The Eyes Have It: 4 Reasons Why You Should Never Give Up on Eye Cream
Shakespeare famously said, “The eyes are the window to the soul.” A lovely sentiment, and many believe the eyes reveal our emotions, show intention, mood and even intuition. They are also one of the most important aspects of facial beauty.
Many people forgo eye cream and opt to use facial moisturizer instead. Often people ask if it’s truly necessary for their skin care routine. The simple answer is: yes!
Eye creams, when created with superior, active ingredients, play a multi-faceted role in caring for the skin surrounding the eyes. It is far more than just a “nice to have” product. In fact, most dermatologists recommend using an eye cream or serum as early as your mid-20s as a preventative measure to slow down the effects of aging.
Eye creams are much more than a simple anti-aging remedy…
1. Eye cream provides essential moisture.
The skin around the eyes is very different than the rest of the skin on your face, as it does not contain oil glands to promote natural hydration. Therefore, this area is more prone to dryness -- thereby showing signs of fatigue and premature aging. Eye creams support and maintain optimum moisture levels to the eye area.
2. They are specifically designed to treat the eye’s delicate skin.
The skin below and around the lower lid of the eye is very delicate and thin, in nature. This can lead to allergies or irritation to topical products. An optimally formulated eye cream will moisturize the area with mild and fragrance-free ingredients designed to soothe and protect the eye’s sensitive skin.
3. Prevents puffiness and dark circles.
There are several contributing factors that cause dark circles under the eyes or puffiness. Dark circles could be the result of lack of sleep, age, blood build-up or even a genetic predisposition. Allergies, sinus infection, crying or even ingesting too much salt could cause puffiness, or a buildup of fluid and blood under the eyes. Rubbing your eyes or going to bed without washing your makeup off are more common offenders. Many eye creams contain ingredients known to help reduce puffiness and dark circles. Hyaluronic acid, tripeptides and vitamin C are a few key ingredients to look for.
4. Eye cream combats collagen degradation.
Most of our facial expressions are pronounced through the area around the eyes. A laugh, a smile, a wince or gesture of concern or surprise -- all have a ripple effect on the skin surrounding the eye. This continual “work out” for the eye muscles contributes to the dehydration of the skin and leads to the formation of wrinkles. While you can control some outside forces that promote fine lines such as smoking and exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, it’s impossible to prevent all facial movement. A judiciously chosen eye cream can do its appointed job: to protect the collagen levels in the eye area.
On a final note: when applying an eye cream remember the following three things:
(1) Apply only a small amount – be mindful of the eye’s delicate skin. Over-application can lead to irritation. (2) Pat or dab the cream lightly around the eye area. Be gentle, avoid pulling or dragging the cream. (3) Give it some time to absorb before applying makeup to avoid any ‘caking’ or buildup.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. -- Audrey Hepburn