Eye Creams For Every Age
We have a confession to make.. we don’t use an eye cream. There, we said it. And judging by a little recon we did with our friends (Q: ‘hey, do you use an eye cream?’ A: ‘nuh’, or ‘my mum does’), most people in their 20s (even 30s and 40s) don’t. Eye cream just isn’t seductive like potent retinol serums that promise to even-out your skin tone and shrink your pores overnight.
So, we wondered, do we really need one? And when should we get serious about adding this extra step to our skincare routines? The simple answer to that question is: the time is now.
To be honest, we’ve been putting it off. Partially due to laziness, partly because we’ve been living in blissful ignorance. ‘It’s a marketing ploy’, ‘I don’t need one of those ’till I’m 40′ and ‘ain’t nobody got time for that’ were some of our favourite justifications.
That is, until we got the 411.
If you want to put your ‘visible’ age on pause, you’ve gotta get in early with some preventative measures – the first being sunscreen, and the second eye cream (forget what they told you – the eyes are actually a window to your youth, double shot vodkas, too many ‘social’ cigarettes and late nights).
We hate to break it to you, but fine lines, darkness, that ‘sunken-in’ look, dryness and puffiness creep up on everyone eventually because the skin around the eyes is naturally thinner, but it also gets the biggest workout through through expression.
This, you can’t help (it’s called life), but what you can do is pump the area with hydration, antioxidants and a few super anti-agers to slow the process down as much as possible.
Here’s the ones that are totally worth it.
By Carmen Hamilton.
Early 20s – Estelle & Thild Biodefense Antioxidant Eye Cream
We’re obsessed with this brand out of Stockholm. This eye cream gives a super boost of hydration (minus the greasiness) and never stings. The ingredients are also certified organic, and packed with antioxidants to which help to strengthen the skin’s fighting power against stress and sun damage – both key in your 20’s.
Late 20s – Sunday Riley Start Over Active Eye Cream
Known as a good night’s sleep in a bottle, this stuff is a backstage favourite (it’s how the Stella McCartney models get their glow on) because the impact is instant. Vitamin C, liquorice and skin-repairing fatty acids give a cooling effect to the skin which reduces puffiness and brightens the whole area. It also stimulates collagen production to plump and firm the skin around the eyes, but beware, this cream is quite thick (and maybe too much for super young skin to handle).
Late 20’s – early 30’s – Verso Super Eye Serum with Retinol 8
Now it’s time to start getting serious.
This one uses retinol 8 (FYI, not safe for use if pregnant) and amino acids to boost the skin’s collagen production and firm and smooth the eye area.
Early 30s – Clinique Superdefense for Eyes SPF15+
A potent mix of anti-ageing ingredients + a major added advantage – a built-in mineral-based SPF, which makes it perfect for wearing every day.
When you put it on, it instantly makes the eye area look brighter (with zero sparkle or shimmer, tick) and keeps the skin hydrated throughout the day.
Late 30’s+ – Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye
Ok, it’s time to turn to something a little more heavy duty. This one uses the same secret formula as Estée Lauder’s cult serum to boost the skin’s natural repair process, meaning it gets to work on fine lines, puffiness and dark circles while you wear it.
It also uses hyaluronic acid to help your skin hold onto water and strengthen’s its ability to fight-off the nasty stuff from the day.
