons
Pros:
- Targets puffiness, fine lines, and that early droop around the lids
- Smoothing finish helps concealer sit better and crease less
- Lightweight texture that works for daytime, not just night
- Gives a more awake, lifted look fast which is what most people actually want in the morning
Cons:
- Price is high for the amount of product you get
- Light fragrance can be a problem for very reactive eyes
- Will not erase deep genetic dark circles on its own
- Not a heavy rescue balm for cracked or over-irritated eye skin
Overall, the vibe is “I look less tired and more lifted in the eye area, especially in the morning,” not “this cured my dark circles forever.”
Final Thoughts
Clarins Total Eye Lift is for someone looking in the mirror and thinking, “Why do I look so tired around my eyes all of a sudden” and not loving how concealer sits anymore. It is built to smooth, de-puff, and give a more lifted look around the full eye area so you look more awake, especially in the first half of the day. That is why it gets recommended for early hooding and fine lines at the corners.
If your main concern is deep, dark hollows or severe dryness that actually stings, this is not the fix. You will still need targeted brightening or a heavier comfort balm. But if you just want your eyes to look less puffy, less creased, and slightly more open, fast, this is the type of product that earns its place in the morning routine.
See also
If lines around the eyes are starting to show and foundation keeps catching there, our Best Treatment for Under Eye Wrinkles walks through what actually softens eye lines and what is just marketing fluff. For deeper creasing and crow’s feet, Best Eye Creams for Wrinkles & Crow’s Feet explains which textures sit nicely under makeup and which ones just slide. If concealer is making you look older instead of brighter, the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer Review: Fast Brightening For Dark Circles breaks down why that formula works so well on tired under eyes.
Under eye lift is only part of looking awake. Our Over 40 Makeup Routine That Lifts Without Caking shows how placement and texture make the whole face look more lifted without settling in lines. And if dark circles are your main fight, Best Concealer for Dark Circles: Brighten Fast, Stay Crease-Light walks through formulas that actually help under eyes look rested instead of chalky.
FAQs
- Does Clarins Total Eye Lift really lift the eyelid
It cannot physically lift skin like surgery. What it can do is smooth and tighten the look of the upper eye area enough that the eye looks a little more open and less droopy, especially in the morning. That visual lift is what people like. - Can I use it under makeup
Yes. That is one of its strengths. Apply a small amount, let it set for about a minute, then go in with corrector or concealer. The smoother base helps prevent creasing and settling. - Will it get rid of dark circles
It can help with the tired, shadowed look from puffiness and dull texture. It will not erase deep purple or blue darkness that comes from thin skin or hollowing. You will still want color correcting concealer for that. - Is it too strong for sensitive eyes
If your eyes water or sting with anything fragranced, patch test first. Use a tiny amount at the outer corner and along the orbital bone instead of putting it right up against the lash line. If you feel burning instead of a mild warm feeling, rinse and stop. - Do I still need an eye cream at night if I use this in the morning
If you are dry or the skin around your eyes feels tight by bedtime, you might want a thicker, more cushiony balm at night and then keep Clarins Total Eye Lift as your morning smoothing step. If you are normal to combo and not dry there, you can just use this twice a day.
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