These days, it seems like every crevice of our skin needs its own product. But let’s be serious – we only need a few basic products to revitalize our skin. Recently, it has come to my attention that one of these essential skincare items gets left out of many skincare routines: under eye cream. Many people don’t believe they need under eye cream or they use their moisturizer instead. Unfortunately, a swipe of moisturizer under your eyes isn’t enough. We spoke to an aesthetician to get the low-down on under eye creams.
Quality Products for Delicate Skin
According to aesthetician Caitlin Dolata, “The skin around your eyes is the thinnest and most delicate area of your body, so we need eye creams that are formulated lighter than typical moisturizers. We blink 10,000 times a day. The skin by the eye area is the first to show age!”
Dolata also mentioned that eye creams, unlike your average moisturizer, are designed to be extremely mild and non-comedogenic (meaning they’re specially formulated to prevent blocked pores). The reason for this is, the eye area (not just under your eyes) can be very sensitive to irritation. But As with any skincare product, be selective about the product you purchase. Look at the ingredients first. If you don’t know what ingredients to look for, review the following:
- Hyaluronic Acid (a personal favorite) – creates moisture and plumpness
- Caffeine – constricts vessels beneath the eye to decrease puffiness
- Palmitoyl Oligopeptide – Aids in the generation of collagen and elasticity
- Squalane – An antioxidant that promotes cell repair (can be found in shark liver and plants – the best option to choose is squalane from plants)
- Arnica – Helps with puffiness
- Niacinamide (a close favorite) – Reduces discoloration
- Mica: Camouflages dark circles (how fancy)
- Argireline (another personal favorite) – Like Botox, it inhibits movement of your muscles to prevent lines and wrinkles
These are just a few of the best ingredients you should look out for. When you buy products with the right ingredients, and apply your under eye cream consistently and properly, there’s no doubt that you will see changes over time.
Do Eye Creams Work for Any Age?
Dolata’s rule of thumb is this: “When it comes to taking care of your skin, especially your eyes, starting earlier is better with quality products.” In her line of work, she notices that men and women begin to use eye cream in their 30s, just as they notice the first signs of creasing around the outer eye corner. That’s not exactly the approach Dolata would take. “Even before you see a wrinkle, you can start (using eye creams) as early as your 20s,” says Dolata.
It seems as though she doesn’t believe in the question: “Do I need eye cream?” because in her professional opinion, the answer is yes.
“Using an eye cream becomes a non negotiable product in your daily routine,” says Dolata. She further reaffirms that eye creams reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and can slow down the aging process.
How to Apply Eye Cream
It’s recommended to apply your eye cream twice daily – once in the morning and once at night. In the morning, it’s extremely important to allow your eye cream to absorb into the skin before layering other products on top of it, unless your eye cream is very thick. As most skincare aficionados know, you should apply your thinnest products first, then conclude with your thickest product.
With your pinky or index finger apply a few dots:
- Under your eye
- On your eyelid
- At the corner of your eye
- At the temple all the way out to the hairline
Be careful to avoid your eyes!
The image should give you some idea of the formation/areas you want to target.
Interesting Tip: According to an article in Vogue, place your eye cream in the fridge overnight to de-puff your eyes even faster the next morning.
You can follow Caitlin Dolata on Instagram for daily skincare and medical tips @aesthetician_cait.
