Of all the skincare out there--my clients time and time again express the most skepticism with regard to eye cream. If this is you, you've likely:

1. Tried many over the years, never really noticing much difference.
2. Always used a face cream in the undereye assuming it does the equivalent job.
3. Never purchased eye cream altogether in fear of wasting money because of family and friends around you who have tried and failed over the years. 

So, the big question: is eye cream just a hoax to get consumers to spend more money? 

Afterall, skin is skin, right? So why not use the same cream on your eye area as the rest of your face? Makes perfect sense...or does it?

First and foremost, I want to validate your skepticism about the value of eye cream. Unfortunately, in an overly-saturated market, there is definitely a plethora of skincare out there that never holds up to its claims.

But don't lose hope.

While some products may be too good to be true, there are great eye creams out there that can truly deliver and improve your troublesome circles. 

Eye creams do have a place and purpose in your daily skincare routine--you just need a little insight to help guide your decision making. Knowing what product to chose always starts with understanding what is going on with your skin and what specifically would you like to see improved. Knowing these key factors will help you sift through all the junk and find the treasure that will provide true transformation for you. 

The most common complaints about our under-eye's include:

• Dark Circles
• "Bags" --puffiness/fullness
• Lines and wrinkles
• Texture

Many of these things can start to show up very early in life, especially with modern society that never sleeps. If you are in your 20s, it's time to start taking care so that you can still enjoy your beautiful eyes throughout the aging process without fearing the need for surgery in order to remain content later in life.

For the rest of us trying to get back what once was ours, understanding why some of these conditions occur helps you sift through the language on eye cream packaging to find a better fit for your particular needs. 

Dark Circles

When it comes to dark circles, eye creams can target this a couple different ways. Some eye creams have ingredients that help to increase microcirculation and blood flow in the area; thus, reducing the purple/blue appearance caused by visible veins revealed by our thin tissue. 

For example:

The Suma Root found in Meg 21's Bright & Firm Eye Treatment helps to increase this microcirculation to reduce dark circles and give clarity back to your eyes. 

For extra aid, I highly recommend watching your diet and regularly getting a good night's sleep--they do not call it beauty sleep for nothing. 

The Dreaded "Bags" 

Fullness (puffiness) in the undereye is definitely the toughest one and probably the main propagator of disbelief in the validity of eye creams across the board.

The reason for this is not necessarily that the claims are false, but rather that sometimes fullness is caused genetically by a visible fatty pocket in this area. While we can help diminish it from getting worse using tools such as eye creams--it is unfortunate to say that without additional use of more invasive methods that a doctor may address; the help your eye cream can give you will (likely) always be underwhelming.

I would not say that gives reason to give up on it, and I would certainly stick with a good cream that helps tighten the skin and reduce puffiness because though it will never be your end-all-be-all... I promise you, things can always get worse. Staying on top of troublesome areas will at least ensure that you are not exacerbating the existing problem; and that is much more valuable than you may know; believe me... I've seen it far too many times. 

Lines, and More Lines

To tackle fine lines, you want a product with superior penetration of rich hydration. For very thin-tissue under-eyes; hydration coupled with some anti-aging peptides or other treatment ingredients is sufficient to improve the area.

Thicker skin types that are also less sensitive, may enjoy a more aggressive eye cream that contains some exfoliants such as Retinol or AHA's.

In both cases--and actually across the board--in the outer third of the under-eye where our "crows feet" form is a place you want to avoid cosmetics at all cost and instead keep a layer of eye cream on when possible. Makeup will move right into our expressive lines causing them to appear worse. The use of a hydrating eye cream that holds onto the surface for some time before absorbing is ideal as the moisture deflects the light and softens the appearance of the line. 

Some eye creams are silicone-based, feeling smooth like a baby's butt in a similar way that foundation primers can often feel. While silicone is known to blur lines and imperfections; it also kills shine. This is the one type of eye cream I would actually avoid.

A hydrated and dewy finish has far greater advantages than what silicone achieves. 

Texture 

like the Rocky Mountains...

If this is you, I know I need to say no more.

It sucks, believe me...my heart goes out to those of you with this struggle. It is often coupled by challenging circles and lines as well--which is like a triple whammy. For this under-eye, if your skin is not particularly sensitive (which usually it isn't in these cases), I would proceed with caution trying more aggressive eye creams that have carefully formulated exfoliators such as controlled amounts of retinol or AHA ingredients. This should help with the texture and then next up is brightening.

Often, advanced eye treatments with a professional are incredibly helpful to brighten and diminish texture. I personally have a professional eye mask that I love and often apply it for these clients every brow visit, and they really do make a difference. 

In closing, you must be diligent with your regiment if you want to see any real changes in your under-eyes. It's like bathing--doesn't last long, which is why it is recommended daily. When trying any product, it is only fair to judge an eye cream's effectiveness with proper use. I know it is hard to stay on track, but when you do your due diligence, great things can happen. 

If you're looking for an eye cream that is professionally vetted as a worthwhile investment see below: 

1. JULES Firming Cream Concentrate for Eyes

This is absolutely the go-to product for any young person starting to see changes in their under eyes and wanting to get on top of it before it's too late. This cream targets a little bit of everything, and is exceptionally hydrating and great for deflecting lines. 

For this reason, I also prefer this eye cream for those who struggle with fine lines since it excellently holds onto the surface of the skin for light diffusion over our troublesome "crows feet" and, once absorbed, penetrates for deep down treatment. 

2. Meg 21 Bright & Firm Eye Treatment

This is literally my go-to brightener for almost every challengingly dark circles. I have seen it transform the worst darkness time and time again with so many clients, I love it. 

Another great thing with this eye cream is that it has a beautiful luminescence when applied that gives a perfect glow to soften our lines while illuminating the undereye. 

3. XMF Phytomer Eye Reset Fluid

This is the upgrade.

This eye cream tackled my toughest under-eyes--yes, even the dreaded bag. If you struggle with a full under-eye, this is the magic sauce. It cost more than the others, but is so worth the investment. 

 

Remember, every skin-type and under-eye is different, and for optimal results I always recommend consulting with a professional. If you are interested in a virtual consult or scheduling a one-on-one analysis with an expert at JULES, please feel free to reach out on the Contact Me page today!