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Are Eye Creams Effective? Everything You Need to Know
Are they as effective as claimed? Plenty would argue that they are. Meanwhile, others scoff at the idea, claiming that any moisturizer that works on the rest of your face will work just fine for the skin around the eyes.
In this guide, we answer the ultimate question: are eye creams truly effective? Should we even use one in our nightly skincare routine? Read until the end to find out!
Do eye creams actually do anything?
The skin in the eye area is sensitive and pretty dry. It’s why our under eye area is the first place to show signs of aging. It’s also incredibly thin, making it more susceptible to wrinkling when lacking in moisture. There are fewer oil glands in this region. Assistant professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine Dr. Debra Jaliman believes this makes the area dry out quicker than others, and plenty of dermatologists agree.
This is pretty much the basis of most of the arguments in favor of eye creams. Experts believe we should all use a specialized gel or cream, as a regular facial moisturizer might cause skin irritation. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Gina Sevigny believes that exercising extra caution in that area is important.
While the jury is still out on whether eye creams in general are as effective as claimed, the majority of experts do agree that there are certain ingredients that can reduce the appearance of wrinkles in the skin around the eyes. One of these is retinol, a derivative of Vitamin A.
Retinol is known to speed up cell turnover, the process of shedding dead and old cells sitting on the skin surface. This helps promote the appearance of youthfulness, helping the skin appear plump, especially the eye area. It can also help brighten skin tone. Incidentally, this process becomes slower as one ages.
Do you really need an eye cream?
Some are content with just a moisturizer or a treatment in their nightly regimen, while others use eye creams religiously. An eye cream can be a great addition to one’s skincare routine, but we understand that it can be super costly for a product that we don’t even know is going to work for us. If you do want to invest in one, it’s best to get a few things clear: first, it’s not about the product per se, but the ingredients. Second, puffy eyes and eyebags are almost always genetic, so don’t expect an eye cream to work for you there.
With this in mind, an effective eye cream will be able to both moisturize the sensitive area and speed up turnover to keep that skin young. Some of the most common dermatologist-recommended skincare products will include moisturizing ingredients like ceramides or hyaluronic acid, both of which are great at reducing the appearance of fine lines. Hyaluronic acid is a great plumper and can often be found in some of the most popular moisturizers.
Dr. Helen Knaggs, vice president of Global Research and Development at Nu Skin, is a fan of vitamin C, peptides, and ingredients with established anti-aging benefits. Green tea and caffeine extracts are just a few things believed to have potent abilities in revitalizing the under-eye area, which is why you’ll find that plenty of anti-aging creams use them. Antioxidants, in particular, are excellent at fighting free radicals which further add to early signs of aging. You can also use them to make sensitive eyelid skin more robust.
The aforementioned ingredients are all shown to boost collagen production, certain data suggests. Collagen helps build healthy skin cells, preventing the build up of sagging, fine lines, and wrinkles on the face.
Will an eye cream work for my skin type?
Under-eye problems are never exclusive to just one skin type. However, people with a dehydrated skin barrier could be more prone to fine lines and wrinkles in the skin around their eye. This is why the most effective eye products often use moisturizing and hydrating ingredients, such as humectants and occlusives. You’ll find plenty of beauty articles highlighting all the great benefits of such components.
Dehydrated skin is also very susceptible to early signs of aging, making anti-aging and antioxidant ingredients such as vitamin C and retinol great ingredients to add in an eye cream or even a face cream.
Can eye cream remove dark circles and puffiness?
The thing about dark circles and puffy under-eyes is that they are often hereditary or caused by lifestyle. Often, they appear at a young age and are exacerbated by exposure to sun rays. Other factors that add to the appearance of sunken eyes may be lack of sleep, lack of hydration, stress, fatigue, allergies, and oxidation of free radicals.
With this in mind, there are a few solutions to dark circles and puffiness that we’d recommend before investing in an eye cream:
The first is to adjust certain lifestyle factors. Keeping a healthy diet and getting enough water may help reduce the appearance of tired eyes. Often, the blood vessels can become permeable, causing them to leak fluid that pools around the eyes. It’s good practice to gently massage the face to aid circulation and reduce the fluid buildup. If you’re applying eye cream, you’ll often hear the instructions “apply in an upward motion,” and this is the reason.
Another great tip dermatologists recommend is investing in a good sunscreen and using it regularly. If you’re unsure whether or not to purchase an eye cream, a sunscreen is a great preventative measure, as sun damage could further speed up early signs of aging.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Have a few concerns? In this section, we answer all the questions our readers may have.
Are eye creams a waste of money?
There is no such thing as a skincare product that is a waste of money as long as one does their research and looks for a formula that will suit their skin. In this case, it all boils down to what your face likes and doesn’t like.
As we said above, a good eye cream simply means a product with all the best components that protect you from free radicals and sun damage, all of which can cause the delicate skin to wrinkle. Plenty of people also use eye cream as an extra step in addition to their moisturizers and treatments.
However, certain data also suggests that eye creams are just glorified moisturizers. This comes as news to some people who swear religiously by the use of eye cream and its wonderful benefits.
Is eye cream bad for your eyes?
While everyone seems to disagree on the effectiveness of eye creams, there’s no doubt that they are harmless, and simply ineffective at worst. However, as with most skincare products, it’s possible to be allergic to an ingredient found in it. As a rule of thumb, do a patch test on all new products you bring home and discontinue use in case of irritation.
Joey is an AB Psychology graduate of the University of St. La Salle – Bacolod. Her life’s passions include writing, film, and spending hours on end binge-watching fashion vloggers on Youtube.
