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Eye creams fill a unique need within the skincare routine, targeting a very specific, delicate area of the face with some of the most potent ingredients in skincare. While there are many different types of eye creams with many different purposes, eye creams are most commonly formulated to address skin aging concerns such as fine lines and dark circles. With that, let's talk about eye cream and which ingredients and treatments can actually make a difference in your skincare routine.
What Is Eye Cream and What Does It Do?
Eye cream is a specially formulated skincare product designed to address the unique needs of the delicate skin around the eyes. Unlike a typical facial moisturizer, eye creams contain concentrated ingredients that target specific concerns such as fine lines, dark circles, puffiness, and dryness. Depending on its formulation, an eye cream can hydrate, brighten, and/or rejuvenate the eye area, making it an essential part of an anti-aging skincare routine.
The Best Eye Cream Ingredients
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a powerful humectant that attracts and retains moisture, providing deep hydration to the skin. It is typically used to visibly plump and smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, making the skin look more supple and youthful. By binding water to the skin, hyaluronic acid helps maintain optimal moisture levels, ensuring the delicate eye area remains hydrated and refreshed.
(We love HA here at Solawave, which is why we've included it in some of our topical products, including our hydrating cleanser and nourishing moisturizer!)
Retinol
Retinol, a derivative of vitamin A, is renowned for its ability to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It works by accelerating cell turnover and stimulating collagen production, which helps improve skin texture and firmness. Retinol is often used in eye creams to address signs of skin aging, promoting a smoother and more youthful-looking eye area.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that brightens and evens out skin tone. It is commonly used to reduce the appearance of dark circles and hyperpigmentation around the eyes. By neutralizing free radicals and boosting collagen production, vitamin C helps to rejuvenate the skin, giving it a more radiant and youthful appearance.
Peptides
Peptides are short chains of amino acids that support collagen production, contributing to firmer-looking skin. They are typically used in eye creams to enhance skin elasticity and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. By signaling the skin to produce more collagen, peptides help maintain a smooth and resilient eye area.
(This is another ingredient we love so much, we dedicated an entire serum to it — check out our Plumping Peptide Serum here!)
Caffeine
Caffeine is a natural stimulant that helps reduce the appearance of puffiness and dark circles. It works by constricting blood vessels and improving circulation, which can diminish the appearance of swelling and discoloration around the eyes. Caffeine is often included in eye creams to provide a visible depuffing effect, leaving the eyes looking more awake and refreshed.
We know how well caffeine works, which is why we use it in our very own LightBoost Eye Cream! Caffeine works hard alongside vegan collagen, multi-peptides, ceramides, growth factors, and our proprietary light-boost blend to support the skin barrier, visually firm the skin, and support collagen production while hydrating and repairing skin! Plus, it helps to boost the effects of our Light Therapy Skincare Tools, how cool is that?
Niacinamide
Niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3, is a versatile ingredient that improves skin elasticity and strengthens the skin barrier. It is used in eye creams to enhance the overall health and resilience of the skin around the eyes. Niacinamide helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines, improve skin texture, and provide a more even skin tone, making it a valuable addition to any eye care routine.
Our Expert Eye Cream Tips
How Do You Apply Eye Cream?
Using your ring finger (as it exerts the least pressure on your delicate eye area), gently tap the product around the orbital bone (aka the eye socket). Start from the inner corner of your eye and move outward, being careful not to tug or pull at the delicate skin. This gentle tapping motion helps the cream absorb effectively while stimulating circulation, without causing unnecessary tension or friction on the thin eye area skin.
What's the Best Time To Apply Eye Cream?
Most eye creams will provide specific instructions on whether they should be applied during the day or at night. For optimal results, you can apply eye cream twice daily: a day cream once in the morning and a renewing eye cream at night. In the morning, it can help depuff and brighten the eye area, making you look more awake and refreshed. At night, it should work to repair and rejuvenate the skin while you sleep.
How Much Eye Cream Should I Use?
A little goes a long way when it comes to eye cream. Use no more than a pea-sized amount for both eyes, as using too much can overwhelm the sensitive skin in the area and lead to irritation. Dab small dots of the cream around each eye and gently blend it in using the ring finger tapping technique. This ensures that the product is evenly distributed and fully absorbed, providing maximum benefits without waste.
Adding a Red Light Therapy Eye Mask to Your Routine
Red Light Therapy is an innovative, non-invasive skincare treatment that offers numerous benefits not just for the eye area, but any area that shows visible signs of skin aging. With proper and consistent treatment, Red Light Therapy can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles including crow's feet and 11s, visibly smooth out the skin, visually brighten dark circles, address uneven tone, and visibly depuff eye bags.
We recommend the Eye Recovery Pro Light Therapy Eye Mask to help refresh and rejuvenate the skin around the eye area. Our mask uses Red Light, Amber Light, Deep Red Light, and Near-Infrared Light to target the eye area, providing professional-grade skincare technology from the comfort and convenience of home.
To use, simply place the mask over your eyes, turn it on, and relax for the duration of the 3-minute treatment, allowing the Light Therapy to do its work. All four types of Light Therapy are safe and gentle enough to fit into your regular routine up to three times per week (which we recommend for best results!).
Pro Tip: You can apply LightBoost Eye Cream under and around the eye area to boost the effects of Light Therapy!
Recommended Skincare Routine
- Cleanse: Start with our gentle Hydrating Gel Cleanser to remove any makeup, dirt, and impurities from your skin.
- Red Light Therapy Eye Mask: Ensure your skin is clean and dry, then use the Eye Recovery Pro for a quick but powerful Light Therapy treatment for the eye and under eye area. Apply LightBoost Eye Cream under and around the eye area before your Light Therapy treatment to boost the effects of Light Therapy.
- Tone: Use our Refreshing Jelly Mist to help balance and hydrate your skin to prepare it for the next steps.
- Serum: Apply our Plumping Peptide Serum to your entire face, focusing on areas that need extra care.
- Eye Cream (Day or Night): Gently tap a less-than-pea-sized amount of eye cream around each orbital bone using your ring finger.
- Moisturize: Follow with our Nourishing Moisturizer to lock in hydration and keep your skin soft and supple.
- Sunscreen (Morning Only): Finish your morning routine with a broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful UV rays; the skin around your eyes is extra susceptible to UV damage.
Conclusion
Eye creams can offer targeted care for the delicate skin around the eyes, and paired with advanced treatments like at-home Red Light Therapy, the thin skin around the eyes can get the care and nourishment they need to give off a radiant, bright glow once again. By addressing skin aging concerns such as fine lines, dark circles, and puffiness, eye creams paired with Red Light Therapy can help rejuvenate the skin and visibly awaken the eye area.
Looking to rejuvenate more than just your eye area? Red Light Therapy can help bring a radiant glow to your entire face, chest, and neck, too. Explore our full collection of at-home Red Light Therapy devices here.
Sources:
- Retinol: Cream, Serum, What It Is, Benefits, How To Use
- Vitamin C as an antioxidant: evaluation of its role in disease prevention
- How Much Do We Really Know About Our Favorite Cosmeceutical Ingredients?
