We all know that eye cream is essential to a skincare routine, but is it? You cannot help but notice when an eye cream does nothing for your skincare concerns. It quickly bodes the question does eye cream work?
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Does Eye Cream Work?
In most cases, yes, eye cream works. However, you’ll need certain products with specific ingredients to address your skincare concerns. If you’re using an eye cream designed to decrease puffiness, it will not help the dark circles under your eyes.
So many myths and misconceptions about eye creams can overwhelm navigating that portion of the store. This article will discuss which ingredients help skincare concerns, what myths are false, and more.
Facial Moisturizer And Other Products Cannot Substitute Eye Cream
This is not only false, but it can also be dangerous. The area of skin around the eye is delicate skin compared to the rest of the skin on the face. Using standard facial products in the under-eye area is more likely to make sensitive skin irritated, red, or peeling. Dennis Gross, MD, can also result in conditions like blocked pores.
Facial products usually do not have the same active ingredients as eye creams. They aren’t designed to eliminate dark circles or eliminate eye puffiness.
Look For Products That Have A Retinoid To Plump Skin
This isn’t it if you’re looking for something to fix your hereditary dark circles. However, it can help make the area smooth and plump, visibly reducing the signs of aging and making makeup application easier. Overall, it helps the texture and appearance of the area. It’s a must-have if you want to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
If you have dark circles under your eyes from aging, a retinoid can help. That’s because those circles are due to the skin being thinner as we age. It’s a normal part of the aging process. Retinoids will help plump the skin, making it thicker, so the blood vessels under your eyes aren’t as visible.
Prescription retinoids can be too strong for the under-eye area and cause irritation. Instead, look for eye creams that have a retinoid as an ingredient. Over-the-counter retinoids are not usually as strong as prescription retinoids.
When using a product with something like retinol on the ingredient list, it’s essential to use it at night. Anti-aging ingredients like this can make the skin more sensitive to the sun.
Retinoid Eye Creams
FAB Skin Lab Retinol Eye Cream With Triple Hyaluronic Acid By First Aid Beauty ($44)
A lightweight eye cream that quickly absorbs into the skin to deliver astounding results by one of our favorite brands!
Why We Love It
- A little goes a long way
- Suitable for all skin types
- Super hydrating
- Includes Vitamin C and Vitamin E
- Reduces the appearance of wrinkles
BareMinerals Phyto-Retinol Eye Cream ($46)
A specially formulated eye cream designed to combat the effects of aging. Bare Minerals included phyto-retinol in this eye cream, a well-known plant-based retinol alternative. It delivers all of the benefits of retinol without side effects like dryness, irritation, and redness.
Why We Love It
- Suitable for all skin types
- Reduces puffiness, discoloration, and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
- Gluten-free
- Cruelty-free and vegan
Try Vitamin C Products To Help With Dark Circles
Most people tout that eye creams will never work for dark circles under the eyes because they are genetic. While dark circles under the eyes can be genetic, this isn’t always the case.
Fatigue and aging can also contribute to dark circles under the eyes. Vitamin C and antioxidants like green tea help reduce the area’s pigment level.
Look at your family members to find out whether eye cream can help. If they all have dark circles, there’s a good chance it’s hereditary. Typically individuals with hereditary dark circles will see them sooner in life than others. If that’s the case, an eye cream will not help you. Instead, pick up some concealer.
Vitamin C Eye Creams
Check out these eye creams that are infused with Vitamin C:
I DEW CARE Eye Cream With Applicator ($16)
Green Tea Can Help Reduce Puffy Skin
Eye creams can help significantly reduce puffiness around your eyes. Green tea is a key ingredient that can work wonders. The soothing antioxidants and caffeine work together to reduce the inflammation of the eye skin.
Green tea can also help reduce eye circles. One of the biggest antioxidant benefits is helping to reduce dark shadows that are not hereditary. Products with green tea extract can address so many skin concerns that they are quickly becoming a staple skincare product.
Undereye Products With Green Tea
These are some of the top-rated green tea undereye treatments:
Suprance Green Tea Matcha Eye Mask Under Eye Patches ($14.79)
Look At Me Under Eye Mask Dark Circles and Puffiness ($18.99)
Always Keep Skin Types In Mind
We all have different skin types and need different skin care products. If you have dry skin, it’s essential to use a specially designed product to cater to that skin type. When shopping for eye creams, read labels carefully to ensure they are compatible with your skin type.
Pick Up Products With An SPF
You can’t put sunscreen near your eyes, but that doesn’t mean that your eyes don’t need protection from the sun. The delicate skin around the eye area is more prone to radical damage from the sun than any other area. You can also get skin cancer on your eyelid.
Plant extracts don’t protect against this. That’s why the beauty industry has stepped up its game to include SPF on the list of effective ingredients in eye creams.
The Best Eye Cream With SPF
Eye Creams Are Moisturizing
The gold standard for eye creams involves providing intense hydration to eyelid skin. That’s because eyelid skin does not have the same large amount of oil glands that the rest of the skin does. Mature skin is more likely to be dehydrated, too. Keeping the skin hydrated can be as simple as picking up an eye cream.
These also create a skin barrier to lock in hydration for a noticeable difference that lasts all day.
Apply Eye Cream With Your Ring Finger Or Pinky
Most of us slather on skincare products and smear them in. The area surrounding the eye is too delicate for that same method. Instead, put a small dab of eye cream on your ring finger or pinky. You won’t apply as much pressure when applying products, and you’ll be more careful, making it less likely to get in your eye.
Who Needs An Eye Cream?
Everyone can enjoy the benefits of eye cream. Youthful individuals not concerned about things like wrinkles might not care about the types of Vitamin C on the list of ingredients, but the area can still get dry. Because of this, an eye cream designed to moisturize the area is a great idea.
Those beginning to age will start noticing a difference in skin texture. They can benefit from beauty products that address wrinkles and skin texture because they prevent future problems.
Mature individuals will appreciate the benefits of eye cream more than anyone. As we age, the skin around the eyes becomes naturally thinner. There is a loss of collagen that results in wrinkles forming. Eye creams can help the skin surrounding the eye appear more youthful.
Anti-Aging Eye Creams
Travel Size GENIUS Ultimate Anti-Aging Eye Cream ($28)
A vegan eye cream packed with a powerhouse of good-for-your-skin ingredients to nourish the undereye area while helping prevent the effects of aging.
Why We Love It
- Formula includes Persian silk and plant-based collagen to visibly lift the eye area
- Key ingredients are Alguronic Acid and Microalgae Oil
- Smooths skin around the eye area
- Suitable for use on the eyelid
- Makes eyes appear brighter and more youthful
MOON DEW 1% Bakuchiol + Peptides Retinol Alternative Firming Eye Cream ($48)
This anti-aging eye cream is an exceptional retinol alternative. Bakuchiol and plant peptides help smooth fine lines without the irritation that you may experience from retinol.
Why We Love It
- 100% plant-based ingredients
- Intensely hydrating
- Can be worn under makeup
- Natural scent
The Verdict
So, does eye cream work? Well, that depends on what you’d like for it to do. It can reduce puffiness due to the caffeine constricting blood vessels, but this is temporary. Eye creams can also plump the skin, protect delicate skin from sun damage, and more. However, if you don’t have any of those concerns, you can get by using a budget-friendly eye cream to moisturize the area.
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