All About the Eyes

Skincare for the Eyes

Did you know the skin around the eyes is ~10x thinner than the skin on the face? Because the skin around the eyes is so thin, it's often the first to show signs of aging–wrinkles, fine lines, dark circles, etc.–which is why it's so important to take extra care of it! Here are some tips and tricks to give your eyes some much-needed TLC.

To take your eye treatment up a notch, you'll first want to stimulate collagen production and help thicken the skin. Then, you'll want to ensure this area gets adequate hydration. 

So, what products to use around the eyes?

Eye creams are not magic potions, but they are definitely a great addition to your daily skincare routine! Eye creams like DEJ Eye Cream are specially formulated for the eye area to boost your skin's ability to retain moisture. Regular use can help to maintain elasticity and improve fine lines, wrinkles, dryness + eyelid hooding. 

• DEJ Eye Cream: Provides intense hydration and helps boost the skin's ability to attract and retain moisture and provides antioxidant protection. Also great for skin laxity around the eyes - like hooding of the upper lids.

Using a retinoid in addition to eye cream can encourage the stimulation of collagen in an area where the skin is thin and delicate.

• RetinAL Skin Therapy: This is our favorite under eye + retinoid solution as it is gentle enough to be used around the eye area (avoiding eyelids) in addition to your full face. Make sure you don't skip this step when applying your retinoid–use your ring finger or pinkie finger to gently pat product into the skin to prevent tugging and protect this delicate skin. (Not recommended for use during pregnancy.)

And if you want to be an overachiever and minimize puffiness, add in Overachiever! (this would be applied before DEJ Eye Cream + RetinAL Skin Therapy)

Different Skin Conditions Around the Eyes

Let's dive into a few common skin conditions you may notice around the eye area!

Dark Circles

When it comes to dark circles around the eyes, here's what you need to determine before anything else—is the darkness from thinning skin or is the skin is plump, just discolored? Learn more about the differences in this Skincare School episode.

Did you try the pinch test?!

If the culprit is thin skin (the darkness seems to disappear when you pull the skin up), you need a retinoid to increase collagen production and plump the skin. Look for one that’s safe for use around the eyes (why hello there, RetinAL Skin Therapy).

If the skin stays dark when raised, you need to work on brightening the pigmentation of the skin. Our Brightening Duo (Liquid Gold + Brightening Serum) is formulated with kojic acid, arbutin, licorice, and vitamin C. Some of the best natural skin lighteners and brighteners in the market.

What causes dark circles & how do you get rid of them?

CAUSES:

• Fatigue
• Genetics
• Allergies, asthma, eczema (any condition that causes the eyes to itch)
• Medications that cause blood vessels to dilate
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Sun exposure
• Thinning skin and loss of fat/collagen that comes with aging

TREATMENT OPTIONS:

• Tear trough filler
• Platelet-Rich Plasma injections
• Laser Skin Resurfacing or microneedling
• Visiting an allergist for proper allergy management
• Eye creams are not miracle workers, but they work well in adjunct to other treatments
• Having an in-person consultation with an experienced provider is the best way so they can create a treatment plan for you!

What causes fine lines + wrinkles around the eyes? 

• Natural Aging
• Sun exposure
• Eye expression/movement
• Smoking/Vaping
• Allergies
• Poor Diet
• Rubbing your eyes
• Side sleeping
• Genetics

• SPF EVERYDAY!
• Again, eye creams are not miracle workers, but they work well in adjunct to other treatments
• Keep the skin hydrated
• Avoid rubbing your eyes
• Avoid sleeping on your side or invest in an anti-wrinkle pillow
• Neuromodulator injections (Botox, etc.)
• Filler
• Laser Treatments
• Chemical Peels
• Microneedling

Common Bumps Around the Eyes

• Milia: caused by an accumulation of oil and dead skin cells that get trapped under the skin. They sometimes go away on their own with the use of AHA/BHAs and retinoids (that are safe around the eye area), but in some cases they have to be removed in-office.

• Syringomas: overgrowth of sweat glands that can cause small, benign tumors. They are harmless, but can be treated with lasers at a dermatologist office.
• Sebaceous Gland Prominence: visible oil glands around the eye due to the skin being thinner. These are totally normal, and while there is no official "treatment," using a retinoid (like RetinAL Skin Therapy) around the eye area to improve skin quality can help improve the appearance. Office treatments like lasers, microneedling and PRP injections will also help to improve the skin quality. 

A Sweet Short-Term Fix

What's the best short-term solution for lessening common eye area concerns? Pairing up your favorite eye cream or serum with Everyday Eye Hero reusable eye patches!

By using these patches, you are helping the cream or serum penetrate deeper and faster, making it more likely to see better results, temporarily minimizing:

• puffiness
• dark circles
• fine lines

Our go-to combo is applying Overachiever or DEJ Eye Cream, placing the EEH reusable eye patches on top and waiting 10-20 minutes before removing and finishing the rest of your skincare routine (SPF in the morning and retinoid and moisturizer at night).

Don't forget–reducing these concerns for the long haul takes time and consistency, but this hack can definitely help when your eyes could use some extra love before a big day or event.