Are You Applying Your Eye Cream Properly?
It might seem like a simple question but do you really know how to apply your eye cream? Because if you get it wrong, you could be doing more harm than good.
When it comes to an effective skincare routine, eye cream sits firmly in the same camp as facial toner – you either do… or you don’t. Those that do apply their eye cream morning and night would never have a bad word said against them (hear hear!). And those that don’t have probably read or heard somewhere that eye creams are a bit, well, pointless; that, truthfully, they’re no different to regular moisturizers.
Oh how wrong they are.
Eye creams are actually quite different to regular face creams. This is because they’re specifically formulated to treat the thin, dry, delicate skin around your eyes which, consequently, can be the first area of your skin to age. Sure, eye creams are moisturizing, but they need to be way gentler than regular face creams while also working hard to target eye-related issues like dark circles, dryness, fine lines, dehydration and puffiness. On that note they're often chock full of moisturizing botanical oils like evening primrose and sweet almond oils, but are balanced with fewer active ingredients or, at least, lower concentrations of active ingredients as well as minimal irritants like preservatives and synthetic fragrance.
We're big fans of eye creams here at TruSkin and count them as integral players in the quest for awesome skin. However, it’s important to know what you’re doing when you apply this delicate little flower, because slathering yours on with zero effs given can result in some seriously bad times for your skin.
How To Apply Your Eye Cream: The 5 Golden Rules
Read on for five lessons to remember if you want to get the best results from your eye cream.
1. Always Apply Eye Cream To Cleansed, Toned Skin
Fresh, clean skin is important when applying any kind of skincare product. If you don’t clean your skin first dirt, oil, makeup and bacteria can build up on the surface, blocking pores and encouraging breakouts. Not only that, but if your skin has a layer of unwashed debris on the top, how’s any kind of product supposed to penetrate your skin and take care of business? Well, it won’t.
Wash your hands first, then cleanse your entire face and eye area, using a gentle formulation like Soothing Cleansing Milk. Follow with toner and your favorite face serum, then it’s time for your eye cream – after serum and before moisturizing. Applying your eye cream first helps keep any ingredients in your face cream away from the delicate skin around your eyes. And that's important if there’s something hiding in there that this area of your skin might not be cool with.
2. Don’t Use Too Much
You know those words that are often written (but ignored!) on the back of your skincare product? Yeah those. Well, they’re there for a reason; to help you get the best from your product. So read them and follow the advice, OK?
When it comes to eye cream one of the most common mistakes is using too much product. Why is this such a big deal? Well, overloading this delicate area can be too much of a burden on your skin, leaving the area feeling super greasy. It can also exacerbate puffiness, which is not the look we imagine you were going for.
Eye creams always come in small packages so take that as a not-so-subtle hint that less is, without fail, always more. Approximately a pea-sized amount of eye cream should be the sweet spot for the upper and lower eyelids of both eyes, but read the instructions and do as you’re told. Lecture over.
3. Gently Does It
Some skincare products are made to be massaged into the skin. Not eye cream. The area around your eyes is extremely fragile (did we mention that already? Sorry, not sorry!) so you have to treat it with much respect. We recommend using your ring fingers – or even your pinkies – because this instantly reduces pressure and friction on your skin without you even thinking about it.
Also, always pat rather than rub the product around the eye area. Heavy-handedly rubbing or massaging eye cream into your skin can quickly make your skin sore or inflamed.
4. Give Your Lashes Some Distance
While it goes without saying that you should never apply eye cream to your actual eyes, you should also take care not to go too close to your lashline. Most eye cream formulations contain oils which can creep into your eyes when your body temperature increases, causing irritation, redness and weepy eyes if applied too closely. Stick to the orbital bone area only.
5. Allow Eye Cream A Good Minute To Absorb
While we would never expect you to spend hours on your skincare routine every morning and night – because, you know, life – whizzing through your regime can do your skin a real disservice in both the short- and long-term. It’s much more prudent to give products time to settle and absorb into the skin before moving on to the next one.
And eye cream is no exception. After you’ve patted your product all around the eye area, give it a minute or two before moving on to your moisturizer, sunscreen and makeup. This will give it time to seep in and will also help avoid your makeup from pilling.
Finally, as with all skincare products, consistency is everything so apply your eye cream regularly – morning and night – for the best results. And be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day, yes?
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![How To Deal With Dryness & Dehydration Around Your Eyes]()
The skin around your eyes is prone to dryness and dehydration. It’s thin and fragile; it can’t help it.
Dry, dehydrated skin is no joke. And dry skin around your eyes? Seriously, no joke at all.
Much more prevalent in the winter when the air becomes dry, cold and has a tendency to suck all the moisture from your skin (something to look forward to there, then!), dryness around your eyes is a real pain in the butt. And it can swiftly lead to itching, flaky skin, irritation and soreness, especially if you leave it untreated.
