Eye creams are truly divided in the beauty world. Some people swear by it (the usual argument is that the skin around the eyes is different than elsewhere – thinner, so you need a dedicated formula that fits), while others think you should only use what you use on your face anything, put it around the eyes. Why pay for a separate product that does almost the same thing, especially when the eye cream is more expensive per ml than the equivalent face version?
I’m in both camps now. I started out very firmly in the eye cream supporter group, defected to the other side for a while, then meekly returned to the original people, hoping they would never notice that I had left.
I’ve been a staunch supporter of eye creams ever since I was a model. I used to love the way makeup artists pat it on, give it a little de-puffiness massage, dab it on lids, push brows to wake you up, and refresh everything. Sure, they can use creams to complete their entire routine, and often do, but it’s remarkable how much care and attention they put into the eye area. That’s because if there’s one area that looks haggard/hangover first, it’s around the eyes.
The skin is thinner and the area is more delicate – prone to puffiness, dark circles, sensitivity. Which brings me to my next argument in favor of eye creams: the formula. Many times, the needs of the eyes are significantly different from those of the face. Your eyes may be puffy while the rest of your face looks fine. Why use cooling gels to reduce swelling? The eyes will be fine, but the face will feel tight and uncomfortable. You might want to slather your face with a high-strength retinoid, but the same product under your eyes can be drying or too strong to bear.
In short, there are two main reasons I use a dedicated eye cream: application and formulation. If I use a separate product, then for some incomprehensible reason it does make me pay extra attention to the way I pat and swipe the product. If I just think of the eye area as just another part of the face, then I don’t tend to do any special love, I just sweep it at the same time as the cheeks. This is cheek extension.
If I have a perfectly formulated eye cream for my eye area day in and day out, then why wouldn’t I use it? Then the rest of my face can do what it wants to do – a full exfoliation, full of hyaluronic acid, tan or retinoid – and my eyes will get a steady, proper treatment that addresses any possible problem. For me, it’s fine lines, er, deeper lines. Basically, lines.
What’s the reason I’m temporarily going to the anti-eye cream camp? Research. And laziness. I’m honing in on my routine (morning: vitamin C serum/moisturizer/SPF, evening: retinoid every other night, or hydrating serum/moisturizer on “rest” days), and eye cream seems A little too much. (Never mind all these craze mists and serums: I simply don’t see how they can do more than a good serum and moisturizer combo. Maybe that’s my next research.)
So I started using whatever face care I had to hand over instead of eye cream Then Serums, moisturizers, and more. But I’ll tell you what happened, and after about three months I noticed this: My eyes were visibly more wrinkled and drier. This is a significant difference.I realize it’s not just me no Really apply the product to the eye area as thoroughly as I would with a separate eye cream (really tired of eye cream at this point please stop it) and if I use a strong retinoid or exfoliating face product then I’m The eye area is almost completely ignored!
So, without really realizing it, I’ve gone from giving my eyes mini-facials twice a day to giving them…not much at all. My eye cream routine is a single (ten-second) workout, and my “eyes are part of the face” routine is the equivalent of no exercise at all. Walk through the front door to the car. Some effect, but is practically negligible.
It’s safe to say I’m back to using eye creams. At least every night. Sometimes I skip it in the morning because I’m more pressed for time, and my eyes tolerate vitamin C serums pretty well anyway, so it’s not a huge deal. But at night: eye cream ah heh. And it almost always contains retinol. Why? Excellent. It’s pretty much the top of the ingredient ladder, and when it comes to eye creams, you can pretty much guarantee that retinol is easily tolerated and has a gentle formula. So if you notice fine lines appearing around the eyes, skin starts to wrinkle or become tender and papery, then retinol is your friend. Smoothes, firms, volumes. It doesn’t help much if puffiness is your problem, but there are some great eye creams out there for that. As I recover from typing “eye cream” so many times, this is a completely separate post.
Here are three retinol eye products worth buying:
[Ad info: no paid or sponsored content, featured items may be press samples and affiliate links are marked *. I have an ongoing partnership with Beauty Pie.]
Olay Retinol Max Eye Cream – £44, but currently £19.55 on Amazon hereWhat it does: A beautifully formulated, non-greasy eye cream that will definitely do what you need if you want to see a change in skin texture. Olay puts extreme testing to make sure the product is easy to use and mass market, so you can be pretty sure this product won’t dazzle you. Be careful at first though — every few nights — just to let yourself wind down.
Beauty Pie Super Retinol Eye Cream, £13 Members hereWhat it does: It’s packed with slow-release retinol and plenty of hydrating ingredients, so it’s a comforting cream with a nourishing feel, but non-greasy like Olay.Use code RUTHSENTME to take advantage of annual membership benefits – where you can learn more about how membership works here*.
Murad Retinol Youth Revitalizing Eye Serum, £82 here*: The most expensive option, but Murad really went to town with their retinol line, combining three types of retinol and formulating a product that was as effective as possible while minimizing adverse effects.An eye serum (feels more like a light cream) can be used around the eyes and on the lid. Seems kind of weird and scary, but I’ve tested this claim thoroughly, and it’s nice and works. marvelous. It’s a very good investment if you can pull it off.
Here’s a video of me saying all of the above:
