What is eye cream and who needs it? That is the question of the day. To start, eye creams are moisturizers for the delicate skin under your eye. Despite what the beauty industry wants you to believe, not everyone needs it (especially not every age group). If you are younger or at an earlier stage in life, you can probably get by using a good moisturizer instead of adding the step of an eye cream to your skincare routine. If you are more seasoned in the game of life (aka, older), you might want to consider an eye cream if it fits your skincare goals.
How do you know if it fits into your goals? I’m glad you asked!
What does a typical eye cream do?
Typical eye creams hydrate the skin under the eye and are proven to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Unless specified, they do not treat dark circles or under-eye puffiness caused by late-night binges of The Great British Bakeoff. A good way to tell if you need an eye cream is if you are concerned with or are already showing some signs of fine lines and wrinkles.
What does eye cream not do?
Eye cream will not reduce the puffiness or dark circles you got from a late night out hanging with your friends. You will need a heavy dose of caffeine to get rid of under-eye puffiness. PUT DOWN THE ESPRESSO! I mean caffeine in your eye cream. Caffeine helps by constricting the blood vessels, which helps decrease puffiness. Applying something cold to the under-eye area can also help (despite what Paolo said, cucumbers DO help! IYKYK).
How do you use eye cream?
Eye cream should be applied in the morning or at night but not both. If you decide to put your eye cream on in the morning, look for a product with SPF. If your eye cream has retinol in it, we recommend using it at night since retinol makes your skin more sensitive to the sun. Thicker eye creams are great for nighttime use because they have all night to absorb into the skin.
You may think you should rub-a-dub-dub the eye cream into your skin, but that would be incorrect. It’s best to dab the cream around the eye instead of rubbing it in. And take special care to avoid the top lid because that will increase your chances of getting the product in your eye.
How do you know your eye cream is working?
Before you start using any eye cream, make a note of how your skin looks and feels. It might take some time before you notice any improvement, so be patient with your expectations. On average, a good eye cream should give you some improvement after the first week. Improvements can show the skin around the eye looking brighter, firmer, and/or softer to the touch.
If you do not see improvement, check to ensure you are applying it correctly and at the right time of day.
Skincredible approved products
Here are the eye cream products we recommend the most to our clients:
- Skincredible Vitamin C Antioxidant Eye Cream — This one is great for dark circles, brightening your skin, and reducing puffiness. Contains cucumber, and chamomile, as well as Vitamins A, C, E, and Co-Q10.
- Skincredible Ultra Eye Serum — The Ultra Eye serum is hyaluronic acid based and helps to soothe and smooth the area for a natural appearance. Contains Hyaluronic Acid and Co-Q10.
- Skinceuticals A.G.E. Eye Complex — A.G.E. Eye Complex is an advanced anti-wrinkle eye cream that improves the appearance of dark circles, puffiness, and crow’s feet associated with advanced glycation end-products (A.G.E.). This silky eye cream has a potent combination of proxylane, blueberry extract, and a complex of flavonoids and synergistic peptides.
- S Clinical Youth Eye Complex — This potent serum has powerful peptides, key growth factors, and potent antioxidants to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and visibly brighten the under-eye area to keep skin moist, smooth, and protected all day long.
Are you ready?
Our trained clinicians are available to assist you in achieving your skincare goals and recommend the best products for you!
As the leaves begin to change and the fall social scene beckons, this is the perfect time to kiss that tired, summer skin goodbye!