what-is-the-best-eye-cream

Whether you’re already using an eye cream or creams as part of your regular skincare routine, or are curious when you should start using an eye cream, our Skin Health Experts are here to help. For 16 years, we’ve been treating the visible signs of aging – among other complex skin concerns – at our Kate Somerville Skin Health Clinics in Los Angeles and New York. Simply put, we know skin. And when it comes to skin aging, one of the earliest places people notice the visible signs of aging are around their eyes where skin is more delicate. The #1 way to help treat and transform those early signs of aging? Using an eye cream.

Many people think that if they use a daily moisturizer on their face, it counts as adequate age repair for the area around their eyes as well. And while yes, it can help, the most beneficial way to reduce or prevent crow’s feet and fine lines around your eyes is with a clinically formulated eye cream. So what is the best eye cream for you? And how can you learn how to improve eye wrinkles and fine lines? And how do you navigate all the age repair hype that’s out there to find the right product for you? We can help.

There are certain premium skin care products that focus on firming the area around the eye that may start to sag with age. Others help to diminish the appearance of wrinkles or crow’s feet. And, there are also eye creams that work specifically to erase dark circles and puffiness. Each eye cream has a unique set of ingredients blended for a specific skin challenge. Think about what you’d like to improve the most and start to see a visible difference after applying it for a few days. This article will provide a number of anti-aging tips and tricks to help your under-eyes look more youthful and radiant. 

Firming Eye Cream Treatment

As we get older, the thin area around the eyes starts to lose collagen and elasticity in the skin. Wrinkles, fine lines, and crow’s feet begin to pop up. This can happen even if the rest of the skin stays intact. Due to the delicate texture of the eye area, it’s easily susceptible from all of the daily impurities that rest on the face. This includes leftover traces of makeup and environmental pollutants. It all affects your facial appearance but often with more emphasis around the eyes.

Lack of sleep, poor hydration, and an imbalanced diet can also cause the skin to age more quickly than we’d like. A firming eye treatment with retinol helps to combat these issues and helps to prevent them from advancing further. There are many benefits of using retinol in skincare. Retinol improves the appearance of the skin by helping to reduce pore size and the look of fine lines and wrinkles while improving the texture and firmness of the skin. Our +Retinol Eye Cream also includes hyaluronic acid, an important ingredient that gives the skin a boost of moisture for hydration and brightness. 

Retinol-Based Eye Creams

Retinol is derived from vitamin A and is a common active ingredient found in skincare creams and serums. It helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing collagen production. It also aids in softening rougher patches of skin and minimizes the appearance of age spots. These benefits make it an ideal component for eye cream since these side effects are what are experienced the most.

It’s generally recommended to only use retinol at night because it can increase the skin’s sensitivity to sun exposure. However, with our retinol-based eye cream, it can be used both morning and night. When using these products, remember to also apply a facial sunscreen (a good habit to follow, regardless). As with any skincare product, test a small amount or use every other day at first to see how your skin reacts. Once your skin has adapted to the ingredients, then you can incorporate it into your daily routine and use as recommended.

Dark Circle Eraser

Under-eye dark circles can occur at any age although they are more common as you get into your late 30’s and 40’s. There are several factors that contribute to the appearance of dark circles and puffiness. Normally, lack of sleep leads to dark circles. However, genetics can also play a role, as can allergies, dehydration, and too much sun. The appearance of dark circles can be difficult to hide with makeup, which is why preventative skin care is key. 

To fight against dark circles, it takes a special blend of key ingredients to treat this sensitive area. Our Wrinkle Warrior® Eye product is made with yeast and plankton extracts to help erase the appearance of dark circles. It also has hyaluronic acid to hydrate the eye area. Fans of the eye cream appreciate how lightweight and non-greasy it feels as well as how quickly it absorbs into the skin and shows results.

Hyaluronic Acid Eye Creams

Hyaluronic acid has a number of benefits and is an ingredient recommended by nearly every esthetician and dermatologist. Its hydrating benefits help to plump the skin to achieve a naturally glowing look. Despite being an acid, products that have it aren’t harsh on most skin types. They’re usually lightweight and can easily be absorbed. It’s such a sought-after skincare essential that it’s found in nearly all skincare products including moisturizers, serums, and eye creams.

If dryness on the face or neck is a recurring skin problem for you, products with hyaluronic acid can help give your skin the hydration it needs while soothing and smoothing the skin’s texture. Other benefits may include increased skin elasticity, redness reduction, and less visible wrinkles and fine lines.

Eye Repair Cream

We understand under-eye problems aren’t always just fine lines or the appearance of dark circles. We get that sometimes it’s all of the above. When you want to tackle more than one challenge at a time, a repair cream may be the answer. Our powerful Line Release® Eye Repair Cream is full of active ingredients including tripeptide that helps to reduce the depth of expression lines. Other ingredients included are light-diffusing pearls which work to illuminate the area around the eye and Matrixyl 3000™ which is formulated to reduce puffiness and under-eye circles.

