Here's How To Properly Care For Delicate Skin Around The Eyes

Your eyes are in constant motion throughout the day. Add up all of the blinking, winking, and smizing with natural texture changes, and you have a recipe for visible aging on the skin around the eye. Wrinkles tend to pop up in this area first, but they certainly aren’t inevitable. Caring for skin around the eye can help you maintain a revitalized, youthful appearance.

Why The Skin Around Your Eyes Is Different Than The Rest Of Your Face

Ever wonder why the skin around your eyes gets so much attention from skincare companies? Do you really need a dedicated eye cream when you already have a moisturizer for the rest of your face?

The short answer is, yes. And here’s why: the area of skin around the eye is different from the rest of your skin.

The skin here is thinner than it is on the rest of your face. This means it is quicker to develop fine lines, wrinkles, and a sagging texture.
Under-eye skin tends to be more delicate and sensitive than the rest of your skin. General purpose products may irritate this area.
The area below your eyes contains less fat and muscle than the surrounding areas. This makes it susceptible to dark circles or a “hollowed out” look.
The sensitive skin under your eyes is covering the hollow area of your eye sockets. It isn’t held up by the bone structure that supports other parts of your face.
The undereye area lacks oil glands, which may lead to drier skin that’s prone to irritation.
When you’re tired or suffering from lifestyle or environmental-related stress, it tends to show up in your under-eye area.^1,2

Because of these biological differences, the skin around the eye is often the first part of your face to show signs of aging. Caring for the skin around the eye is an effective way to maintain a more youthful appearance.

How To Address Common Eye-Area Skin Problems

When it comes to skincare, that old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” rings true. The best time to focus on the skin around your eyes is as soon as you start to see signs of aging — or, ideally, earlier.

If you already deal with eye area skin issues, you’ll want to seek out the right ingredients to address them. Here’s some advice for specific issues that affect the delicate skin around the eyes.

Dark Circles

Dark circles can be caused by fatigue, eye strain, allergies, dehydration, genetics, and natural aging. With age, skin may become more thin, and the fat and collagen content decreases. This can cause the dark blood vessels beneath your eyes to become more apparent.³

For dark under-eye circles, seek out a product that contains hyaluronic acid and antioxidants. Hyaluronic acid helps bind water to collagen in the skin, keeping it hydrated and plump-looking.⁴ Antioxidants like Vitamins E and C may help reduce the appearance of dark circles.⁵

Fine Lines And Wrinkles

Fine lines and wrinkles tend to crop up as the skin becomes thinner and less elastic with age. They are a natural part of aging, but that doesn’t mean they are unstoppable. It is possible to address under eye wrinkles and lines with the right products.⁶

To address wrinkles, look for eye products that contain “wrinkle-fighting” peptides. Peptides are short-chain amino acids that form the foundation of proteins like collagen and elastin. Peptides instruct your cells to make more of these proteins, which can support collagen production and improvement in skin elasticity. This may lead to fewer, less noticeable wrinkles.⁷

Crepey Texture Under Eyes

Crepey skin is thin, saggy, and papery – similar to the texture of crepe paper. It occurs when skin is dehydrated or damaged by the sun. It can also occur as a result of natural aging.⁸

The best way to address crepey skin under the eyes is to help rehydrate it. Pick an eye cream or treatment of choice that is full of ultra-moisturizing ingredients, like hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid helps the skin hold on to moisture, helping to support its texture.⁹

Puffiness

Swelling, puffiness, and bags under the eyes are common issues that come with age. As we age, muscle and tissue surrounding the eyes weaken. This may allow fat to shift down toward the lower eyelids. Under eye puffiness can also be the result of fluid accumulating below the eye area.^10,11

To address bags under the eyes, seek out a lifting product that can plump thinning skin and reduce the appearance of under-eye bags. A lifting eye mask can be a great choice.

Look for a product that contains an antioxidant ingredient like Rhodiola Rosea Extract, which can stimulate skin tissue around the eye area. Ingredients like UnisoothTM EG-28 can also help.^12,13

How To Apply Skincare Around The Eyes

Caring for skin around the eyes can be a delicate process. The skin here is fragile, so you’ll want to avoid tugging and pulling at it. You’ll also want to be sure you’re using products that are gentle enough for the under eye area.

Apply Eye Cream The Right Way

For the best results with your eye cream, follow these dermatologist tips when you apply it.

Use your ring finger to apply eye cream. This will apply the right amount of light pressure.
Scoop a small amount onto the back of your hand, and use your ring finger to pick up a dab.
Gently tap small dots of cream under your eyes, starting in the inner corner near your nose and then moving outward along your orbital bone.
Avoid rubbing the cream in, as that can aggravate the area.
Using your ring finger, gently pat the cream into your skin.
Wait a couple of minutes to let the product absorb before applying other products.^14,15

Try Under Eye Masks For Added Benefits

Want a concentrated boost of ingredients that lift, hydrate, and revitalize your eye area? Try an eye mask. Under eye patches or masks are an increasingly popular way to quickly address eye issues and get immediate results.¹⁶ Here’s how to use them:

Cleanse your face, making sure all of your eye makeup is removed.
Be sure to remove any clear film from the back of your mask.
Apply the patch directly to the outside of each eye. If you’re using a C-curved patch, you want it to extend from the outer corner of your upper eyelid down to the under-eye area.
Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes, and allow the powerful ingredients to soak into your skin.
Remove the patches and discard them.
Gently pat any remaining serum into the skin around your eye area.
Let the area dry for 1-2 minutes before applying other products.
For best results, repeat every other day.¹⁷

The Eyes Have It

Your eyes are not only the window to your soul – they are also a window into your skin aging process. As skin naturally ages, fine lines and wrinkles tend to show up here first. This also presents a great opportunity. Caring for skin around the eye can give you a refreshed, energized, and youthful look.

There are so many great products out there that can help address all sorts of under eye skin issues. Take a close look at active ingredients, and go with a quality product. Your future self will thank you.

Learn More:
How To Apply Eye Cream Properly
Vitamin E For Skin Care: What Are The Potential Benefits And How Do You Use It?
Skin Care Tips: How To Hydrate Skin

Sources
1. https://observer.com/2017/10/why-the-skin-around-your-eyes-ages-so-quickly-and-how-to-protect-it/
2. https://aedit.com/aedition/how-to-treat-the-skin-around-the-eyes-with-skincare-and-non-surgical-cosmetic-procedures
3. https://www.healthline.com/health/dark-circle-under-eyes#causes
4. https://www.allure.com/story/what-is-hyaluronic-acid-skin-care
5. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325989#home-remedies
6. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/174852#treatment
7. https://www.shape.com/lifestyle/beauty-style/anti-aging-benefits-peptides-skin-care-products
8. https://www.healthline.com/health/crepey-skin
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30287361/
10. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/bags-under-eyes
11. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-get-rid-of-bags-under-your-eyes/
12. https://beverlyhillsmd.com/product/ultra-firm-lifting-eye-mask/
13. https://protecingredia.com/brochure/UNISOOTH-EG-28-03.12-sp.pdf
14. https://www.shape.com/lifestyle/beauty-style/how-to-apply-eye-cream
15. https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-apply-eye-cream#how-to-apply
16. https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/best-under-eye-patches#what-to-look-for
17. https://beverlyhillsmd.com/product/ultra-firm-lifting-eye-mask/