Of course, dry skin (which is a lack of sebum/oil in your skin) is something you’re often born with and, annoyingly, you can’t change your genes. However, there are many ways to improve and take care of dryness around the eyes, especially when it’s coupled with a lack of moisture, aka dehydration.
Read on for five of the best ways to deal with dry, dehydrated skin around your eyes.
1. Avoid The Big Three Dehydrators
There are no prizes for guessing the three biggest offenders when it comes to what you put into your body on a regular basis and how they affect the skin around your eyes. Yes, they’re alcohol, caffeine and tobacco.
Thankfully, the number of adults in the US who smoke cigarettes continues to fall but even so, in 2021 an estimated 28.3 million adults were still at it. And it’s terrible for your skin. Not only does smoking cause unnecessary squinting as you inhale, accelerating the formation of dynamic wrinkles, but cigs are packed with thousands of chemicals which enhance dark bags around your eyes and exacerbate dryness and dehydration.
Caffeine and alcohol also have dehydrating effects, screwing up sebum production, messing with your barrier function and making your skin prone to moisture loss and irritation.
Of course, we all have our vices, but if the skin around your eyes is really suffering because of them, you might be wise to slow down with at least one.
2. Use A Hydrating Eye Cream
Eye creams come in many shapes and sizes and, while many people are sceptical about their worth, eye creams are actually important business. Sure, you can apply regular moisturizer to the skin around your eyes if it works for your needs, but if you want to target specific eye-related concerns like puffiness or dark circles, then your daily moisturizer is not going to cut the mustard.
The skin around your eyes is slightly different to the rest of your face. It’s way thinner for starters which makes it more fragile and prone to irritation and premature aging. It also contains fewer sebaceous glands (they’re the ones that produce sebum, aka oil) so it’s not able to keep itself as moisturized as other areas of your face.
Eye creams focus on this exact type of skin, using soothing ingredients to limit irritation while concentrating on gentle actives to reduce fine lines, eye bags, dryness and dehydration. We have many formulations that treat different eye needs but if it’s the two ds (dryness and dehydration, in case you didn’t get that!) you’re into, or not as the case may be, you have to try our Hyaluronic Eye Cream which uses HA and panthenol to draw in moisture and target tired, dehydrated skin.
3. Wear Sunglasses
We don’t need to tell you for the hundredth time how important SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C is for protecting your skin from the damaging effects of UV radiation. Or maybe we do? Because, while you may be vigilant with your daily facial protection, what about the skin around your eyes?
Some sunscreens might not be suitable for the sensitive skin around your eyes but if you go carefully and avoid harsh, chemical formulations in favor of mineral sunscreens that use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to shield your skin you should be OK. Still wary of getting sunscreen in your eyes (which let’s face it, is no fun)? Then, the very least you can do is to wear some oversized sunglasses whenever you go outside or are in the car – even in winter.
Any excuse to treat yourself to a new pair of shades, right?
4. Make Quality Sleep A Priority
Show of hands if you’ve ever woken up after a cruddy night’s sleep and the skin around your eyes has punished you, big time. Dark circles and puffiness in the eye area are dead giveaways that you’ve missed out on some valuable zzzs, but continue to burn the candle at both ends and your skin will also suffer with long-term dryness and dehydration.
When you don’t get sufficient sleep your barrier function misses out on its valuable regeneration time which makes it perform poorly, allowing moisture to readily escape and irritants to literally get under your skin. Couple this with the stress a lack of sleep puts on your body and the skin, and you really are asking for trouble. Warning: the skin around your eyes, in particular, will suffer more than the rest of your face due to its thinness and vulnerability.
According to The Sleep Foundation, the average adult needs at least seven hours of sleep per night. We know this isn’t always possible – because life – but try to go to bed and get up at the same time each day to get yourself into a rhythm. This is super important for achieving a quality night’s rest. Also, if you live in a dry climate, pop a humidifier in your bedroom to combat low levels of water in the air. This will reduce moisture loss as you sleep. It’s called science.
5. Reassess Your Entire Beauty Routine
Last, but certainly not least, look at your beauty routine to check for anything that could be causing dryness and dehydration around your eyes. Harsh soaps and strong makeup remover that contains bad alcohols are both major culprits, but even things like dirty makeup brushes, out-of-date mascara or cleansing with too-hot water can cause the skin around your eyes to feel dry and itchy.
Don’t forget your shampoo and conditioner, either. These may contain strong cleansing ingredients like sulfates that are getting in your eyes and irritating the skin when you wash your hair in the shower.
Basically, leave no table unturned!
How To Deal With Dryness & Dehydration Around Your Eyes
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