Crow’s feet and fine lines may appear early on, which makes adding a moisturizing eye repair cream to your skincare regimen essential. The best types of eye creams brighten, tighten, and add hydration. They are also lightweight and absorb quickly into the skin. It doesn’t matter if you prefer yours in a gel, serum, or cream form. As long as it has the ingredients to get the job done, stick with what works best for you. 

Eye Creams with Botanical Extracts

Moisturizing eye creams with naturally-derived extracts give the formula the boost it needs without the need for artificial fragrances, sulfates, or mineral oils, none of which are good for the skin. We use a range of fruit and plant extracts in our premium skin care products. For our Age Arrest eye cream, we use deep ocean red algae to help minimize wrinkles and dark circle as well as chrysanthemum indicum extract to reduce under-eye puffiness. This innovative product is a result of our Nobel Prize®-winning medical research on Telo-5 technology, which is designed to combat the signs of aging.

How to Apply Eye Cream

Apply a tiny amount of eye cream - think pea-sized - to your ring finger and gently dab onto the eye area. Start at the inner corner of the eye and work your way out in a semi-circle motion under the eye. Continue patting the eye cream around the outside corner and up around your brow bone as well. Make sure you apply the product about a half inch from your eye to prevent it from getting in your eye and causing irritation. 

A single amount of eye cream should be enough for both eyes. Since the area is small, it doesn’t take a lot of product to do the trick. As you dab it into the skin, press lightly so that the skin can fully absorb it. Try to refrain from rubbing the skin back and forth to avoid stretching the skin. Such a delicate area requires a delicate application.

Eye cream is applied at the end of your skincare routine. And while some recommend that you use eye creams only at night, our lightweight formulas are best used twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. If you’re using a product with retinol, remember it’s extra important to wear sunscreen before heading out for the day.

When to Start Using Eye Cream

If you’re in your 20’s or early 30’s, you may be wondering, do I need an eye cream? The answer is yes. Eye cream treatments are used to reduce wrinkles and fine lines, but they also help to prevent them from occurring as early as they would without using one. There’s no standard rule of thumb of what the right age is to start using it. The earlier you start taking care of your skin, the better. (So why not start today?)

Consider the types of eye creams available and which are appropriate at different stages of life. For example, someone in their 20’s may deal with dry skin due to long days spent in the sun or a lifestyle that may include less healthier habits. An eye cream that has hyaluronic acid as one of its main ingredients is optimal and more necessary than one that includes retinol or other anti-aging protection. On the other hand, someone in their 40’s may want a product that focus on reducing the appearance of crow’s feet and helps to tighten the skin. 

Starting routine skincare habits at a young age also makes it easier to follow and becomes as normal as brushing your teeth. Removing makeup daily and going through the steps of cleansing, toning, moisturizing, and applying eye cream and face serums hardly take up any time, especially compared to the results you get for your skin. Even if there’s no definite age recommendation of when to start using eye creams, we suggest starting sooner rather than later.

Protecting the Under Eye Area

Using an eye cream is both preventative and proactive treatment for your skin. In addition to using this product, further protect your eyes by following a few, simple tips. First, shield your face from the sun as much as possible. This involves using a high SPF sunscreen on your face and wearing sunglasses and/or a sun hat for extra coverage. There are endless benefits of wearing sunscreen on a daily basis. Wearing sunglasses will also prevent you from squinting in the bright sunlight. Squinting is a contributing factor to fine lines and crow’s feet. Take your sunscreen with you on-the-go to reapply to your face and neck as much as needed throughout the day. 

Second, get plenty of rest. The amount of sleep we get is one of the top markers of health in addition to a balanced diet and regular exercise. Don’t skimp on sleep and you can help prevent the dark circles that appear under the eyes. Another factor that largely contributes to healthy skin care is staying hydrated. It’s easy for the area under the eyes to dry out or create a crepey texture. Drink plenty of water but also look for products with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid.

Another habit that will help you protect the under eye area is keeping your hands off of your face as much as possible. This means no rubbing or pulling on the skin. Remember this when you apply and remove makeup. The skin in this area is already thinner than other areas of the face and can start to sag and show signs of aging earlier when it’s not protected or treated with care. Give your skin adequate attention early on and you’ll be rewarded with more long-lasting, visible results.

Adding an Eye Cream to Your Skincare Regimen

Once you find an eye cream that you love make it a regular addition to your skincare routine. Everything you use on your skin helps to protect it from dehydration, too much sun exposure, environmental elements, and aging. That’s why it’s essential that you use high-quality products that contain natural, active ingredients, focus on your specific problem spots, and make your skin look and feel refreshed. 

The difference between well-treated skin and skin that doesn’t follow a routine are noticeable. Eye creams are a powerful part of the regimen and shouldn’t be skipped. When it comes to the eye area specifically, crow’s feet and dark circles can make us look more tired or give the appearance of dullness that doesn’t help us put our best face forward. Fortunately, with the right skincare products, it becomes second nature to give our face and neck the treatment it needs to look their best.

For more tips on healthy skin, explore our blog, shop our products, or book a virtual skin consultation with one of our trusted Skin Health Experts today.