How to Reverse Aging Eyes

Hi everyone, Liz here (+1 662 830 8246, info@nakedactives.com)

Eyes, window to the soul, reflection of health, and a mirror of emotion. Our eyes hold and convey so much information be it for a passing glance or meaningful gaze. It is usually the one thing that will make that first impression. It is also one of the first areas where signs of aging will appear, with the skin around the eyes being five times thinner than the skin elsewhere on the face or body.

There are ways in which the appearance can be improved both long term and short term, with the help of cosmetics, medical advances, like laser therapy, sleeping, nutrition, and perhaps most importantly skincare.

Serums & SPF

The skin around the eye, the periorbital skin, is incredibly delicate and has minimal elastin fibers and collagen therefore is more susceptible to damage from UV rays. If puffy eyes or dull eyes are the concern then SPF is essential, and eye creams/serums that contain Retinol are a good choice to remedy this. Retinol-based eye creams are the only ones with proven clinical efficacy, delivering ingredients deep into the dermis, and lends themselves well to layering. Whilst they target specific issues like puffiness and inflammation, Vitamin C is also a great option to use as it brightens, promotes collagen, and prevents further damage. Eye creams should always be applied using the ring finger, it is the most gentle way. Eye creams without retinol can cause build-up and sometimes result in Milia, small white calcium bumps.  

Dermatologists are often cited as saying that serums are the wonder product, as they have a light fluid consistency that not only applies well and layers beautifully. Niacinamide can also be used to stimulate ceramide production which in turn also helps to build collagen and also brightens the skin.

Hydration

When it comes to skin, the major player is still water consumption.  Anything topical will only benefit from how hydrated your skin is. Just as the skin around the eyes is much thinner and more delicate than the face, it also more delicate and prone to being dry. Any eye cream or serum will be dependent on skin type, you will find that a dedicated eye cream will be more targeted and have richer hydration.  Soothing formulas for sensitive skin  will also have an appropriate level of hydration. Why is this so important? The more hydrated, the less the fine lines are visible or appear. Ingredients such as marine extracts, glycerine, hyaluronic acid, and shea butter, all contribute to great hydration. Caffeine also reduces puffiness and mild retinol will help to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Please note that there are differing levels of retinol and not every skin type is able to tolerate it.

Prevention

To avoid costly invasive procedures, looking after the eye area is predominantly down to good healthy eating, sleeping, and exercising habits, whilst caring for the skin in the form of specifically targeted skincare. Genetics also plays a large role and unfortunately isn’t something that can be reversed or changed massively. 

Contact lenses

For healthy periorbital skin and youthful bright eyes, there are rules, wearing UV protection in SPF and sunglasses to prevent wrinkling of the skin and eye conditions such as cataracts, not sharing cosmetics or brushes clean or otherwise, which could cause blinding bacteria, but for contact lens wearers there are additional factors and rules they should follow. The lenses themselves should not be worn more than 8-10hrs a day, don’t sleep in lenses, and cleansers and creams should be of a sensitive/hypoallergenic kind that should be used after removing lenses. When selecting an eye product/serum, it is important to remember that any oil or cream applied around the eye will travel into the eyes and the lens itself. A daily contact lens is an optimal choice for this reason alone. Eye creams that are easily absorbed are best, hence not oily, creamy, or over fragranced. Comfort and vision can be upset very easily and since the eyelid skin is the very thinnest of the skin around the eye, any allergies, dry eyes, or rosacea sufferers should avoid eye creams with too many preservatives, such as thimerosal and benzalkonium chloride. 

Who would have thought?

Dry skin and allergies around and in the eye have been traced back to the products that are used on the body, hands, and face which have been present on the fingertips when applying eye cream. It is essential to wash your hands before using the eye creams. On the search for an eye cream?  A quick guide to use is a short ingredient list where it all looks familiar, look for collagen peptides, retinol, antioxidants, hydration like squalane oil, hyaluronic acid, and all the all-star hero, vitamin C. Look for products that have been tested around the eyes, and the final rule of SPF during the day and sunglasses when outside.

Take a look at Naked Actives skincare which has a range of simple yet effective products. The Anti Aging Cream ticks all the boxes from above, and the range also includes serums Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid and, Squalane Oil that have been featured in this blog.