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The eye area can be home to a variety of skin concerns, which are highly influenced by the unique anatomy of the skin on this particular area of the face. In addition to being up to 10 times thinner than other facial skin, skin around the eyes also has less oil glands and collagen —which makes this area especially prone to wrinkles and dryness. Eye area muscles are also very active since they play a pivotal role in expressing our emotions, and these repetitive motions cause visible lines that can ultimately become etched into the skin and apparent when the muscles are at rest.
Specialized eye treatment products are designed to enhance the health and appearance of the thinner, more delicate skin surrounding the eyes. Products such as corrective eye creams can help improve existing visible signs of aging, while an antioxidant serum can help prevent skin damage that contributes to age-related changes.
However, it’s best to use specially-formulated eye treatment for this delicate area as opposed to your full-face skincare products. Facial serums and moisturizers often contain higher concentrations of active ingredients that may be irritating to skin around eyes and sensitive eyelids. An effective eye treatment is formulated with ingredients that target specific concerns such as eye wrinkles or dry eye skin, but designed to be gentle on the thinner skin that surrounds this part of the face.
THE MOST COMMON EYE-AREA SKIN CONCERNS
The unique anatomy of eye-area skin, the natural aging process, environmental factors, and genetics can all contribute to the most common concerns.
Visible signs of aging
The natural aging process is a primary cause of eye wrinkles and other eye-area changes because our bodies produce less collagen over time—and this supportive protein is responsible for the smooth, plump appearance of young skin. A process called glycation occurs when sugars bind to collagen and make it stiff, brittle, and prone to breakage—and this contributes to eye wrinkles as well.
A lifetime of squinting, smiling, and making other facial expressions plays a role in the development of crow’s feet and other visible signs of aging, as does damage caused by years or decades of accumulated exposure to the sun and other environmental aggressors. The delicate skin around the eyes is often left unprotected from UV rays, making this area especially susceptible to the visible effects of sun damage. Other environmental factors such as wind, cold weather and pollution are detrimental to the skin as well, making them another source of wrinkles around the eyes.
Dry skin around eyes
Fewer oil glands, the delicate nature of eye-area skin, and the cumulative effects of environmental exposure can all contribute to dry skin around eyes. This dryness can accentuate the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, lead to skin that looks dull or fatigued, and cause makeup to settle into creases.
Dark circles
Dark circles can be the result of genetics, allergies, fatigue, and skin dehydration, and may be visible early on or later on in life. Aging can also cause dark circles to become more pronounced as the skin becomes thinner and allows underlying blood vessels to become more visible, leading to a blue or purple hue beneath the eyes. Dark circles that are brown in color are usually due to excess pigment that develops after unprotected sun exposure.
Puffiness
Several factors can lead to the appearance of puffiness and under-eye bags, even as early as the 20s. In addition to genetics, allergies, and fatigue, the natural aging process can cause the pockets of fat that surround the eyes to descend and become more prominent.
LIFESTYLE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO EYE CONCERNS
Lifestyle habits can contribute to several eye-area concerns. Excess sun exposure, poor diet, and too much alcohol all cause premature aging that negatively affects our skin’s appearance. However, smoking is one of the most damaging habits for the skin (and the body as a whole). The nicotine in cigarettes causes the blood vessels closest to the skin to narrow, in turn reducing blood flow to skin. With less oxygen and nutrients available, the skin becomes more likely to develop wrinkles.
SKINCEUTICALS ADVANCED EYE TREATMENT SOLUTIONS
Proper eye care is an integral part of any skincare regimen. These proven-effective eye treatment products are formulated to maintain hydration levels, provide protection against damaging environmental aggressors, and visibly improve the appearance of crow’s feet lines, loss of firmness, under-eye bags, dark circles, and puffiness.
This silky eye treatment helps improve the appearance of crow’s feet, under-eye wrinkles, dark circles, and puffiness associated with the glycation process. The potent ingredients in this eye wrinkle treatment include concentrated Proxylane™, a concentrated flavonoid blend, Matrixyl® 3000 peptides, glycyrrhetinic acid, and caffeine that improve the appearance of skin plumpness and optical diffusers that instantly enhance eye-area radiance and revive the look of dull, tired-looking eyes—and won’t irritate sensitive eyelids.
In addition to providing rich, soothing moisture that helps smooth eye wrinkles, this eye treatment helps reduce dark circles, puffiness, and signs of environmental damage as well. Formulated with soy isoflavones that improve the look and feel of firmness, vitamin E to neutralize free radicals and nourish dry skin around eyes, plus silymarin for antioxidant benefits that help improve visible signs of aging, this comprehensive eye treatment addresses the full spectrum of eye-area concerns.
Formulated specifically for the delicate and vulnerable eye area, this groundbreaking serum-in-a-gel features a potent antioxidant blend of 5% L-ascorbic acid (pure vitamin C), 1% phloretin, and 0.5% ferulic acid to shield the skin from environmental damage. In addition to offering skin protection, this eye treatment also includes the ruscus aculeatus (a botanical extract derived from a small evergreen shrub native to Western Europe) to decrease the appearance of puffiness, along with caffeine to improve the look of dark circles and revive the eye area’s overall appearance.
EYE TREATMENT APPLICATION TIPS
The ideal eye treatment approach includes daily environmental protection with AOX+ Eye Gel and the corrective cream that best suits your unique eye-area concerns. When applying any eye treatment, you want to be exceedingly gentle to avoid tugging or pulling on the skin. Our skincare professionals recommend using your ring finger or pinkie to gently pat your eye treatment products under the eyes, on the eyelids, and along the browbone.
To discover the ideal eye treatments for under-eye wrinkles, dry skin around eyes, and sensitive eyelids, use our online Regimen Finder, visit one of our SkinCeuticals SkinLab locations, or schedule an appointment with a SkinCeuticals Skincare Professional for a one-on-one consultation.
