Essential Eye Care
Your eyes are the windows to your soul but we often overlook them (or put them las) when it comes to our skin care routine, especially when we are younger. However, you’re never too young to start taking care of the skin around your eyes, which is the most delicate and thinnest area on your face. Due to the fact that it contains fewer oil glands, it is more prone to dryness, noticeable fatigue, and visibly displaying the dreaded and not-so flattering signs of aging and demands its own unique pampering regimen.
There are several key factors that can negatively affect the skin around the area of the eyes:
- Age
- Genetics
- Personal Habits (like squinting, constant blinking, continuous movement and facial expressions)
- Overproduction of Melanin
- Diseases
- Dehydration
- Sun/UV exposure
- Unhealthy Diet and Other Lifestyle Choices (excessive drinking of alcohol and caffeinated beverages)
- Lack of Sleep
- Hormonal Changes
- Pollution
- Fluid Retention
Everyday stress can lead to wrinkles, fine lines, redness, dryness, puffiness, and dark circles. Regularly applying concealer and foundation can dehydrate this delicate skin even further.
Eye care products can help correct some of these issues and potentially reverse some of the signs of aging. It is important to choose a top quality product that will help you achieve the results you are looking for. You should choose products that are formulated specifically for the delicate skin surrounding your eyes and formulated for specific skin care concerns such as puffiness, dark circles, wrinkles and fine lines.
Many eye creams contain natural ingredients that offer great benefits but may not always be totally effective. For optimal results, look for products that:
- Combine natural oils and extracts with clinically-proven active ingredients that are rich in anti-aging benefits to target and improve skin cell renewal, elasticity, suppleness and increase hydration.
- Avoid using products that contain questionable preservatives such as phenoxyethanol, alcohols like isopropyl and ethanol.
- Make sure that the products are free of parabens, dyes, synthetic fragrance, mineral oil, allergens, and other harmful/harsh ingredients.
- If you have sensitive or irritable skin, make sure that the product is particularly suited to your needs.
- Talk to your doctor and/or dermatologist before starting with any new products and about persistent dark circles and under-eye puffiness to rule out any unknown medical complications.
Eye Makeup Removers
The golden rule when it comes to eye care is - remove makeup, concealers and foundations before going to sleep! Using commercial makeup removers r washing your face with a mild soap, warm water and a soft cloth or cotton balls will suffice.
Be aware, hot water dries out the skin, so be sure that it's lukewarm to warm.
Alcohols (usually found in makeup removers) can dry the delicate eye area and also dry out the lashes and cause them to become brittle. There are various options, detailed below.
- Unscented Liquid Lotions gently remove waterproof products efficiently without aggravating the eyes or making them red.
- Makeup Removal Cloths/Wipes are usually drenched in ingredients designed to remove your makeup easily, quickly, thoroughly and gently even the concealers and foundation.
- Oil-Based Makeup Removers may seem like a bit messy but actually are a very effective and irritant-free way to remove makeup, especially waterproof products. Just make sure to wash your face well afterwards.
- Heavy Cold Cream Cleansers/Makeup Removers need to be used with cotton balls/pads. These clean your pores and remove makeup residue at the same time.
- Alcohol-Based Cleansers tend to cause more damage than good since they dry and dull your skin even more. Simple alcohols like (isopropyl and ethanol) are included in many eye makeup removers/cleansers for that “quick-dry feeling.” However, they can cause long-term damage.
Eye Masks
Eye masks are essential for providing much-needed therapy for tired and puffy eyes. They’re inexpensive (normally available for $20 or less), and can be warmed up in the microwave or chilled in the fridge for the desired effect.
There are two types: full eye or under-eye masks. The former cover both eyes at once like a blindfold and are normally made from natural or synthetic fabrics, such as cotton, silk, or polyester, and some also feature foam, gels or filled with buckwheat or other soothing ingredients.
Eye masks should not be confused with sleep masks, although they are similar in design, they vary in the use of materials and in time allotment. Eye beauty masks are not usually used overnight like sleeping masks (although they can be). Both are usually designed with elastic bands that fit over the head for added comfort, sleep masks feature side vents to improve air circulation and are designed to be worn with earplugs.
Under-eye masks typically look like comma-shaped patches and are infused with lightweight but potent serums packed with innovative ingredients like retinol, hyaluronic acid and ceramides designed to plump up your skin and reduce bags and dark circles.
Eye masks provide an instant boost of hydration, soothing ingredients and have a cooling and anti-inflammatory effect on the skin surrounding your peepers.
