Eye care

[pineiro]

Hi!! Which eye cream do you consider to be the best and which helps to smooth the lines around it? I recently entered my 40s

[WinglessOne]

Hi @pineiro ! I'm nearly 50 and have come to accept that I'll always have lines under my eyes, unless I stop making facial expressions for the rest of my life. Plus, I'm a big baby about having needles pointed at my face, so I haven't gone the injectable route. But if you really want to smooth out lines around your eyes, talk to a dermatologist about cosmetic procedures like Botox (usually used for crow’s feet), laser treatments, chemical peels, injectable fillers, surgery, etc. They can be pricey and temporary (lasting months at a time), but there’s no shame in having some work done if you want it. 

No OTC eye cream or serum can replicate cosmetic procedures, or even come close to results you’ll get from those procedures. But if you’re good with just softening the look of your lines like I am, I’ve got some suggestions: 

Hydration overload - The more hydrated your skin is, the plumper it’ll look and the less noticeable wrinkles will be. 

Spoiler

Between steps of your skincare routine, try tapping a little water on your skin or using a hydrating mist. Then immediately apply a hydrating serum that contains ingredients like hyaluronic acid, sodium PCA, polyglutamic acid, trehalose, urea, peptides, niacinamide, honey, etc. 

My 2 favorite hydrating serums are The Ordinary "Buffet" 1 oz/ 30 mL and It’s Skin Power 10 Li Effector (contains soothing & brightening licorice root plus polyglutamic acid). My favorite hydrating mists are COSRX Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner and Timeless HA Matrixyl 3000 Cucumber Spray. 

Low-strength retinol serum around your eyes - Retinol can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles when used consistently. Results can take 2-4 months to see, so patience is key. 

Spoiler

A good option is Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Ferulic + Retinol Triple Correction Eye Serum 0.5 oz/ 15 mL . DDG won’t divulge the % of retinol in their products for some reason, but I assume it’s quite low in this one. It’s a very gentle serum containing antioxidants, hydrators, skin soothers, and brighteners. It also contains some AHAs and BHA, but this product’s pH is too high for those ingredients to exfoliate, so you probably won’t over-exfoliate your skin with it. I used this serum daily for nearly 2 years with no problems. 

If you already regularly use a retinoid (retinol, retinaldehyde, tretinoin, etc.) on the rest of your face, and it's low strength or maybe on the low end of mid strength, then maybe try applying a tiny bit under and beside your eyes—avoiding your lids and not bringing it all the way to your lower lash line or outer corners. I use a 0.1% retinaldehyde serum on my face which is too strong for my undereyes. For that area, I use The Inkey List Retinol Serum which used to be my full face retinol. I've slowly built up my skin's tolerance to it under my eyes, and I apply it there just 2 to 4 times a week. I don't recommend doing this if you're not already used to retinoids. The DDG serum is a much safer option for retinol beginners. 

Argireline - AKA acetyl hexapeptide-8 or acetyl hexapeptide-3. Some folks call this “Botox in a bottle,” but it’s nowhere near as effective as injectable Botox. It can reduce wrinkle appearance though, and it’s a good hydrator. A popular option is The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10% Serum for Facial Wrinkles 1 oz/ 30 mL . Argireline is also in The Ordinary Buffet. 

Over-moisturize your eye area - Try this with your full face moisturizer before buying a separate product marketed as “eye cream.” 

Spoiler

If your skin’s dried down by the time you reach your moisturization step, get it damp again with water or a hydrating mist. Then immediately apply moisturizer. This gives the moisturizer some hydration to seal into your skin. 

Once it’s settled into your skin, apply a second layer of moisturizer. This can be the same one you already used. You can apply a third layer of moisturizer if you want. I used to apply up to 4 layers, especially in the frigid depths of winter when my mostly-dry combo skin suffers the most. Sometimes I'd alternate a moisturizer layer with a facial oil layer, like e.l.f. Nourishing Facial Oil or Herbivore Emerald CBD + Adaptogens Deep Moisture Glow Oil 1 oz/ 30 mL . But ever since switching my full face moisturizer to Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer, I haven't needed facial oil under my eyes. 

If the skin around your eyes is exceptionally dry, try something very occlusive that’ll prevent moisture loss, like a petrolatum-based balm: CeraVe Healing Ointment or Aquaphor Ointment. (If you’re sensitive to lanolin, avoid Aquaphor.) It won’t smother your skin, stop it from “breathing,” or clog your pores. It will keep your skin well moisturized. 

Sunscreen to help prevent more lines - Many "signs of aging," including some wrinkles, are caused by sun damage. Broad spectrum sunscreen with minimum SPF of 30 is the best preventative longterm anti-aging skincare product you can use. 

Spoiler

Use sunscreen each day your skin's exposed to sunlight (even if you're in a car or indoors), regardless of weather or season. Apply it to all exposed skin, including your eyelids; gotta bring it all the way down/up to your lash lines. 

I have sensitive eyes, so I always use either Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Invisible Broad Spectrum SPF 40 PA +++ 1.7 oz/ 50 mL , OMI Verdio UV Moisture Essence SPF 50, or Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV SPF 50 (clear version) all around my eyes, even if I use a different sunscreen on the rest of my face. Those 3 never irritate my eyes and require very little rubbing to blend into my skin. If you also have sensitive eyes, you could try a baby sunscreen... I can't think of a specific one right now, but I'm sure CeraVe and Aveeno make one for babies. 

[Nahnom]

Wow @WinglessOne  based off your profile pic I wouldn't have guessed you are in your 40s! 

I 💯agree with everything you said.

[WinglessOne]

Aw, thanks @Nahnom ! 😊

[ather]

@pineiro  I started using Glow Recipe Avocado Fine Line Eye Cream with Retinol 0.5 oz/ 15 mL  and I’ve actually noticed my lines really fade. It’s been the first new cream I’ve tried in awhile and I’m really loving it. (I am also 38 for reference) I was considering Botox but I’m going to hold off for now!!! 

[Lizazil]

i really like the ordinary's caffeine solution 5% + EGCG. idk if it's on sephora but i find it really depuffs my eyes the next day without being harsh

i also heally like the all about eyes from clinique, its pretty hydrating but you dont really need a cream specifically for your eyes unless you're trying to target something specific like eyebags, just use anything that won't cause irritation tbh