I evaluated the Live Tinted Rays Copper Peptide Eye Masks as part of my official test of the best under-eye patches and chose them as the best value pick. Below, read my in-depth review of this skincare product.
Waking up in the morning is always easier with some daylight to coax you out of bed, and if you’re lucky you’ll have something on hand to help you look more awake after a night of fitful sleep, too. In my assessment of the best under-eye patches, I chose the Live Tinted Rays Copper Peptide Eye Masks as the best value pick because of how they brightened up my eye area.
I chose the Live Tinted Rays Copper Peptide Eye Masks as the best value pick because of how they ... [+]
The under-eye patches are shaped like sun rays and feature banana extract to brighten and smooth over dark circles. Conceived of by beauty vlogger and entrepreneur Deepica Mutyala, Live Tinted uses uncommon ingredients and a playful design to make masking sessions more efficient, and even fun. I tried the Live Tinted Rays not once but twice, to really bask in the glow of the experience, and to get a sense of how these work. Below, my thoughts on how the patches hold up against their competitors.
Material: Hydrogel | Key ingredients: Niacinamide, bakuchiol, copper peptides, squalane, banana extract | Fragrance: None | Price per pair: $4.40
Best for:
- Those who want to try retinol alternatives
- Brightening and smoothing
- Travel-friendly packaging
Skip if:
- You’re sensitive to bakuchiol
- You prefer a mask shape that covers more surface area
A Stacked Ingredient List
There are a number of great things coming together in this mask (including hydrators like squalane, glycerin and hyaluronic acid), but the notables that Live Tinted highlights are copper peptides, bakuchiol and banana extract. Copper peptides are a type of tri-peptide complex that stimulate collagen and elastin production in the skin, and they are especially beneficial for people who want to firm up their skin.
Though retinol is an ingredient that the dermatologists I spoke to recommended for potency, bakuchiol is the next best thing (read more on why below). As a photostable alternative to retinol, it’s also something you can use bright and early, in full daylight, as soon as you wake up.
Both of those combine forces with the brightening powers of banana extract (more on that below) to help boost the appearance of your under-eye area. Individually, all three of these hero ingredients are also pretty uncommon among under-eye patches, and come together beautifully in one pretty package.
A Laundry List Of Skincare Benefits
Considering all of the potent ingredients baked into each set of under-eye patches (and the lack of irritants like fragrances or essential oils), these worked quite well on my dehydrated under eyes. In the short 10- to 15-minute increment that I tested the Rays post-shower, I could see that my under eyes looked visibly nourished and soothed compared to the surrounding areas—which were still a bit red and irritated from all the steam and soap. My dark circles also looked ever-so-slightly brightened.
In the short increment that I tested the Live Tinted Rays post-shower, I could see that my under ... [+]
And though I didn’t find these quite as effective at brightening and depuffing as my top pick, the Loops Weekly Reset Rejuvenating Hydrogel Eye Mask, I definitely recommend them for quick skin pick-me-ups. With repeated use, the bakuchiol and copper peptides in them might even help with skin tightening (which was hard to detect in just one or two tests). All in all, at less than $4.50 per set, they’re packing in a lot of benefits for the price.
A Bright Design
If this were a review purely based on looks, the Live Tinted Rays would pass with flying colors. Instead of the traditional crescent shapes of other popular under-eye patches, these are designed to resemble the rays of the sun in a metallic orange hue, which makes the entire experience of masking in these feel like more of an event.
Even if design weren’t a factor, the Rays also balance selfie-worthy aesthetics with efficacy and great texture—all at an affordable price, which is why I named them the best value. They felt deeply soothing after a hot shower—calming my dehydrated skin with the cooling kiss of hydrogel.
How Do The Live Tinted Rays Copper Peptide Eye Masks Compare To Others?
Nearly everything about the Live Tinted Rays Copper Peptide Eye Masks stands in a class of its own compared to the 14 other under-eye patches I tested. Instead of the standard translucent hydrogel, the patches are orange, and the sun-inspired design is unlike anything I’ve seen in this category and makes masking feel like a treat. They’re plenty potent, too, thanks to a cocktail of ingredients like copper peptides, bakuchiol and squalane. Unlike some of its other peers in this category that have some kind of fragrance, these are also fragrance-free to suit sensitive skin types.
