Many of us forget about this area, but the skin around the eyes is one part of the body that shows the earliest signs of premature aging. Have you ever wondered about the reason behind it?
The skin around your eyes is delicate and ten times thinner than the skin on other parts of your body. Your eyes work a lot throughout the day.
Other than stress, things like genetic, external stressors, UV rays, and lifestyle choices also contribute to the early aging of the skin around your eyes.
Commonly seen issues include:
- Fine lines
- Dark circles
- Puffiness (includes eye bags)
No matter how old you are, it is never too late or early to give your eyes the love they deserve. I’ve summed up some easy-to-follow tips that I use. Check them below and if they suit your skin well, add them to your beauty routine.
Always Moisturize
Moisturizing your skin is one of the most underrated steps that often slides down, but it shouldn’t. If you do not provide proper moisture to your skin, you may get fine lines and wrinkles around your skin, especially in the eye area. If skin lacks oil glands, it can be more prone to dryness.
One of the most commonly asked questions about moisturizing the skin around your face is whether you can include moisturizing in your skincare routine or not. The answer is “yes!”. As long as moisturizing doesn’t irritate your skin and eyes and provides an ample amount of moisture, you are good.
Always remember that because the skin around your eyes is thin, it can be sensitive to regular face cream. If you feel a stinging sensation or your eyes turn red or watery, you must avoid using your regular face moisturizer and invest in an eye cream.
Eye creams are often formulated with less likely to harm your eyes but come with ingredients that may help reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
Ingredients Matter
When you hunt for a good eye cream, you need to know which ingredients to look for and how they will help your skin. In this article, you can find the skin concerns and the ingredients you’d require to answer them.
Fine lines
Apart from hydrating humectants used to reduce moisture loss, it would help if you look for the ingredients that will help you provide an immediate plump-up effect on the skin around your eyes. Opt for more potent ingredients that stimulate collagen production for the best results. These include:
- Retinol
- Retinoid
- Peptides
- Vitamin A derivate
Hyperpigmentation (dark circles)
Most of us usually suffer hyperpigmentation caused by the sun’s UV rays, so you must look out for the following ingredients before you choose the product to reduce hyperpigmentation:
- Arbutin
- Kojic acid
- Hydroquinone
- Vitamin C
- Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
- Azelaic acid
- Soy
Puffiness
Even though the remedy for puffy eyes can be easy, like drinking enough water or sleeping, when it comes to skincare ingredients, the following may help reduce puffiness:
- Coffeeberry and green tea polyphenols
- Caffeine
- Willowherb
- Dipeptide-2 (eyelids)
General concerns
Look for antioxidants if you have general concerns about the skin around your eyes. These power ingredients help remove free radicals in the skin triggered by UV radiation, pollutants, and smoking. Moreover, they may also help to put a brake on the aging process. Look for the following ingredients before you select the product:
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B-3 (niacinamide)
- Green tea
Always be gentle
You need to be gentle when it comes to your skin, from removing your eye makeup to applying products onto the skin around your eyes. As I mentioned above, the skin under your eyes is thin, so you must take extra care. Following are a few tips for your skincare routine:
- When you remove your makeup
- Apply the makeup remover on a cotton pad.
- Press the pad on your skin gently.
- Slowly drag in an outward motion.
- Repeat this until your makeup is completely removed.
- When you apply your skincare products
- Apply the products to your tiniest (pinky) finger.
- Start to dab the products around the eye areas and circle them slowly around the eyes. Never forget to apply it to your upper eyelid.
- Repeat the steps until the product is fully absorbed into the skin.
Treat yourself
The best way to treat your skin is by massage. If you notice that your puffy eyes tend to come and go, but it looks more obvious when you’re tired or haven’t been sleeping well, a simple massage might help. Other than some genetic factors, fluid retention can cause puffy eyes, which may result from high salt in food, which may end up causing a lack of sleep or sometimes too much sleep.
Eat, sleep well, exercise, and repeat
Changing your lifestyle is the best way to protect your skin. The three lifestyle practices are:
- Exercise
- Good sleep
- Healthy diet
These three are the essential practices for a healthy skincare routine, even for the skin around your eyes. Getting at least six hours of sleep every night and exercising regularly will improve your blood circulation. If you don’t exercise or sleep enough, not only will you feel fatigued, but the skin around your eyes also begins to look darker, puffier, and unhealthy.
Apart from these three steps, look for high potassium foods like bananas. Drinking at least eight glasses of water daily can also be a great skincare routine for healthy eyes.
Taking away
There are several ways to give the skin around your eyes the ‘much-needed love and care’. Sun protection, moisturizing your skin, getting more sleep, and many more routines can be implemented to eliminate any existing issues or avoid future problems. All the methods in this article may prove to be game changers in your skincare routine. Follow these skincare tips to get those beautiful eyes you always wished for.