Eye Care - Do You Need a Separate Eye Cream or Serum?

 

I admit it. 

 

I can't live without an eye serum.  At this time of  year my eyes are all a bit puffy and irritated.  And in the colder months I find because my eyes constantly stream in the cold, and without an eye cream, they get sore and red.

 

I've tried a myriad of home treatments to cool my sore eyes.  Chamomile or green tea and a cool flannel or slices of cucumber - but who has time to fit all of this into their routine?  Not me.

 

I also find with a cold damp compress, green tea or chamomile tea, that after the initial cooling feeling, they get a little sore.  It's as if they don't like the cool dampness. 

 

They then get red.

 

And I end up with slightly frightening small, pink, piggy eyes - none of the pretty, dewy eyes that you only get in the movies.

 

The debate has been around forever.

 

Do you need a separate eye cream?

 

Here are my thoughts:

Eye Cream Basics

 

First the basics.

 

The skin around your eyes is extremely thin - much thinner than most of the rest of your body.

 

Think about all the things that most of us don't like.

 

Fluid retention.

 

Dry ness.

 

Sensitivity.

 

Dark circles.

 

When you think about how thin and delicate the skin is around your eyes it begins to make sense.

 

Because the skin is so thin, the effects of poor circulation are more visible.

 

The same with dark circles - the skin around the eyes is paper thin - and transparent. 

 

Now think about how often the skin around the eyes moves.

 

Smiling.  Laughing. Frowning.

 

Not to mention the 20,000 odd times we blink a day.

 

The skin around the eyes moves a lot.

 

It's no surprise our eyes don't always look their best.

The Best Eye Cream

I suggest thinking about the skin around your own eyes and think about what you need.

 

Is hydration most important to you?

 

Is it dark circles?

 

Are you a make up wearer - and your product of choice has to work with your makeup?

 

Do you use your eye cream or serum as part of your evening routine?

 

This will inform what product will work for you.

 

If it's hydration and the texture of your face cream works you can definitely use that.

 

The one proviso is that some skin care can contain quite aggressive ingredients.  I am thinking retinol which may be present in quantities that work for your facial skin, but will likely irritate the very delicate skin of the eyes.

 

My customers often prefer a lighter texture for their eye product - slightly less rich with faster absorption.

 

But it's going to come down to your own skin and your personal preferences.

 

Eye Cream, Eye Serum Options

I am a fan of a serum for ease of use. Light, slidey, it glides across the delicate skin around your eyes with no pulling. I like to use mine as part of my wind down routine before bed. That way I don't have to worry about my make up and it sliding off. I also like to keep my eye serum in the fridge, I like the cool feel on my skin.

A stand alone eye cream works too. Just think about the ingredients and what you need. Eye creams tend to be richer and have a slightly richer skin feel. Just make sure there are no strong actives that are going to irritate the very delicate eye area.

My Conclusion

I have reached the conclusion that the answer to the question, a separate eye cream or not is going to depend on both what products you are using on your face, and what your particular concerns are.

 

If you need help,  feel free to shoot me a message.

 

Eye Serum with Rose & Starflower

My natural, organic oil based eye serum is designed for the sensitive skin around the eyes. 

These are some of favourite ingredients hand picked for the delicate skin around the eyes.

I blend deep orange Rose fruit oil with starflower oil (also called borage). Together they deliver a soothing natural eye serum that smoothes and reduces puffiness, and in turn help to reduce dark circles. 

 

The vitamin A rich Rose fruit oil increases elastin content and promotes collagen formulation. It's vitamin E and C content nourishes skin cells, protects against oxidation and creates a lipid barrier that protects the skin.

Starflower oil has the highest Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA)  content of any oil. The high GLA content conditions the skin, maintains the skin's barrier function, decreases water loss, (more comfortable skin) and maintains the delicate eye are skin's elasticity.

I add anti-inflammatory arnica which is one of the best eye cream ingredients to banish puffiness. 

A blend of 100% natural ingredients specifically designed for the sensitive skin around the eyes.