While my day and night skincare routine may seem extensive, I like to think I'm preserving my sexy for years to come. Some say tomato, I say no wrinkles please.
mmkay? Eye cream is the great unknown for some folks. They think it's unnecessary or something they can leave 'til the signs of aging start creeping in, but I firmly believe that one must begin in your mid-twenties.
Don't think that your years of pulling your lid to get that perfect winged eyeliner look won't catch up you.
Studies show that skin under eye area is significantly different than the rest of our face. It's a third as thick, contains fewer oil glands, and the blood vessels are extremely fragile. This leaves your eyes as one of the first places to show signs of aging.
Fun, right?
Luckily, I've taken the liberty to outline three new possibilities for your skincare regimen. Read it and let it soak in for a moment, will you? See what I did there -- soak...eye cream?
Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye ($36) is a restorative concentrate for the delicate eye area to be used at night and is designed to address three of the top under-eye concerns faced by women in the US of A - puffiness, fine lines and wrinkles. The best part is that it claims to do this overnight!
¡Ay, caramba!
Midnight Recovery Eye seems to be free of everything (well, at least parabens, sulfate, fragrance and mineral oil) and works overnight when skin is at rest to provide younger looking eyes by morning. I like to think that this cream-to-oil formula has the Napoleon complex, but that could just be me. It's formulated with Butcher’s Broom, a micro circulation-promoting root extract, to reduce puffiness as well as Squalane (a botanical oil that's similar in molecular structure to natural skin lipids), Evening Primrose (rich in omega-6 and essential fatty acids that the body cannot naturally produce) and Lavender (known for its therapeutic qualities).
These guys work together to enhance blood circulation and boost hydration in the under-eye area, at a time when skin is naturally programmed to best absorb active ingredients, typically between midnight and 4 a.m.
Next up is
Sebamed Age Defense Q10 Lifting Eye Cream ($30). Sebamed, originally from Germany, offers various skincare products designed to restore the skin to its normal 5.5 pH level (your pH level actually varies from one body part to another and
can range from 4 and 6.5). Using a skincare line with a pH of 5.5 not only helps to restore the skin to a healthier state, but it also helps to ward off harmful bacteria.
Other than being a mouthful, Sebamed's Age Defense Q10 Lifting Eye Cream is a lightweight cream that I applied every morning throughout the summer to protect the elasticity of the eye area (note: it does not contain spf so I used a moisturizer that did). It also contains shea butter, avocado and almond oils to smooth the skin. It sinks right in and deosn't sting or burn my eye area like a few eye creams in the past have.
Lastly, and because I like options, there's SK-II Skin Signature Eye Cream ($110). While I haven't quite figure out how to pronounce the brand's name, I have fallen in love with their products before (ahem, Facial Treatment Essence).
Now before you balk at the price, the kind folks at SK-II claim that the Skin Signature Eye Cream is designed to firm, smooth and provide radiance to the eye area. I just started using this (like, yesterday) so I can't attest to having super firm skin but the radiance? Yes, that happens! The thick formula is perfect for the colder season when my face fights just about anything I put on. A small amount gently dabbed along the eye area is all it takes for all day hydration.
As the latest addition to SK-II's Skin Signature series, it does lessen the appearance of dark circles (the ENEMY!) almost instantly. Pure joy in a red jar.
And now I leave you with these parting words: don't pull your eye area when applying eye liner, pat DON'T RUB your concealer and dab on the eye cream. You will thank me later.
Disclosure: samples have been provided for editorial consideration. Please don't forget that you can still help the people of Haiti, donate to the Red Cross today. Thank you.
