Review and comparison of old and new versions of Secret Programming eye creams from Su:m 37

Today I'd like to compare two newer Su:m37 eye creams, Secret Repair Concentrated and Secret Eye Cream Advanced Sync Program, to their predecessor, Secret Programming eye cream. It's going to be a rather short review, but I just want to discuss both creams briefly, as I'm about to move on to another eye cream. As usual, I purchased all the products myself, and all opinions are my own; it's all about my personal experience, so YMMV.

The original Su:m37 Secret Programming Essence (full ingredients list on cosdna here) was one of the first K-beauty products I've tried; it got reformulated a couple years ago, and now it's sold as Advanced Sync Program. It used to be one of my all-time favorites, but when I figured out that it's not gluten-free (it has fermented barley and rye), I had to find some other first essence for PM routine (I believe I explained why I'm not using any non-GF skincare in the evenings in some of my previous posts, so I'd rather avoid repeating myself). Shortly after trying the essence I bought the original eye cream from the Secret Programming line, Secret Programming eye cream (cosdna here); again, it was the first K-beauty eye cream for me, and I picked it solely because it was from the same line as the essence. It was distinctly different from the eye cream I was used to at that time; I was using Chanel, Clinique and Clarins most of the time, foraging into more natural-based brands like Natura Bisse every now and then. I can't say I liked the eye cream; it wasn't bad, but it was rather heavy and it didn't do anything special for my eye area, unlike the essence. I finished it, but never repurchased, since I found many other K-beauty eye creams, including a few from Su:m37, and I liked them much better.

Swatches of Su:m37 eye creams, Secret Repair Concentrated Eye cream and Secret Eye Cream Advanced Sync Program, made when I was decanting them; you don't need that much cream for one application, each swatch has enough for about 2-3 application (both eyes).

When Secret Programming eye cream was reformulated for the first time, it became Secret Eye cream (here on official website; it wasn't updated in English mirror though). One of my favorite eBay sellers was kind enough to send me a few samples of it with another Su:m 37 eye cream purchase. Honestly, it felt almost identical to the old one, so I never bothered with full size of it. Then at some point Su:m 37 decided to add extra ingredients to it, and Secret Repair Concentrate Eye cream hit the stores in time for some holidays. It's amazing how often all those reformulations, new releases and limited-time special packaging offers coincide with major holidays! With various purchases I accumulated quite a few samplers of both eye creams, so I decided it was time to give them a fair trial. Overall, I had enough samplers of Secret Repair Concentrate Eye cream to last me over 4 weeks, and Secret Eye  Advanced Sync Program - for 3 and a half weeks, so I can say I tested both quite thoroughly. 

Let me digress for a moment and complain just a little. Su:m 37 continues to confound me with all their repackaging and reformulations. Lately they started to split their well-known skincare lines in two, presumably to emphasize the added ingredient(s); not only Secret Advanced Sync Program line got a sister, but also the Water-Full line. From the limited info that I was able to find online, Secret Repair must be based on their Secret line with some added anti-aging ingredients, while Water-Full Radiant line seems to be the good old Water-Full line with added brightening ingredients and glowy finish. 

Sum37 official website in Korean has different product lines compared to English and Japanese mirrors; translated using Chrome

Sum37 official website in English has different product lines compared to Korean and Japanese mirrors; translation by Su:m37

Sum37 official website in Japanese has different product lines compared to English and JKorean mirrors; translated using Chrome

It's rather hard to figure out what exactly the differences between those two creams are when I can't find any reliable info in English. Unfortunately, their official USA website has been under construction for a long while now (US site here). As you can see above, English and Japanese mirrors of official Su:m37 website have different product lines listed compared to Korean-language site.

Secret Eye Cream Advanced Sync Program  info from the official Korean site; it has the current picture (unlike the English mirror at the moment); translated using Chrome.

