I can still remember the first time I realized I had under-eye bags. Funny enough, it was when I first got contact lenses. Wearing glasses every day kept me unaware that I had been carrying around this baggage for so long until I switched to contacts. Forgive the pun, but it was eye-opening, to say the least! When I don’t get enough sleep (which is always), my eye bags are even worse, so a firming eye treatment is something that I’m always looking for. (I would have said “keeping an eye out for” but I’m trying not to over-pun you.)

Dr. Brandt’s Needles No More collection is a longtime favorite for skin-care fans, including its No More Baggage eye gel for fellow under-eye bag sufferers. The entire line, including the eye gel was recently revamped with an improved formula. Couldn’t be better timing for me and my puffy eye situation! Meet Dr. Brandt No More Baggage 2.0 ($48).

How it works

Dr. Brandt gave No More Baggage a big upgrade. While No More Baggage 2.0 still has the brand’s proprietary Filmatrix technology—an invisible, second-skin film made from algae, plant extracts, and silicates—it also comes with improved hydration, cleaner ingredients, and a better-feeling texture. It also has a caffeine-tetrapeptide blend; the tetrapeptides decrease fluid around the eyes, while also helping to fight the loss of collagen and elastin. And caffeine is, of course, a great ingredient for helping eyes look brighter and more awake.

As New York-based esthetician Jolie De Feis told Well+Good previously, “Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, which means it reduces blood flow, making it a popular addition to eye products to reduce the appearance of puffy eyes and improve overall brightness.”

My honest thoughts

First off, this is not your typical eye cream. In fact, the brand suggests using an eye moisturizer before applying No More Baggage, so I used La Mer The Eye Concentrate, which also has a gel-like consistency and absorbs fast. Once it’s dry, you put a tiny amount of the No More Baggage 2.0 on your fingers, warming it up, then patting it gently on your eye area. Wait about three to five minutes to let it dry completely.

Because it’s a different kind of eye care product, I did it completely wrong the first time, so make sure you apply it correctly and take your time to let both the eye moisturizer you use beforehand, and No More Baggage completely dry. This is extremely important—otherwise, you might end up experiencing pilling, like I did. Once I did it correctly, it worked great! I noticed that my under-eye area looked brighter and more hydrated, and the contours around my eyes looked a lot less dark. I was also able to put my concealer on without any issues. In fact, my makeup looked amazing! Basically, if you’re looking for an eye cream that acts as a social media filter IRL, this is your best bet.

If you, too, have puffy eye bags or dark circles, you have to try No More Baggage 2.0. Just make sure you don’t rush into the application process and give yourself a few minutes to let everything dry. You’ll trick everyone you know into thinking you got good sleep last night, though you totally should get enough sleep! (Telling that to myself, TBH.)

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