HOW TO APPLY EYE CREAM FOR MAXIMUM RESULTS
The skin around your eyes is some of the thinnest on your entire body, which makes it extra vulnerable and fragile. The first signs of ageing often appear here – hello fine lines and puffiness! Which is why {eye cream} is an essential step in your daily skin care routine.
In this guide we’ll share top tips on how to apply your eye cream for maximum results. We’ll talk you through the best time of day and at which stage of your skin care routine to apply it, as at what stage in life it should become a firm fixture in your {skin care} arsenal.
First things first, let’s look at the ingredients you should look out for…
THE BEST INGREDIENTS TO LOOK FOR IN AN EYE CREAM
The best way to choose an eye cream is to pick a formula featuring ingredients that target your concerns. Here are some of the best ingredients to look for:
- Hyaluronic acid: for extra hydration
The hydrating hero that is hyaluronic acid strikes again thanks to its incredible ability to lock in moisture, making under eyes look plumper and firmer.
- Niacinamide: to hydrate and calm
{Niacinamide} is a form of vitamin B3 that helps to improve the skin’s barrier function. It can hydrate, even out skin tone, combat dullness, protect against age-accelerating environmental aggressors, and reduce expression lines.
- Peptides: to boost collagen production
These short chains of amino acids form the building blocks of skin-essential proteins like collagen, keratin and elastin. They encourage production of these proteins and, in turn, keep your eye area firmer for longer.
- Retinol: for next-level anti-aging
Superstar {retinol} can be very effective for the eye area, so long as your skin is able to tolerate it. It’s an age-defying powerhouse, accelerating cell turnover and generally “youthifying” wherever it’s applied.
- Caffeine: to reduce puffiness
Caffeine is often included in eye creams for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, which can help to reduce puffiness and dark circles. Turn around, bright eyes!
HOW TO APPLY EYE CREAM IN THREE SIMPLE STEPS
- PUT A PEA-SIZED AMOUNT OF EYE CREAM ONTO YOUR RING FINGER
Eye creams are super concentrated, so you’ll usually need less than a pea-size amount for both eyes. Your ring finger has the lightest touch, which is ideal for the delicate eye area as you don’t want to put too much pressure on that skin.
- GENTLY APPLY THE EYE CREAM UNDER YOUR EYES
If your skin is fragile and lacking elasticity, then gently patting the cream around the eye area is the best way to apply it.
If you have more elasticity, then you can gently create circular motions, working from under the eyes to the inner corner then up and round towards your brow bone, taking care not to tug on the skin.
Don’t put the eye cream on your eyelids unless your product specifically says it’s ok to do so, and make sure you don’t get too close to your eye. Stop a few millimetres below your lash line to avoid irritation.
- WAIT FOR THE EYE CREAM TO ABSORB BEFORE APPLYING ANY OTHER PRODUCTS
After applying your eye cream, wait about two minutes before applying concealer or other skin care products. This will give your eye cream time to fully absorb.
TOP TIPS FOR GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR EYE CREAM
We’ve teamed up with {Cult Concierge} expert {Sarah} to provide you with these top tips for getting the absolute most out of your eye cream.
TRUST IN THE POWER OF GEMSTONES
If you struggle with puffiness in particular then using a {jade roller} after applying your eye cream will help to cool the skin and help to drain some of the puffiness.
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PATCH UP BEFORE A NIGHT OUT
Applying {eye patches} is a quick fix to hydrate and plump the skin and give you an instant radiance boost. The patches help the product to absorb effectively, so they’re a great idea if you want to turn around the appearance of your skin in just a few minutes.
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LAYER UP
When targeting specific concerns such as fine lines, you can layer a treatment {eye serum} with a slightly richer cream over the top. When using this method, it’s important that only a small amount of product is used and that the first treatment is allowed to absorb before going in with the slightly richer cream.
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TO FRIDGE OR NOT TO FRIDGE
Eye cream doesn’t need to be kept in the fridge, but if you really struggle with puffiness then you can keep your roller and eye masks in the fridge for more of a cooling sensation when you apply the product. This won’t make the products more effective per se, but it feels great!
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WHEN TO APPLY EYE CREAM
Most eye creams are designed to be used twice a day, as part of both your morning and evening skin care routine, and you’ll get the most benefits when you use them consistently.
If you only want to apply eye cream once a day, then do so at night. Your skin naturally goes into repair mode at night, so you’ll get the most out of your eye cream and its ingredients that way.
That said, if you’ve chosen an eye cream intended to brighten the under-eye area, like one infused with caffeine, then it’s better to apply that in the morning. The benefits of these types of eye creams are immediate, whereas the benefits of others, like those designed with anti-ageing in mind, are longer-term.
In terms of where eye cream fits into your skin care routine, you should apply eye cream after you’ve cleansed and used your serums, but generally before your {moisturiser}. We say generally as this can vary between products. If in doubt, check your product packaging to see what’s advised.
WHEN SHOULD YOU START USING AN EYE CREAM?
There’s no hard and fast rule, but as with your skin care routine in general, it pays to start early! Starting in your 20s can help to delay the initial signs of ageing as your collagen levels start to decrease.
If that ship has sailed, then fear not! It’s never too late to start using an eye cream.