I had difficulties finding full ingredients lists for both creams. The official US seller does not list any ingredients, or any details whatsoever, but only states that, "The Secret Programming line is concocted with eighty different fermented plant extracts to invigorate the skin for a brighter, healthier, and renewed complexion" (link here). They don't use the updated name and don't mention the newest eye cream, Secret Repair Concentrate, at all. Another seller has both eye creams, lists them using the correct names, but gives the same ingredients lists for both creams (link here), which I think is impossible (cosdna here, if you'd like to get a look). As you can see from side by side picture, the creams are quite distinct. It seems that Secret eye cream is more basic, promising firmness, lifting and vitalizing, while Secret Repair Concentrate is more advanced formulation, aiming at major signs of aging. According to Beauty tap sales spiel, "Your skin will be lifted and plumped from within, minimizing the look of stubborn wrinkles. The buttery texture glides on, reducing any tugging around the fragile eye area" (link here).

Secret Repair Concentrated Eye cream info from the official Korean website; I used Chrome auto-translate function, and it leaves most of the description open to interpretation...

Both eye creams have heavy texture, but Secret Repair Concentrate seems to be just a bit lighter. In both texture and color Secret Advanced Sync Program seemed to be very similar to the original Secret Programming as I remember it; in texture, Secret Repair Concentrate was closer to a heavy, emollient cream than to a balm proper, and in color, it was off-white, unlike homeopathic yellow of Advanced Sync Program. Neither cream had very noticeable smell, and I liked that. They absorb well enough, but both had to be massaged into the skin; if you skip the massage part and just spread them on periorbital area, they'll be sitting on your skin for a long time. The massage does not take too long though, 1-2 minutes is usually enough for me, and it makes my skin look and feel better, so I always reserve some time for it. I have an eye area massager, but usually I use my fingers instead; I believe that body heat warms up my eye creams and helps them to absorb and start working. I reserve my massager for days when my eyes are especially puffy, then the coolness of metal helps me to get puffiness under control.

Swatches of Su:m37 eye creams, Secret Repair Concentrated Eye cream and Secret Eye Cream Advanced Sync Program, made when I was decanting them; you don't need that much cream for one application, each swatch has enough for about 2-3 application (both eyes). Both creams will sit on your skin unless massaged in.

Moving on to the results, I have to admit that I didn't notice much difference between those two eye creams. Both were very emollient; both didn't cause any milia around my eyes, just like the original cream; and both did not interfere with my sun creams. So far, so good, right? Unfortunately, that's all good results that I can think of. I have some under-eye wrinkles, but neither of the creams appeared to do anything about them. I did notice some brightening, but I was using both creams on top of my current eye serum that is steadily giving me the same brightening at the same, albeit very slow, rate, no matter what eye cream I've been using on top of it; I'm not going to attribute any brightening to the creams in question, but I should mention that they didn't interfere with my eye serum, which is good. At the end of third week of using Secret Repair Concentrate I've noticed very subtle plumping of my skin in the outer part of periorbital area, and the effect seemed to persist all the time I was using it. I'm a bit reticent to attribute the improvements to the cream alone; as I've mentioned in my other posts, I wasn't feeling well recently, and I had a few flare-ups in a row for a couple months starting Christmas. When I was using Secret Repair Concentrate, my health was improving somewhat, and it's quite possible that it affected my skin in general; however, I've no doubts the cream contributed to a degree.  

After using Secret Repair Concentrate Eye cream for over 4 weeks, and Secret Eye Advanced Sync Program for 3 and a half weeks, I came to a conclusion that I'm not interested in the latter; I might come back to the former at some point, but it's not a priority buy. I have a half-empty jar of Flawless eye cream, and I might buy Secret Repair Concentrate after I'm done with it, so I can compare the results; Flawless (this one) is my favorite eye creams from Su:m37 at the moment. However, there is a new eye cream in Losec line, Losec Summa Elixir (this one), that I'm rather curious about; I might buy it instead of Repair Concentrate Eye cream.

TL:DR

The original Su:m37 Secret Programming eye cream did not do anything special for me; it was rather basic, very emollient, balm-like cream that moisturized my eye area well and had no adverse effects. It's new version, Secret Eye Cream Advanced Sync Program, proved to be very similar. 

Secret Repair Concentrate eye cream is the latest, upgraded anti-aging version of both Secret eye creams, and it seemed to work a bit better, not only moisturizing, but also plumping up my skin. 

I find that the lack of reliable info about latest releases and reformulations, as well as any efforts on globalization of their online presence on part of Su:m37 (including, but not limited to, finally posting ingredients lists for their products in English) makes me move their products to the tail end of my wish list.