Practical Tips for Eye Care
And, of course, a small life hack: how to properly apply cream to the eye area – not just sunscreen, but any cream. First, don't apply any creams too close to the lash line. From the bony edge of the orbit under the eye, move slightly higher and apply the cream. You can apply cream under the eyebrow, going slightly onto the upper eyelid. And, of course, we follow the rules for applying cream along the lines from the central part to the periphery: this is how our lymphatic vessels run. Besides applying the cream correctly, you'll also be performing a kind of massage that improves microcirculation and lymphatic drainage in this area.
At-Home Care
How do you properly care for this area with at-home care? The first point: the skin around the eyes needs cleansing just like any other area of your face. So, we use cleansing products – foams, gels, depending on your skin type. You choose your cleansing product based on your skin type. When we're talking about the skin around the eyes, I advocate more for products for sensitive skin, because few people avoid this area when washing their face.
We want to wash our face thoroughly and effectively, but we should never wash until the skin "squeaks" – this is not allowed, as it damages the hydrolipidic mantle and will only harm this area.
When washing your face, you shouldn't stretch the skin; you should use your hands very gently. Again, follow the same lines we discussed. This is specifically for the eye area. So, wash with gentle cleansing products. Many of you will now say that, unfortunately, gel or foam doesn't remove makeup, for example. Don't despair! I recommend my patients use micellar water. With micellar water, we remove excess impurities and dirt in hard-to-reach places, and then we must rinse the micellar water with regular water.
Next, we apply moisturizing cream to this area. As I already said, either you have a separate eye cream, or it's a light-textured cream for sensitive skin that suits your face in general.
We also discussed the need to protect your skin with sunscreen.
A life hack regarding sunscreens: remember that self-respecting brands always add filters to their skincare creams. I'll tell you more: it might not just be a small SPF 10-15 filter, but even an SPF 30 filter. In the latter case, you generally don't need a separate sunscreen. So, if your facial care product already contains filters, that will be enough—certainly in a city environment. But if you're going to a hot country, you need the maximum factor—SPF 50+.
Collagen and Retinol
Now we often hear trendy words like "collagen" and "retinol." For us, the word "retinol" is already synonymous with rejuvenation; we've escaped old age and saved our lives in every way possible. In short, retinol is cool. Retinol is indeed a great substance found in cream textures. Is it needed for the eye area? Yes, it is. But, if we want to use a cream with active ingredients, in this case, the cream really should be specifically for the eye area.
All topical products we use in home care penetrate to a certain level, meaning they effectively work with the superficial layers of the skin. Even in the eye area, we still won't achieve fibroblast stimulation or trigger neocollagenesis processes with topical products.
Proper care for the delicate skin around your eyes involves debunking myths, using hypoallergenic cosmeceuticals, and protecting against UV damage to prevent wrinkles, bags, and dark circles. By incorporating gentle cleansing, light-textured creams, and strategic application techniques, you can maintain healthy, youthful-looking skin in this sensitive area.