The WHY Behind YSE Beauty's Wide Awake

Eighteen months, four primary ingredients, two product functions… one revolutionary eye treatment. Wide Awake is the new it girl addition to your vanity, and believe it or not, she is more than just looks. 

Intricately developed by our founder Molly Sims, this brightening multi-tasker is more than just your average eye cream.  It blurs the line between skincare and makeup with an elaborate formula designed to simplify your routine – and encourage self-care moments of pause, even in your chaotic day.  Because if you’re anything like us, we know every minute of your morning is a big deal.  

Today’s edit takes an exclusive look into Molly’s product development process behind Wide Awake, why she fell in love with the product, and why you will too.

The Function

Molly spent the last few years considering corrective methods, sifting through slippery eye creams and playing trial + error with cakey concealers to fight the battle of the aging eye – only to receive reassurance from her supportive community (you guys!) that you, too, were awaiting a solution. She envisioned something functionally luxurious, a product that felt like a million bucks, yet could also be thrown in your bag for hassle-free touch ups. 

Enter Wide Awake: the solution to your dark circles, fine lines and overall brightness – all delivered in just one swipe.  Because per our founder’s words: “if your concealer and eye cream had a baby… this would be it.”

The Difference

Wide Awake is more than your typical eye cream, and maybe even closer to your favorite concealer.  It’s not only packed with functional ingredients that plump, smooth, and brighten the skin, but is also formulated with translucent pigments that blur the undereye area using advanced light reflective properties. Molly’s goal was for Wide Awake to be a one-and-done in every way possible – carefully designed for all skin tones, corrective against crows feet and fine lines, and visually transformative. 

The Packaging

We know, she’s stunning. When it came to the look and feel of the product, Molly knew the high end and elegant design needed to be compatible with the life of the woman-on-the-go. The treatment is seamlessly layerable for midday touch ups, pairs well both under and over makeup, and fits easily into your purse for all-day use. 

And let’s not forget – the honorary mention goes to its metal tip applicator. Molly’s vision was built around the cooling and depuffing application that works harmoniously with the shape of the orbital bone. She refers to it a cold plunge for the eye, as the metal tip helps to increase circulation, encourage lymphatic drainage, tighten the skin, and smooth the area. It was important to Molly that she delivered a morning skincare experience that is luxurious, functional, and relaxing – an opportunity to enjoy a moment of you. 

The Ingredients

At a formulaic level, Molly wanted the product to function in three different ways: as a brightening treatment, a tightening agent, and a hydration source. Included in the treatment is a potent form of Vitamin C called tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate to promote radiance as well as four antioxidant ingredients: 

• caffeine to promote tightening and firming of the skin
• rice bran extract as a source of omega-3 fatty acids to deliver an overall plumper look
• pomegranate fruit extract to treat fine lines with skin soothing elements
• shiitake mushroom extract to reinforce the defenses of the delicate skin barrier that lives near the eye area

The product is rounded out with the ultimate hydrating properties of squalane and glycerin, which help the skin appear plump and quenched, further smoothing over unwanted fine lines and wrinkles. 

The Purpose

And if there was one thing on Molly’s mind during this innovation process – it was YOU.

Molly knows your mornings are a tornado. She knows you have no choice but to do it all with a smile… and that sleepless nights have never granted you an “off day”... and that being a mom doesn’t end at 5pm. She wants you to know that among the many selfless moments of your day, you should be selfish for (at least) one of them. 

Wide Awake was created to be more than a product.  It was designed to work in ways deeper than the eye cream before it ever did.  It’s an opportunity to be present, and a reminder of intention. Wide Awake is a chance to take your morning back – because no matter how busy your schedule gets, you should always find the time to squeeze you in.