It’s common knowledge with all skin professionals that the first anti aging product that should be used by all is eye cream and can begin as early as teenagers or the early twenties. Prevention/delay of aging around the eye area is better than trying to correct/cure the problems later in life. Everyone has heard of eye products and has been recommended by their skin specialist but many do not understand the reason behind this recommendation which leads to the improper use, purchasing the wrong product or a total lack of use when you go home.
When I do a skin analysis and look at the skin under a woods lamp (Ultra Violet Light) most clients show major concerns around the eye area even in clients as young as 13. Why this is so is because the skin in this area is thinner and more sensitive than all the rest of the face. The eye area loses moisture and water far more easily than the rest of you skin. The purpose of an eye-care cream is to strengthen, hydrate and protect the fragile skin around your eyes thus reducing the many concerns that you have, like fine lines, wrinkles and crow’s feet. A good eye cream can also contain special ingredients that reduce these concerns and treat this sensitive area without causing irritation or adverse reaction.
Since preventing is easier than reversing then as you age your eye cream should be appropriate for the concerns that you are wanting to reduce.
- Teenager and early 20’s – replenish, added hydration protection protection. A good light weight moisturizer.
- Late 20’s early 30’s – Feed the eye area with anti-oxidants (vitamin E) plus replenish, added hydration and protection.
- Late 30’s until death – Feed the Eyes with Peptides, Hyaluronic acid, Anti-Oxidants plus replenish, added hydration and protection.
- All ages – zinc based sunscreen around outside edges and underside of the eyes to prevent sun damage and crows feets.
Ingredients that should be avoided in eye cream as they will in the long term will only add to the thinning of the skin around the eye and/or dehydrate it causing signs of aging to appear sooner and more pronounced.
- AHA or any type of chemical peel. They zap the skin of vital oils and water and they eye area needs more not less to prevent wrinkles and finelines.
- Retinal – Vitamin A in any form. As stated above the skin around the eye is very thin and though vitamin A is fantastic for anti-aging and fighting acne/other skin problems, Vitamin A also thins the skin and your eyes do not need any further thinning.
- Exfoliates – Again you do not want to thin the skin any faster than naturally.
How to apply Eye Cream
Just like the skin in this area, application should be sensitive and conservative. Most eye products are potent and you only need a small amount to gain maximum benefits. For application, get a little product on your ring (fourth) finger. Do not use your index finger as you will apply to much force in the eye area. Lightly dabbing/patting your finger on the eye lid and slowly work around dabbing the whole eye socked are being careful not to pull and stretch the skin. Dabbing/patting the eye cream on to your skin will allow the product to naturally absorb. Be extremely careful not to put product into you eye. You will find that many eye products will not recommend that you place the product on the eyelids as the company has not formulated the product correctly and thus as the product flows on the eyelid it can run into the eye and often resulting in irritation. Also too much product applied can cause this problem and also cause problems with the application of eye makeup.
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