What is the purpose of eye cream?
Do our eyes really need their own moisturiser?
What is eye cream?
At a glance, eye cream is a moisturiser specifically suited to the skin surrounding our eyes. This skin is much thinner and more delicate than the rest of the face, meaning that it deserves a little more care in our skincare routine. To protect this skin and to avoid irritation, eye creams are usually gentler, lighter formulas such as gels or water-based creams.
However, the primary function of an eye cream isn’t simply to moisturise, but rather to treat the skin around our eyes.
How does it work?
All eye creams are different. Whilst it may be fair to assume that some eye creams are simply tiny tubs of expensive moisturiser, we mustn’t group all of these products together! Eye creams to look out for are those that contain active ingredients to target specific skin concerns, resulting in visibly brighter and youthful-looking under eyes.
Common under eye concerns
The eyes are usually where we see the first signs of ageing. As the ‘windows to the soul’, our eyes are constantly subject to movement; smiling, squinting, furrowing the brows - our eyes show a lot of emotion! All of this movement causes wrinkling over time, and due to the thinner skin in this area, it’s more prone to losing elasticity which makes fine lines more prominent.
An active ingredient often used to improve visible signs of ageing is collagen, which helps skin retain water and allows for greater elasticity and suppleness, resulting in a more youthful look. As collagen is obtained from animals, pseudo collagen has become an increasingly popular vegan substitute. Pseudo collagen molecules are actually smaller than those of animal collagen, meaning that they can easily penetrate the skin and get to work.
More simply, ensuring that the skin under our eyes is moisturised is a must. Hydrated skin is more plump, which prevents sagging and, therefore, combats the formation of wrinkles. On top of drinking enough water each day, it’s important to pay extra attention to moisturising our under eyes if we want to slow down the visible ageing process.
Dark circles and puffy eyes are one of the main concerns people look for an eye cream to solve. These concerns are often difficult to battle, as tired eyes can be down to a number of things: lack of sleep, dehydration, hyperpigmentation or genetics. However, there are a few ingredients and processes which we can add into our skincare routines to reduce dark circles. An age-old and well known trick to de-puff and revitalise is holding cold spoons under the eyes. Although it seems simple, this trick achieves vasoconstriction: a natural bodily reaction to the cold which shrinks the blood vessels. As dark circles are often caused by shadow-causing blood vessels, vasoconstriction works to brighten the under eyes as well as reducing puffiness and inflammation.
Eye creams which aim to induce this process utilise active ingredients like caffeine, which restricts blood vessels when applied to the skin. Vasoconstriction is also achieved by using soothing ingredients such as cucumber and aloe vera, or a cooling metal applicator which awakens the eyes as the product is applied.
Get your hands on our new Pseudo Collagen & Prickly Pear Lighten & Brighten Under Eye Cream:
