Eye Contact

When’s the last time you had a good night's sleep and by that we mean more than 6 hours?  Combine that with life's regular dynamics of stress, running in 5th gear 24/7, high-level responsibilities related to family, work and social and just not having enough time to take proper care of ourselves. Combine those two beauties with genetics, age, gravity, kids and many years of repeated facial expressions (squinting, smiling, frowning, crying) and “snap” one day you look in the mirror to crow’s feet, fine lines and wrinkles, hollowness, sagging, tiredness, dark circles, puffiness or suddenly your eyebrow-skin is sitting on your eyelids.  What happened? Life happened, that's what! 

For most people, the eye area shows the first signs of age and premature aging of the skin. But, there is hope and simple solutions to help restore and maintain a more youthful appearance. First, let’s review the ten (10) most common daily habits that age your eyes:

1. You exfoliate, rub or are over-aggressive with movements around your eye area;
2. You don’t remove your eye make-up before going to bed;
3. You are not using the correct eye make-up remover;
4. You are not using specific eye products morning/evening (or are using the wrong ones);
5. You are applying your eye cream incorrectly;
6. You are not using a facial tool and/or an eye-toning device;
7. You wear too much makeup or your products are drying, accentuating the age of your eyes;
8. You use the wrong choice/colour of eye concealer;
9. Your lifestyle habits are unhealthy (eg. not enough sleep, stress, bad eating habits or not enough water consumption);
10. Your eyebrow shape and/or fullness has been overlooked or overplucked.

Any one or a combination of the above most common habits can add years to your eyes. Make sure you are aware and take a good look at what you're doing, so you can make a few adjustments.  Don’t worry, we will give you tips on what to use... keep reading!

It’s important to understand that the eye area is like fine silk (versus cotton in relation to the rest of your face) and is much more delicate and vulnerable than any other area.  The skin is very thin and therefore, far more susceptible to laxity, fine lines, wrinkles, drooping, dark circles and puffiness. The eye area also lacks essential elements, including fat and muscle tissue, which makes it much more prone to ageing and the visible signs of age.  

We are going to get a little technical on you now, so you understand how this all works. In order to improve and correct the eye area, we need to work on (re)building and increasing collagen production, by stimulating the cells (fibroblasts) found in the lower layers of the dermis (AKA skin).  Collagen is the protein fibres which gives the skin support and density - it’s like the foundation and needs to be strong and healthy in order to prevent a breakdown, leading to the appearance of aged skin (cracks, wrinkles, puffiness, sagging).  This can be achieved by using quality products and by incorporating healthy daily habits.

By now, you must be asking yourself what you can do?  Ok, let’s take a look at what you are currently using to ensure you are on the right track.  Here are our tips:

• Use only cleansers that are gentle and adapted to the eye area (soap is not ok!).
• Never over-rub or use exfoliants (physical or chemical) on your eyes.
• Always remove makeup, cleanse and treat (eg. serum, moisturize, eye product etc.) your skin before going to bed.
• Make sure you are using specific eye products that are hydrating and target your area of concern.
• Start incorporating eye products in your early 20’s (and never ever stop), remember, prevention is key.
• Makeup is another big one. If you use too much, the products are drying or you haven’t colour matched correctly it will accentuate and add years to your eyes.
• Your brows are super important because they shape your face. We know that not everyone is gifted in this area and if you’re one of those people, don’t fret there are several things you can do. Have an aesthetician do them for you and then follow the shape by plucking in between (don’t over pluck!!). You can have your brows tattooed (microblading or semi-permanent cosmetic tattoos).  And lastly, invest in a great brow liner (kit) to shape, highlight and accentuate.
• Introduce a facial tool to contour/lift/drain (we love Mount Lai)  or a toning device (we love Nuface) in your daily/weekly routine.

When making an investment and choosing your product(s), the eyes are categorized in three areas of concern.  In this category you will find serums and creams.  Serums should not be used alone, they are boosters to target specific concerns (to accelerate results), therefore, you may need to use a serum followed by a cream. Identify your personal concerns and then make a selection accordingly. As the eye area is sensitive and delicate, please always follow usage instructions to ensure best results.  Here are our tips:

Fine lines, wrinkles (crow’s feet): make sure your product is hydrating enough because when the eye area is dry, fine lines and wrinkles are more pronounced. Products containing hyaluronic acid and botanical oils are great. Eye creams containing retinol, an antioxidant that helps to smooth the eye area, are also highly recommended.  Vitamin C is also a great choice because it has lifting and firming properties, which is very appreciated when drooping lids are the issue.

Try: TMR Serum and Peptide CR Eye Cream from Vivier Skin 

Try: A.G.E Eye Complex from Skinceuticals

 

Dark circles: This is a tough area to tackle because it's linked to lifestyle, but is quite often hereditary. Products containing vitamin C, licorice root, arbutin, kojic acid and niacinamide are highly recommended for this area of concern because they brighten and prevent oxidation. Also, ingredients like retinols, peptides and ceramides help to thicken and strengthen the skin, which makes broken capillaries less visible. Look for eye products that contain calming ingredients like vitamin K and arnica because they reduce inflammation, which reduces the appearance of dark circles.  

Try: Brightening Eye Contour Cream from SkinCode

Try: Retouch Eyes from Intraceuticals

 Puffiness: diet plays an important role in this area, therefore, if you have puffy eyes, try to avoid or cut back on salty foods and alcohol as this definitely contributes to the problem. Eye products that contain caffeine green, tea extract and antioxidants (vitamins C and E) are great because they stimulate circulation, constricting blood vessels, which helps to drain and decrease swelling.   

Try: Phyto Contour - Puffiness from Yonka

Try: Sacred Nature Eye Cream Gel from Comfort Zone

There are so many great solutions for the eyes!  Please don’t forget Boutique Skin Envie offers virtual and live consultations for FREE, therefore, if you need advice and would like to book an appointment with one of our experts, we are just a contact away.

Cheers,

Tasch xxx