Caring for the delicate skin around your eyes

The eyes are said to be the windows to the soul as they can give us a peek into a person’s emotional and psychological state. The skin around the eyes is equally revealing, as it’s often the first to give away signs of stress, age, poor lifestyle choices, and environmental damage.

The skin around your eyes is extremely delicate and is one of the thinnest found in the human body (on average, about 0.5mm thick compared to an average of about 2mm thick on the rest of the body). Without proper care, this delicate skin can sustain and manifest damage in the form of eye bags, dark circles, crow’s feet, dryness, and other signs of wear.

If you want radiant, plump, and hydrated skin around your eyes, as well as less fine lines and wrinkles, take note of these tips:

1. Use products specifically formulated for the eye area.

As already mentioned, the skin around the eyes is extremely thin and delicate. As a result, it cannot handle skincare products that haven’t been formulated for it. This means that you cannot apply your regular face moisturizer, and other skincare products like masks and peels, in the eye area. Doing so could seriously irritate and damage the skin around your eyes, causing it to turn red, flake, or dry out.

Instead, choose serums, oils, and creams that are specifically formulated for the eye area. The same goes for other skincare products that may come into contact with the skin around your eyes.

2. Be gentle with your eye area.

Your dermatologist may have warned you not to vigorously rub or pull the skin on your face when cleansing or drying it. The same goes for the skin around your eyes: Avoid rubbing, pulling, or scratching it.

If you’re removing makeup from your eyelids and the surrounding eye area, do so with a gentle touch. Consider breaking down your makeup first with coconut oil before using your makeup remover.

After wiping away the coconut oil, hold a cotton pad soaked in alcohol-free makeup remover over your eyelids for 20-30 seconds, then gently drag it down towards your eyelashes. Do this without tugging or pulling the skin, or wiping too vigorously. If you’ve applied a lot of eyeliner, gently wipe a soaked cotton pad along the lash-line and use a Q-tip to remove any clumps of eyeliner that won’t budge.

Apply the same gentle touch when applying any serums, oils, or creams to the skin around your eyes. Use your pinkie or ring finger to gently dab—not rub—the product in the under eye area, on your eyelids, and the surrounding skin (known as periorbital skin).

3. De-puff eye bags and brighten dark circles.

Eye bags and dark circles under the eyes are the result of many factors, including genes, lifestyle choices, and diet. While some people have genes that naturally give them dark circles, puffiness in the under eye area is often the result of poor lifestyle choices, such as consuming too much sodium and alcohol and not getting enough sleep.

Cold compresses can reduce the swelling. Place cold cucumber slices on your closed eyelids or press ice cubes wrapped in a sheer fabric on your closed eyelids and under eye area. As for dark circles, applying a brightening serum or eye oil can even the skin tone and rejuvenate your appearance.

4. Use sun protection.

The sun’s UV rays are known to accelerate the ageing process, as well as produce wrinkles and sun spots. The skin around your eyes is equally vulnerable. To safeguard your eye area, use sun protection.

If your regular sunscreen isn’t eye-safe, consider investing in a sunscreen or eye cream with SPF. It’s also recommended to wear sun glasses and wide-brimmed hats during sunny days. Doing so will protect the skin around your eyes and keep you from squinting, which deepens fine lines and wrinkles.

5. Follow a proper skincare regimen with a focus on eye care.

To keep the delicate skin around your eyes radiant, hydrated, and wrinkle-free, consider following a tailored skincare regimen with a focus on eye care.

Start by cleansing your face (including the eye area) with Wildleaf’s purifying Aloe Herb Face Wash. This cleanser gently removes the skin’s impurities without drying or leaving behind any residue, making it perfect for the eye area. Next, tone and hydrate the skin in your face and eye area with the Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel Rosy Toner. This gentle toner hydrates the skin and enhances the absorption of all serums and oils.

Next, apply the Vitamin C Serum topically to the face and around the eye area. This potent serum contains reparative ingredients—including hyaluronic acid (which plumps and brightens the skin, thus reducing the appearance of dark circles) and vitamin C (which reduces wrinkles by boosting collagen production and also brightens dark circles).

This should be followed with the application of Wildleaf’s Infinity Eye Oil. This nourishing eye oil is specially formulated to revive and rejuvenate the eye area by combating the signs of stress, fatigue, and dryness. Regular application will diminish dark circles and strengthen the eye area for a noticeably revived and more youthful appearance.

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