Some women love lipstick and have piles of tubes overflowing from purses, desk drawers, and cosmetic cases. Others have a hankering for sheet masks that clutter bathroom spaces. My skincare obsession is anything and everything to do with the eyes—compresses (Dr. Hauschka Eye Revive); creams (Jurlique’s Nutri-Define Eye Contour Balm); oils (Glycelene’s Eye Repair Oil); and serums (Blue Beautifly’s Rejuvenating Eye Serum). I’ve been investing in seriously good eye products since I was in my early twenties—and it was worth every penny. To this day, I still prefer a rich cream to a lightweight gel. And I don’t travel anywhere without an “emergency” rejuvenating eye pad (Kerstin Florian’s Correcting Eye Rescue is a favorite).
No matter which concoction you prefer, just make sure you make a routine out of it. Your eyes will thank you for it. And if you want to go a step further with your self-care, read on for 24 tried-and-true tips from medical esthetician Holly Cutler, aka America’s Skin Saint. She shares how to best care for this delicate, tell-all area.
- Moisturize upper and lower eyelids twice a day.
- Drink more water; super-hydrate with half your body weight in ounces.
- Get lots of sleep—lack of sleep shows up first in the eyes.
- Invest in a humidifier, if needed, in dry environments.
- Decrease inflammation by eating less salt and sugar, and being aware of your food sensitivities.
- De-puff eyes with cold stones, compresses, eye gels, or cucumber slices.
- Keep away from eye strain; wear computer glasses.
- Wear a hat, SPF, and sunglasses when outside.
- Do a Neti Pot at night in the shower to clean sinuses, which can help the look of your eyes.
- Don’t rub or pull, even with eye makeup remover. Press pads down and soak, then wipe after 30 seconds.
- Don’t use active face products around the eyes as it can irritate and make wrinkles even worse.
- Don’t sleep in your makeup. Renewal is best at night, so wash off and do your routine.
- Don’t get lash growth serums in your eyes. Not only can it turn the whites of your eyes yellow, but the irritation can burn, which leads to rubbing your eyes.
- Don’t put too much eye cream on, and don’t get it too close to the lash line, as with the heat in the skin, product migrates and gets into the eyes, causing puffiness in the morning.
- Don’t smoke, don’t drink too much, and don’t do drugs (duh!). Dehydration and dryness cause premature aging.
- Avoid chemical or alcohol-based makeup removers.
- To target wrinkles and inhibit facial muscle tightening, look for the ingredient Argireline (Acetyl Hexapeptide-8) in your eye products.
- Biophytex is an ingredient with anti-inflammatory properties that helps to reduce dark circles. It also helps the appearance of capillaries. (Skin Saint’s ActiCell Peptide Eye Serum contains this, as well as Argireline.)
- Antioxidants, Alpha lipoid acid, DMAE, Vitamin C are other powerhouse ingredients to keep an eye out for.
- Sunflower Seed oil is beneficial for very dry skin. It contains Vitamins A, D, E, and Oleic Acid.
- Gel formulations are mainly used to constrict vessels, de-puff eyes.
- Creams are a multi-tasking eye product for most eye challenges.
- Serums can be used under an eye cream. (My Bioidentical Serum uses bio-identical ingredients to calm and heal.)
- Oils are great for mature, thin, dry skin. Best if used with eye cream on top.
Mary Bemis
Mary Bemis is Founder & Editorial Director of InsidersGuidetoSpas.com. She is a pioneering spa journalist, most recently honored by Medika Life as one of the "Top 30 Influential Voices Transforming Wellness." She is an inaugural recipient of Folio's Top Women in Media Award, and was honored by ISPA with its distinguished ISPA Dedicated Contributor Award. In 1997, she launched American Spa magazine, and in 2007, Mary co-founded Organic Spa magazine. A pioneer in the sustainable spa and beauty worlds, Mary is co-curator of Cosmoprof North America's Discover Green Pavilion. She is a Global Wellness Day Advisor, and a co-founder of the Washington Spa Alliance.
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