Eye Creams
Eye creams can help to correct and improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, loss of firmness, dark circles, puffiness and other signs of aging. Eye creams tend to be thicker and richer-feeling, while eye oils, gels and serums are thinner in texture and feel light, refreshing, and more silky than the eye creams.
They should contain essential anti-aging active ingredients that all skin types can tolerate and need to address signs of aging and dryness around the eyes. The best products contain antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, collagen-boosting, skin-restoring and skin-replenishing ingredients. They can all be applied to the underbrow or eyelid area, but be careful to avoid getting the product into the eye itself.
Hydrating emollient eye creams are formulated to be gentle as they should be applied gingerly (using the tips of your ring or middle finger) to the orbital bone or eye socket and the entire under-eye area (avoid the upper eyelids) in a tapping motion, which will assist in stimulating circulation. Apply a small amount of eye cream, once or twice daily. May be used along the brow bone, avoiding eyebrows. After the age of 20, this is an essential product to combat the signs of aging.
Eye creams are a popular cosmetic/skin care emollient products that are targeted to moisturize, nourish, treat dark circles, reduce puffiness and fade laughter lines. But creams can irritate the under-eye skin, particularly if they contain harsh ingredients.
You should use an eye cream if you prefer a richer texture and your eye area is much drier than the rest of your face. Eye creams can cause concealer to crease into lines and also shorten the wear time of eyeliner and mascara, so if you do choose a day cream, make sure that it is light and airy and apply only a thin layer and allow it to absorb before applying sunscreen, makeup and/or any other products. Eye creams are best used at night, when you can apply a thicker layer that will penetrate, restore and repair your skin while you sleep.
A multifaceted eye cream should contain clinically-proven active ingredients, humectants, like glycerin, that help draw water into the skin surface, and occlusives, like petrolatum or dimethicone, that limit water evaporation from the skin into the environment. Emollients are added to make the skin feel smooth and silky.
The ability of an eye cream to improve the appearance of skin around the eye is more dependent on the product’s ability to increase the water content of the skin, which is basically its effectiveness as a moisturizer.
Lash and Brow Enhancers
Many consumers confuse Lash and Brow Enhancers with mascara. These are not the same things. Lash and Brow Enhancers condition, strengthen and extend the follici of your lashes and brows. Mascaras simply add color artificially without really providing any sustainable benefits. Look for enhancers that include nourishing ingredients like green tea, ginseng, biotin and also amino acids, and other ingredients that boost collagen production and anchor the hair.
Enhancers not only improve the appearance of lashes and brows but also help them appear thicker and fuller and prevent them from looking sparse, short, and thin. These enhancers come in serum form and are easily absorbed at the roots, quickly delivering ingredients with no mess while helping to hydrate the skin. They usually come with tip applicators that enable you to reach small areas such as between the lashes at the lash line.
Each tube usually lasts one month (if used on lashes on brows daily). Lash and Brow Enhancers may be used with eyelash extensions. These products should be dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested. Enhancers repair the damage d one by over-plucking your eyebrows, and condition, moisturize and fortifie the overall appearance of your lashes and brows for a more youthful appearance.
Other Useful Recommendations
Employing a daily eye skin care routine is crucial as we have outlined above but there are always more things we can do to safeguard our peepers. Proper eye care can keep you looking youthful and vibrant. Here we list our top tips for helping to keep that sparkle in your eyes:
- By delicately massaging the eye area, you can move impacted fluid to help reduce overall puffiness.
- Daily use of sunscreen to reduce the risk of skin cancer.
- Drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day is key for overall health and wellness but it also keeps your skin properly hydrated. Eye puffiness is sometimes a result of lack of water in the body. Therefore, drink a glass of water whenever you notice your eyes are a little droopy.
- Sleeping is probably the most important activity you can do to improve the health of your eyes. Try to rest and get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. Sleeping leads to brighter eyes, reduces redness and the fullness of eye bags. Sleeping with two pillows or more to prop yourself up and keep your head elevated will help prevent fluid build up in your lower eyelids, which gives way to puffiness and dark circles.
- Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes throughout the day. A dense network of blood capillaries in the eye area can lead to more visible darkness as eyelids thin, and you don't want to risk damaging or rupturing them.
- Wear sunglasses to protect the skin under your eyes from the harsh sun. Avoid eating red meat, excessive alcohol consumption and eating salty foods which can lead to water retention.
- Exercise regularly to improve circulation. When you exercise, your eyes receive enough oxygen to keep them healthy.