Nearly everything about the Live Tinted Rays Copper Peptide Eye Masks stands in a class of its own ... [+]
How I Tested The Live Tinted Rays Copper Peptide Eye Masks
I tested the Live Tinted under-eye patches two separate times on clean, dry skin, for 10 to 15 minutes each time. I tested during the day: once in the morning shortly after waking up from a poor night of sleep, and then once in the afternoon after another late night and a hot shower that irritated my dry skin. (Thankfully for my testing purposes, my sleep schedule can be pretty erratic.)
I took photos before, during and after testing to document any changes to the texture and appearance of my under-eye area. During testing, I noted the texture, grip on my face and how the masks felt on my skin (taking into consideration any cooling effects or skin irritation). After testing, I documented any notable brightening, hydrating, firming or depuffing that I noticed.
My Expertise
I’m a beauty and wellness reporter with nearly a decade of experience covering skincare, beauty trends and technology. My in-depth reviews, reporting and roundups have appeared in publications like Marie Claire, Self, the Strategist, GQ, Elle and more. I’ve also served as a contributing editor for outlets like GQ, Self, Glamour and Allure.
This in-depth review was assigned and edited by deputy editor Jane Sung, who oversees the beauty and grooming section at Forbes Vetted. To round out my testing, I also consulted three board-certified dermatologists for more information on how to use under-eye patches and which ingredients to seek out. I tapped Dr. Mona Gohara, an associate clinical professor at Yale who specializes in skin of color; Dr. Marisa Garshick, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City; and Dr. Azadeh Shirazi, the founder of AziMD Skincare.
How Does Bakuchiol Work In Skincare?
Bakuchiol is a naturally derived ingredient sourced from the leaves and seeds of the babchi plant. The antioxidant is often touted as a plant-based alternative to retinol, and small studies have shown that it can act as a similar antiaging compound to retinoids by stimulating collagen-producing receptors in the skin. Despite its potency, it’s also billed as a gentle skin enhancer that doesn’t irritate the skin as readily as retinol. One small study in the British Journal of Dermatology that compared bakuchiol and retinol head-to-head showed that both smoothed over fine lines and reduced hyperpigmentation, though the bakuchiol users reported less stinging and peeling. More extensive research on the benefits of using bakuchiol is still lacking, but if you want to check it out for yourself, the ingredient is found in smoothing and repair serums from brands like Paula’s Choice, Biossance and Herbivore.
Unlike retinol, bakuchiol is also thought to be more photostable, meaning it won’t break down as easily when exposed to sunlight. Usually retinol products are recommended for nighttime use for that reason, whereas bakuchiol products can be used during the day.
What Does Banana Extract Do For Your Skin?
You might recognize banana extract from buzzy under-eye products like Ole Henriksen’s Banana Bright+ Eye Crème. Like other fruit derivatives, banana extract serves as an antioxidant that can help protect the skin from free-radical damage, while moisturizing and gently resurfacing skin with the aid of fruit-based alpha hydroxy acids. And though TikTokers might have you believe that rubbing a banana peel directly on your skin will magically enhance it, dermatologists note that you’re not going to reap the benefits from merely applying an ingredient topically to the surface of your skin. You’re better off finding a product that uses banana extract, or other fruit-based by-products, in conjunction with other skin enhancers in a way that’s specifically formulated to benefit your skin.
What’s The Story Behind The Live Tinted Brand?
Live Tinted is a brand launched by South Asian beauty vlogger Deepica Mutyala, who got her start making YouTube videos of beauty tutorials and makeup reviews. In 2015, one video in particular went viral with millions of views: a hack for using red lipstick to cover up dark under-eye circles. Three years later, Mutyala harnessed her deep beauty knowledge to build her own beauty line, launching Live Tinted in 2018 with a multitasking Huestick (a lipstick, color corrector, blush and eye shadow). Today the line has expanded to include other makeup products like a lip gloss, highlighter and makeup brushes, plus skincare. There’s a brightening eye cream, some SPF products and the copper eye patches. Each product is vegan, cruelty-free and formulated with deeper skin tones in mind, leaning on ingredients like vitamin C, squalane and hyaluronic acid to enhance and nourish skin.
