Everything You Need to Know About Eye Creams

So, why do you need a cream or treatment specifically for the eye area/undereye?

Well, because the skin under and around the eye is completely different, it is much thinner. It is more prone to dryness as the glands don’t produce oil. It’s extremely delicate and needs to be treated as so. The most obvious reason to be consistent and stick to eye cream, early and premature signs of aging appear around the eyes. In other words, the area under our eyes is more prone to signs of aging, puffiness, dark circles, and dryness.

Different under eye concerns:

• Dark circles: Discoloration and darkness around the eyes can be a sign of unhealthy habits that reflect on the skin, such as stress, smoking, and sun exposure. Skin discoloration can be targeted using vitamin c and k, caffeine, and licorice extract.

• Wrinkles and signs of aging: As our eye is so delicate, muscle movement causes the skin to reform into different contours. This of course not to mention the pulling and tugging of the skin when applying and removing products. Collagen and retinol treatments are used to treat, or better said, prevent fine lines.

• Dryness: This is self-explanatory, but basically, the skin in this area is much more sensitive and prone to dryness, any of the other concerns addressed could be a result of lack of moisture in the skin around your eye.

• Puffiness: Comes from fluid buildup that causes swelling on the tissues around the eyes. Specific ingredients such as caffeine are used to treat this concern.

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How to apply eye cream:

Image credits: Stylecaster

The above is a guide on how to properly apply eye cream to ensure that the delicate skin absorbs the entirety of the benefits it can provide. Please while applying, refrain from rubbing the cream, or dabbing it harshly onto the skin. Remember to dot cream between the edge of the eye and temple and gently on the lids. Try to not move the natural contours of your face, instead use your pinky finger to apply the products. Remember, eye cream is supposed to be applied consistently, if you can’t do it once in the AM and once in the PM before bed, at least do the morning application.

The top eye creams for each concern, and some of our personal favorites:

Tackling darkness under the eyes: Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream or Eva B-White Under-Eye Lightning Cream: 

Ole Henriksen’s Banana eye cream is so heavenly on your face, it feels like you put a smoothie on around your eyes, yummy. You’ll automatically feel a difference as the Vitamin C and Collagen based cream gets absorbed. The results of this cream are shocking, to say the least. 

As for the Eva B-White Under Eye Lightening Cream, this local alternative contains cucumber to soothe the under-eye area and is formulated to lighten the darkness over time with the consistency of application. Whilst hydrating the skin, both these products will leave you looking refreshed and like you had ten more hours of sleep than you actually did.

Tackling puffiness: The Ordinary Caffeine Solution: 

While you can say that most eye creams reduce puffiness, that may only be a half truth. The results of putting a cream is semi-permanent, it will not reduce the puffiness permanently. As this may be true, we found ourselves in LOVE, and by in love, we mean it, with The Ordinary Caffeine Solution. The caffeine in this treatment acts as a basis in waking up the hollow areas of the under eyes that often puff up. The results are both instant and through time,  you’ll be shocked.

Tackling dryness: Kiehl's Avocado Creamy Eye Treatment or Raw African Eye Cream:

The Kiehls eye cream has been on our wish lists since forever, the avocado based cream is said to be super hydrating and good for anyone who if they don’t exactly know what it is is bothering them about their undereye to use as it attempts to hydrate and depuff the skin. 

The Raw African Repairwear Eye cream is so luscious and creamy, it’ll restore the moisture barrier around your eyes in a second whilst providing the skin with vitamins and other essential nutrients.

Tackling wrinkles and signs of aging: Vichy LiftActiv Retinol HA Night or L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Laser Renew Precision eye cream: 

Age sensitive eye creams provide you with the prevention of wrinkles and signs of aging, but make sure it is what works for you. With this concern, it's essential to know you are treating your eye skin with the properties and components needed in anti-aging and prevention of fine lines. Since they are used in an attempt to prevent or relieve the eye skin of stress and wrinkling, it must be done so with the ingredients such as retinol, collagens, and peptides. It is here where we must note that no cream or serum will re-do or remove the signs of aging, they are strictly preventative methods.

A personal eye cream favorite that tackles all concerns: Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream to Brighten and Depuff:

This one is good for all your general concerns, and by good, I mean I saw an instant result when applying it, my dark circles automatically looked lighter, and I looked less puffy. It’s a great product for people who don’t have a specific concern but want to begin treating their under-eye area and taking care of their skin.

The DON'Ts of eye cream:

• Use too much: Despite what we think, there is no such thing as overcompensating when it comes to skincare. You only need a pea-sized amount as the area is so small anyway.

• Applying it in the wrong step: The order of your skincare routine may be dissolving the properties needed to be absorbed on the skin and can therefore ruin what you are doing. Check out our article The Correct Order to Apply Skincare.

• Using it on dry skin: Like we said, the area if dry, explains half your issue. A top tip? Apply eye cream while your skin is a little damp.

• Harsh application: Rubbing and tugging your face for the obvious reason, it creates movement that’ll lead to wrinkles over time.

• Skipping applying in the morning: This is to ensure the product does its effect when you’re going to notice it, in the morning leaving the house when you puffy and look tired.

• Not attending to skin concerns: If for example, you have severe darkness but are using products just for hydration initially, you won’t see the difference you want and vice versa.