How to care for your under-eye area skin (and why you should!)

As an ophthalmologist, aka doctor specializing in vision and eye care, I know there’s nothing more frustrating than trying to conceal under-eye area skin imperfections. Did you know that the eye area skin needs its own skincare routine? 

You do now! The eyelid skin and the under-eye area is the most difficult skin to care for since it’s the thinnest, most vulnerable skin in the body.  Since it contains very little collagen and elastin, the eye area is the first area in the body to show fine lines and wrinkles. 

Let’s say goodbye to those lines and wrinkles, together - here are my top 5 tips on how to take care of your eye area skin: 

  1. De-puff under-Eye Bags: 

When our eyes look puffy, this can make us look tired even if  we don’t feel tired! One of the causes for puffy eyes includes aging, which causes the collagen and elastin to break down and the normal fat that supports the eye to move forward. Using products that calm inflammation in the delicate eye area skin can slow the breakdown of collagen and elastin.  Caffeine and Vitamin K are great ingredients to help with puffy under-eye areas since caffeine constricts blood vessels, which helps reduce inflammation, and Vitamin K improves circulation. 

  1. Ironing out fine lines and wrinkles: 

As discussed, the eye area is the first area in the body to show signs of fine lines and wrinkles. It’s important to wear sunglasses in order to protect the eyes from UV damage. Staying well hydrated also helps slow the progression of fine lines. Using a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide is also great as those ingredients prevent fine lines and wrinkles.  Our Cloud Cushions Eye Mask are ultra healing, hydrating eye repair masks that help reduce the look of fine lines, dark circles, and puffiness. 

  1. Uncircle dark circles: 

Nothing ruins a great lash look like under-eye dark circles. Like puffy eyes, there are many causes of under-eye circles. Sometimes it’s genetic, other times lifestyle factors like not getting enough sleep and allergies can cause under-eye dark circles. From personal experience, after I make sure I get those zzz’s and treat my allergies, I look for products that have natural ingredients that can brighten the under-eye area. Turmeric is a powerful antioxidant that can brighten and even the skin tone. Neem oil is also rich in carotenoids that can help reduce skin pigmentation, decreasing the size of melanocytes and melanin levels. 

  1. Don’t overlook minor eye irritations: 

It’s easy to brush minor eye irritations like burning and itching aside, but these minor irritations like allergies, dry eyes and blepharitis can create inflammation in the eyelids. Since the eyelid skin is the thinnest skin in the body, inflammation can lead to the premature breakdown of collagen and elastin. This can lead to wrinkles and fine lines. 

  1. Commit to eye area skincare: 

Since the eye area skin is the thinnest skin in the body, it’s drier and more prone to irritation than any other area  Since the eye area skin is delicate, formulating eye area products should be done meticulously to create a product that will help nourish without irritation.  While it might be tempting to use your existing facial cleanser around your eyes, it’s best to opt for a cleanser specifically designed for the eye area.  All of our You&Eye by Dr. Nicky’s products are made and tested to ensure that they work with the eye’s unique anatomy and structure. Developed by an ophthalmologist, perfected for you! 

If you or a friend is looking to up your skincare game, but don’t know where to begin? Visit us at: www.youandeyecosmetics.com