Swelling, Dark Circles and Dry Skin – Eye Skincare

Eyes are our primary tool for visual communication. They are the first to show our lifestyle, our age, and our level of exhaustion. The skin around the eyes is the thinnest skin on our face at just half a millimeter thick, in comparison with other facial skin that is at least two millimeters thick. Our first wrinkles appear at the sides of our eyes about a decade before other wrinkles. By our late twenties, the eye area may already show the beginning of fine lines.

Caring for the eye area is not age-dependent. It is never too soon to adopt a good, effective skincare regimen to care for this delicate area, and it is never too late to improve its present condition. To find the most effective, targeted skincare regimen for the eye area, it is important to understand its most common presentations of aging:

Swelling

Sleeping too much or too little can cause swelling around the eyes, but this swelling is temporary. Continued swelling is usually caused by irritation, which releases substances that can cause edema. It is also caused by irregular drainage of fluid from the body (for instance, water retention resulting from a sodium-rich diet).

How can this be dealt with? Limit consumption of sodium-rich products like alcohol and peanuts that are known to cause swelling around the eyes. Drink plenty of water to boost the body’s self-drainage mechanism.

Recommended cosmetic ingredients: Products like chamomile or calendula that are rich in anti-inflammatory properties.

Dark circles

Our skin tone is determined by melanin and the proximity of capillaries to the skin’s outer layer. These factors are hereditary. Some people will have dark circles from a young age, while others will only develop them at middle age when blood flow decelerates. Dark circles can also stem from an allergic reaction that causes edema, and from prolonged exposure to the sun that accelerates the exit of fluid from blood vessels.

Recommended cosmetic ingredients: Products that contain active ingredients to brighten the skin like vitamin C or pitcher plant extract to contract capillaries. Choose water-based gels that are rapidly absorbed, and that leave the skin feeling refreshed and not heavy or oily.

Excessive dryness

Under the delicate layer of skin around the eyes, there are very few mammary glands (lipids) and only a very thin layer of fat. As a result, the skin around the eye area tends to be dry, which can lead to fine lines added to expression lines. Another factor that exacerbates dry skin and increases the appearance of wrinkles is overexposure to the sun, which destroys elastic fibers and damages skin texture. Other reasons include chronic sleep deprivation, stress, alcohol, smoking, and an unbalanced diet.

Recommended cosmetic ingredients: Skincare products rich in nourishing and moisturizing components like shea butter and vitamins A and C to neutralize the effect of free radicals.

Cosmetic treatment includes protecting the eyes from environmental pollutants and radiation by wearing sunglasses; products rich in moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, shea butter, and vitamins E and C that neutralize the impact of free radicals; and products that advance tissue renewal like allantoin or vitamin A.

Recommended skincare regimen:

For optimal results, choose specially formulated products that contain active, essential ingredients like collagen and vitamins to nourish and moisturize the skin. Choose products that hydrate the skin and treat common symptoms. Regular, daily use will show optimal results. Apply eye cream to cleansed skin under moisturizer. Gently dab onto the delicate skin around the eyes until fully absorbed. Choose hypoallergenic products that have been dermatologically tested and are suitable for sensitive skin.