Do I REALLY need an Eye Cream?

I hate to be the anti aging fairy of bad news, but yes, you REALLY do!  Many skin care experts believe that an eye cream is not necessary.  In their eyes (no pun intended), it's just an incentive for a product line to make more money.

 I happen to be one of those that disagrees!  The only stipulation in which an eye cream is not mandatory,  is when one has EXTREMELY oily skin.  To begin with, these skin types that fall into this category with such overwhelming oil production, are usually also very young; as our skin tends to become drier with age.  When I say this, I am talking about such greasiness, where the eye shadow is smeared and collected in a line across the crease of the eyelid by early afternoon.  This is the ONLY time when an eye moisturizer is not essential.

Speaking from experience, I can tell you that I was one of those teenagers with excessively oily skin,  and this condition carried well into my thirties.  At 40, when my skin became less oily, I woke up one morning, and out of nowhere, it seemed like I was suddenly infected with the "creepies" around my eyes.  In retrospect, I wish I had invested in an eye cream much earlier than I did, despite my skin's prior chronic oleaginous disposition.

Another reason why we need an eye cream, is that the skin around our eyes is the first place to reveal our true age.  This area doesn't seem to capture, retain, and produce moisture the way the rest of our face does.  Furthermore, the lubricative properties of the sebaceous glands in the skin surrounding our eyes slows down dramatically with time.  What happens when we don't have enough moisture...........that horrible word becomes reality: wrinkles!  Just look at a smoker's complexion.  Research has proven that smoking ages us so much faster because smoking robs both oxygen and moisture from the skin.

I know exactly what you are thinking.........OK, so why can't I just use my regular facial moisturizer, and just apply it to the eye area as well?  I have two things to say about that.  First, you can!  Secondly, did you just read the above paragraphs?  The skin around our eye area needs EXTRA hydration.  The consistency in the leading eye creams is thicker than most facial moisturizers.  It makes sense, then, that one wouldn't want to put an eye cream all over the face, because it would be too heavy for the entire face.  Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the skin around our eyes needs more........just like that AT&T commercial.......more is better.  Let's not make it complicated!   Additionally, if your moisturizer contains sunscreen, it can be very, very irritating to your eyes.  Again, the area around the eyes is sensitive.  I have applied sunscreen too close to my eyes, and it is not pleasant, by any means!  In fact, it stings and it burns....enough said!

Thankfully, with the next generation of skincare, the products are becoming increasingly refined with ingredients that really work!  Originally, eye creams were nothing more than glorified moisturizers, containing only humectants (glycerin) and emollients (petrolatum).  Now, we have retinol (a derivative of vitamin A) which has demonstrated its effects in promoting collagen production.  Since retinol may be slightly irritating to sensitive skin, the latest alternative wonder ingredients that have surfaced, are peptides, or protein fragments.  Peptides seem to also increase collagen production, which have the ability to plump up the eye area nicely, without the irritation that retinol can sometimes induce.  Niacinamide, or better known as vitamin B3, is yet, another superhero that has entered the arsenal of anti aging eye creams.  Niacinamide not only addresses skin discolorations, but it also prevents water loss, allowing the area to retain moisture.  The last to mention here in the category of patron saint ingredients, are the silicones.  These are marvelous for extremely dry skin.  Silicones are very slippery.  They form a hydrating barrier on the skin to prevent moisture loss, and somehow seem to "fill in"  and plump up those annoying lines on our face.  This is why silicones are usually the main ingredients in makeup primers.


Where do eye creams fit in, as far as order, in our routine?

We should always gently "tap" our eye creams onto the orbital skin of the eye after toners or serums, and before applying the moisturizer for our face, ESPECIALLY if the facial moisturizer contains sunscreen.  It stands to reason that we want the area of our skin in the most need of moisture, to receive it first, and certainly without barriers blocking its absorption.  Sunscreen is a barrier.  For this reason alone, never let your eye cream be the last step in your skincare regimen!

What else can we do?  Now you know, it would be impossible for La Puma to write an article without interrupting herself, somewhere, with a notion of fashion sense!  Hello...............SUNGLASSES!!!  I don't even care if they are ugly or too big/small for your face.  When you are outside, WEAR THEM!!  The two biggest offenders in causing wrinkles, are smoking, and the sun!  If you can, protect yourself from the sun, and as reiterated earlier, avoid smoking at all costs.  You have no idea how practicing these two habits, will save the health and appearance of your skin dramatically, especially around your peepers!!

If you need glasses or contacts to see better, wear them too!  Repeated squinting can certainly exacerbate the formation of those nasty fine lines!

Finally, never, if you can, go to sleep without removing your makeup first.  Once again, this can lead to not only dryness, but accumulation of bacteria (pimples), and itchy, blood-shot eyes, upon waking.  Just what you need, in addition to wrinkles, right?

What's left?  If you would like specific recommendations for some outstanding eye creams, feel free to email me, and I will be more than happy to help with your selection!  In the meantime, if you haven't done so already, I want you out there, rain or shine, sporting those hotty new shades!! As always, don't forget to take pictures and share!!

Happy Fashion Fixing,

~Youth Arsenal~!