Goodbye lines & bags: the Peter Thomas Roth Vital-E Microbiome Age Defense Eye Cream review

I shared a first impression of this on Instagram before the official release, and now that this eye cream is out and I’ve had more time to fully test, I can safely say that the Peter Thomas Roth Vital-E Microbiome Age Defense Eye Cream has dethroned the Insytutum Eye Cream as my new favorite.

Overview

What is it
An anti-pollution, anti-blue light, and anti-aging eye cream that visibly helps improve the skin barrier to support your skin’s natural microbiome.

How I use it
Twice a day around my eyes, focusing on the area under the eyes where fine lines & bags form first. Also using this twice a day on my smile lines/nasolabial folds. This needs to be warmed up between your fingers first before applying.

Best suited for
Anyone looking to address puffiness, eye bags, and fine lines around their eyes. Normal/combo/oily skin types will enjoy the light yet moisturizing cream texture. Really dry skin might want to layer a facial oil over this.

Things to note
If you’re not a fan of silicones, this eye cream has a good amount of it. Otherwise it’s fragrance/essential-oil/alcohol free.

Packaging
A plastic pink jar. Honestly I don’t care for it, but given the balm-to-cream texture the jar is the only feasible option.

Scent
Fragrance-free, as all eye creams should be!

Texture
A solid balm that melts into a cream once you warm it up between your fingers. The cream feels like a richer silicone primer, which could be a turn off for some. Personally I enjoyed the non-oily texture and it layers well under other products and makeup.

Finish
Natural with no noticeable shine. Imagine applying eye primer, it’s pretty much the same finish.

Where to buy
$55/0.5oz on Sephora, Ulta, and Peter Thomas Roth

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Ingredients Highlight

This has a nice mix of occlusives, emollients, humectants, antioxidants, anti-aging peptides, and depuffing caffeine that can be found in most eye creams. What sets the Vital-E Eye Cream apart are the following ingredients:

• Bacillus – A group of probiotics. Because the name is so vague it’s hard to tell which strain is actually included. Is it lactobacillus, which is anti-inflammatory and can help with acne-prone skin, or bacillus coagulans, which can help with ceramide production? (source) Either way the idea is that by replenishing our skin’s microbiome, it will naturally strengthen the barrier and protect against external aggressors.
• Inulin – A type of prebiotic, which is basically food for the probiotics. These two groups work best together, which is why you’ll often find both in probiotic-based skincare.
• Butterfly Ginger Root Extract – Its skincare benefits have not been widely studied, but the manufacturer claims this can help protect against UV rays, blue light, and pollution. In their clinical trial, they found 3% of this extract increased the brightness of skin exposed to pollution (source).

While the microbiome-supporting benefits of this eye cream is nice, what I really appreciate is the blue light protection. With all the time we spend in front of screens now, my delicate eye area could definitely use the safeguard. Even with limited studies, better safe than sorry!

Usage experience

So the texture definitely stood out for me, I’ve never used an eye cream that felt like a primer, but it’s done an excellent job of keeping my dry eye area moisturized and the fine lines at bay.

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I’ve also been using this on my smile lines/nasolabial folds and was pleased to see the same results. Unlike other eye creams, the PTR Vital-E Eye Cream didn’t break me out here at all. So no spots, no fine lines, life is good.

But what really blew me away was its ability to make my right under eye bag pretty much disappear.

I’ve tried other caffeine-based eye products but none delivered any noticeable results. I’m still not sure what part of the formula is responsible for this unexpected yet incredible change but ignorance is 200% bliss here!

Lastly, the dark circles are still there, which for me are 50% genetics 50% lifestyle habits. I didn’t expect this eye cream to address them, but if you are, you’ll probably be disappointed.

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Peter Thomas Roth Vital-E Microbiome Age Defense Eye Cream compared

Here’s how the PTR Vital-E Eye Cream compares to my past favorites:

Instytutum Eye Cream – My old favorite, but it didn’t fix my under eye bag. The amount per container are is the same as PTR’s, but the latter has lasted me a month so far and there’s still a good amount left, compared to the Instytutum which I seem to use up much faster. Reviewed here.

Paula’s Choice Ceramide Enriched Eye Cream – Excellent ingredients and a superior airtight pump packaging, it’s also reasonably priced. The formula did cause bumps when used on smile lines, but is great for the eye area. Reviewed here.

Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado – My first eye cream love, and a good one for younger skin that mainly needs hydration. This is the most affordable of the 4 at $32 for 0.5oz. Reviewed here.

Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb – Incredibly hydrating with some anti-aging benefits, I was using this before the PTR. I’d consider this a step up from the Kiehl’s and a lighter + more affordable alternative to the Paula’s Choice.

Read more: The eye cream edit – what I’m using for for dryness, lines, and puffiness

Final Verdict

Jenny Wu

Passionate about science-based skincare. Tested hundreds if not thousands of products since my 20's. Working regularly with brands like iHerb, Ulta, CurrentBody, and MedStar Health to share my knowledge and experience in all things beauty. Learn more.

Skin profile: 35+, dry/combination, focused on well-aging, hydration, and a healthy glow ✨