If I wake up on a Sunday morning with something of a large hangover or if I have an early morning start at work, my eyes will inevitably look tired, with noticeable dark circles and a puffy appearance. I think most people will be able to relate to this!
Today I want to talk about the importance of using a great eye cream or serum. Most women I speak to incorporate eye products into their daily skin care routine, but I find that the skin around my eyes is an area I am guilty of neglecting.
As we age, the skin around our eyes gets thinner and is the first area to show signs of ageing and tiredness. It is also the most sensitive and delicate area on our face. The skin is very thin, struggles to hold moisture and loses elasticity faster.
Using an eye cream will not make your wrinkles disappear (that’s why fillers and botox are so popular) however keeping the skin hydrated and moisturised minimises their appearance and can prevent future fine lines and wrinkles from forming.
Tip: Remember eye specific concerns! Keep it separate!
The skin around our eyes has different needs to the rest of our skin, for example if you suffer from rosacea, pigmentation, oily skin, dry skin or acne, you will be using certain creams and products to help treat those conditions. These creams are unlikely to contain the specific ingredients that can help the appearance of the skin around your eyes. They may be too strong, too oily or not hydrating enough. If your daily moisturiser contains perfume this can also irritate the skin around your eyes.
Another good reason to invest in an eye cream or serum – to get rid of dark circles and puffiness! Occurring because of drinking alcohol, stress or tiredness, the ‘windows to our souls’ can be the first to suffer if we aren’t taking care of ourselves or if we are the unlucky sufferers of allergies. Eye serums refresh and plump the skin around our eyes keeping the skin moist and hydrated therefore reducing swelling.
Tip: Coffee for your eyes!
Look for an eye cream with caffeine in. Caffeine is proven to stimulate blood flow which helps to decrease the darkness around the eyes. I keep my eye serum somewhere cool so when I apply it in the morning it’s extra refreshing!
The ‘must-have’ product in my cosmetics bag at the moment is the Obagi ELASTIderm Eye Complete Complex Serum from the Obagi ELASTIderm treatment range.
Why I love it:
- The roller ball makes it easy to apply, ensuring gentle soft application, which doesn’t drag the delicate skin around the eyes
- The Bio-mineral complex (the good ingredients) replenishes elasticity and supports collagen production for tighter, smoother skin
- One of the ingredients; Malonic Acid stimulates production of healthy skin cells for overall skin improvement
- A key ingredient caffeine freshens my eyes and reduces puffiness and dark circles
This is another key product for eternally youthful skin! Trust me its worth the investment!
As well as introducing an eye cream to your skincare routine always remember to:
- Wear sunglasses when its bright outside, to prevent squinting your eyes (a reason to buy those new Ray Bans?)
- Always wear an SPF, UVB is the most harmful of the sun’s rays and is present every day, even when the sun isn’t shining.
- Drink at least 2 litres of water every day, to keep your skin hydrated
- Apply an eye primer before your make up, I find my eye shadow and make up stays on better and it also brightens my eyes.
