A Dermatologist Explains The 'Magic' Behind This TikTok-Viral Eye Bag Eliminator

The Peter Thomas Roth Instant Firmx eye treatment contains a powerful peptide complex.

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It’s not uncommon to see beauty products come with claims like “Botox in a bottle” or some overly promising equivalent. And while most of the time we’ve learned to temper our expectations when it comes to the skin care purchasable in a tube, one video on TikTok showing an over-the-counter eye treatment in action had me reconsidering what is possible.

In the un-doctored video, a woman with prominent under eye puffiness and visible sagging applied Peter Thomas Roth’s Instant Firmx Eye treatment to the area of concern. Almost instantly the nondescript cream appeared to lift, firm and visibly smooth her under eyes in a way that I could describe as nothing short of magic. Or at the very least, in-office-treatment-worthy.

Curious to get to the bottom of these results, I sought the guidance of Dr. Omer Ibrahim , a board-certified dermatologist at Chicago Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology. He explained that the Firmx’s instantly tightening results are most likely due to sodium silicates, which are listed fairly high on the product’s list of ingredients.

“These ingredients form a film on the skin that contracts once it’s dried. It essentially pulls the skin tight once the product dries down, which only takes a few seconds,” Ibrahim said.

He said that throughout the day, as the skin naturally generates more oil, the film will start to wear off, losing the tightening and de-puffing effects.

With such bold claims you may be wondering how the product seems to have a fairly low-rating and its fair share of less-than-positive reviews. It’s because, as one Sephora reviewer put it, there’s “a learning curve” to the application and wear process.

“You don’t just cake it on and demand perfection,” the reviewer wrote. “I like to take two small dots, about the size of a ladybug each and rub them until warm and silky. If you feel any white bits, remove them. Take the silky product, slightly heated from your rubbing, and blot it onto your skin in areas directly under and around the eye.”

According to this reviewer, and many others, this key procedure of applying a minimal amount of product, then letting it dry completely before moving the face or moving forward with makeup, will make all the difference in a seamless finish that doesn’t leave a white residue — a complaint that many reviewers had.

Instant firming before and after results with The Peter Thomas Roth Instant Firmx eye treatment .

This also addresses a next concern that makeup wearers may have: can this be worn beneath concealers and foundations? Based on the experiences of some reviewers the answer is yes, just as long as you are conservative with the amount of eye treatment that you apply. It’s also important to note that some users didn’t experience as much success with their makeup application.

Ibrahim did remind us that in-office solutions like Botox, lasers and microneedling are truly the most effective and long-term solutions to concerns like fine lines and volume loss. We also understand that this isn’t always the most feasible option for everyone, which makes lower-risk alternatives like the Instant Firmx a possible solution. You can grab a tube for yourself or read any of the enthusiastic reviews down below.

“ Amazing!! BUT, you have to know HOW TO APPLY IT!! I will admit there is a learning curve to this. You don’t just cake it on and demand perfection.I like to take two small dots, about the size of a ladybug each and rub them until warm and silky. If you feel any white bits, remove them. Take the silky product, slightly heated from your rubbing and blot it onto your skin in areas directly under and around the eye. You only need a small amount. LET IT DRY and don’t move your face. This is important. LET IT DRY before you go back in thinking it isn’t working or that you didn’t put enough on. And if you are wondering if it works, do one side of your face and come back 15 minutes later. Mic drop.” — meginsanfran

“This product is amazing!! The before and after photos from the company marketing is actually true! I’ve had loose skin develop under my eyes as I’ve gotten older, and dark purple under eye circles my whole life due to the thin skin, and this product makes a huge noticeable difference in both issues! I was blown away after trying it for the first time, and I’ve been using it for about two weeks now and the results are consistent. The skin becomes so smooth and I barely need to add any concealer (where I had to cake it on before to cover the purple). I was looking into getting a lower blepharoplasty (plastic surgery) to try and improve my condition, but using this cream put that idea on the backburner. For those other reviews who complain about a ‘white residue’, the instructions clearly state not to use too much, so it’s definitely user error if you are having that issue.” — Aliarch

“ I’ve recently had my under eye filler dissolved and bought this until I get them refilled again. I’m very self-conscious about my under eyes without filler and found that this is the perfect temporary fix. Yes, it is very tedious to figure out when applying. The first time I applied it, I didn’t apply enough. So, I thought it would be a good idea to add more over it after it was dry. Do not make this mistake! It did leave a white flakey film. I removed it fully and made sure to add it again (a little more than before) over clean skin and made sure not to move my face. It worked great after that. I had no film or flaking after and was able to add makeup over it without any problems. It looks amazing now and I don’t feel like I needed to add as much makeup to my under eyes as I normally would. I can understand where some people would have trouble with the application of this product, but used correctly, it works great.” — Danni221

“I was eager to try this product after hearing great reviews from a friend. I bought it 3 days ago and absolutely love it! The first day I tried it w/o makeup and the results were remarkable. There is slight dryness and tightness but it’s not uncomfortable. The second day I tired it with makeup and it was just as successful. I applied it with a brush as directed and let it dry. Then applied my foundation with a blender and had no white residue. I honestly feel like I had an eye lift. I am 53 and have had under eye bags for years. I have tried Botox and fillers and even considered surgery. Honestly this product is so effective there is no need for anything else. I have tried similar products and no others have come close. I don’t usually write product reviews but had to share my experience with this product.” — CDC19

“ Botox in a bottle. Absolutely love it it works instantly!!! Also use a tiny amount let it set and dry then do your makeup I had no issues ! Used error for the negative comments.” — alem88