Your eyes are often the first place signs of aging show up, but these strategies will smooth, brighten, and reduce puffiness.
Use an eye cream. Eye creams are ophthalmologist tested so they are formulated specifically for the thin, delicate skin surrounding your eyes. Use a formula that contains retinol or peptides, which kick start collagen production and can reduce the appearance of lines, thicken the skin to diminish the look of dark circles and firm the skin to reduce puffiness. Antioxidants like vitamin E or C are also beneficial to block free-radical damage from the sun and pollution which causes wrinkles and dark circles.
Apply the right amount. Eye creams contain high concentrations of rich moisturizers, so if you slather them on, all the extra emollients can actually make the puffiness worse. Use a pea-sized drop for each eye and lightly pat it on with your ring finger.
Don’t skimp on SPF. Many women skip sunscreen around their eyes because it can migrate into the eyes and sting. If you apply it 30 minutes before you leave the house, it will get fully absorbed so even if you sweat or tear up from the wind it won’t move. Then slip on some shades which act as extra armor against UV damage. Make sure the label protects against both UVA/UVB rays!
Never rub or scrub. Treat the tender skin around your eyes as you would your most expensive garments- when cleansing; think “delicate cycle”. Take off makeup with an oil-based remover that dissolves color without rubbing and don’t scrub with a washcloth. The same goes for rubbing your eyes when you’re tired. This can aggravate your skin’s capillaries and can lead to dark circles or make existing ones worse.
Get your eyes checked. Fine lines around your eyes can be made worse with vision problems that cause you to squint. Correct your vision with contacts or glasses. Then, once you stop all that squinting, you can keep the wrinkles from getting worse.
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