Among the first things people notice when they look at you are your eyes. Whatever you might be feeling deep inside appears in your eyes. So, how can you make sure to keep your eye area looking radiant and glowing? Are general facial products enough?
The truth is, your eye area has unique needs that can only be addressed by targeted eye serums and creams. Because of its delicate nature, it requires specific care so that it doesn’t start to develop the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
What is an Eye Serum?
Before delving into the discussion of whether you really need to use an eye serum, it’s important to address what eye serums are.
An eye serum is a targeted eyecare product that’s designed to improve the appearance of aging, flaky, and puffy skin around the eyes. How is it different from an eye cream?
In comparison to eye serums, eye creams are heavier and contain more oil. The dense formula packs a much lower concentration of active ingredients, including niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and retinol.
On the other hand, eye serums are lighter and more targeted formulas to combat the appearance of aging skin around your eyes. They contain less oil and more water-based ingredients, making the formula less viscous and easily absorbable into the skin. An eye serum penetrates deep into the skin but eye creams work more on the surface.
So, the answer is yes; you should use an eye serum daily to tackle the appearance of crow’s feet, dark circles, and puffiness. In fact, it’s best to use eye creams in conjunction with eye serums to get the best results.
Remember the important rule of skincare application: the heaviest products go last. So, use your eye serum before your eye cream. You can also incorporate eyecare tools that utilize the latest technology — sonic pulsations or LED light therapy — to enhance the working of your eye serum.
How is the Skin Around Your Eyes Different From Your Face?
Here are a few factors that make the skin around your eyes much more vulnerable to the wear and tear that comes with natural aging:
It’s Much Thinner
You might be surprised to know the skin on your eyelids and under-eye is only 0.5 mm thick. That’s 10 times thinner than the rest of the skin on your face. Thinner skin means more vulnerability to signs of aging; creasing, fine lines, and cellular damage caused by environmental aggressors like UV rays and pollution.
It also means more visible fluid retention, leading to under-eye puffiness.
It Lacks Natural Moisture
Your entire skin, aside from your palms and soles, contains sebaceous glands that work as your body’s natural moisturizers. They produce and secrete sebum — a group of complex oils — that helps keep your skin moist and protects it against friction. Unfortunately, the eye area doesn’t have enough of these glands to keep it as moisturized as the rest of your skin.
It’s Constantly Under Stress
Facial expressions exert stress on the skin around your eyes. People on average blink 15 to 20 times in a minute, making it roughly 12,000 to 20,000 times per day depending on how many hours of sleep you get. If we add this activity to squinting, crying, frowning, or showing expressions of happiness, it’s easy to understand why this area is among the first to show signs of aging.
Also, think about how many times you rub your eyes, put on contact lenses, apply makeup. All of these movements, paired with the natural delicate nature of the skin around your eyes, can lead to wrinkling and fine lines.
It’s Prone to Milia
Have you ever noticed small white bumps on your face, typically located under your eyes? These are called milia or milk spots that contain hardened keratin. The root cause of these is unknown but they appear more visible under your eyes than the rest of your face due to very thin skin.
When Should You Start Using an Eye Serum?
So, what is the perfect age to start incorporating an eye serum into your skincare routine?
It’s best to start using it in your 20s before you start to notice the first visible signs of aging. This is because some of the best results come from preventative measures.
The Best Way to Use an Eye Serum
With eye serums, it’s best to get a pump or two of the formula and split it evenly between both eyes.
Use your ring finger to gently dab under your eyes since it has the lightest touch naturally. You want to avoid applying pressure to this area as it is highly delicate and you could end up damaging it if you’re not extremely gentle.
Apply the product in a semi-circle under your eyes, finishing up on the side where crow’s feet tend to appear.
Don’t apply the product on your eyelids as it could sink into your eyes and cause irritation. Moreover, make sure you keep a half-inch distance from your eyes while applying the serum as natural oils in that area tend to pull the product closer, stinging your eyes.
If you want to cover more area, you can use an eye serum above and between your eyebrows where your frown lines appear.
Enrich Your Eye Care Routine
The skin around your eyes is very fragile. As a result, it’s among the first parts of your body to exhibit the visible signs of aging, like the appearance of puffiness, fine lines, dark circles, and sagging. Of course, aging can’t be stopped; it’s a natural part of life. But you can prevent it from taking over your appearance quite as much! Investing in a quality eye serum will benefit you in the long run.
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