I’m a Derm Nurse Practitioner & here are my honest thoughts.
The skin around the eye area is very delicate and is the thinnest skin on the body. It also is inevitably exposed to lots of sun exposure over the years and is strained on a daily basis. Because of this, it often shows early signs of aging including fine lines, wrinkles, puffiness, and pigmentation.
So should you be using an eye cream? It’s complicated. The reality is many eye creams on the market are formulated with the same ingredients as regular moisturizers. Many of the active ingredients we use, like retinoids or antioxidants, can also benefit the skin around the eyes. That being said, not everyone can tolerate the products they use on their face around the eyelid skin as well.
Here are my general recommendations:
You may not need/want a separate eye cream if…
- You can tolerate your regular moisturizer around the eye area. It’s totally fine to use your normal facial moisturizer around the eye area if it doesn’t irritate & hydrates effectively. If you have especially dry eyes, you can always use something simple like Aquaphor or Vaseline around this area as well.
- You can tolerate your regular facial sunscreen around the eye area. For many, I recommend sticking with mineral based sunscreen formulas, which tend to cause less irritation around the eye area. Again, your facial SPF can be used around the eyes if it doesn’t cause burning, redness, or other signs of irritation.
- You can tolerate your “active” ingredients, like your retinol or vitamin c, around this area. It’s always best to start low and go slow, as these ingredients may be irritating for some, especially in the delicate eye area. But if you can handle it here, there’s really no need to invest in a special eye cream.
You may want to add an eye cream if…
- Your regular moisturizer is irritating, is not hydrating enough, or is too heavy/greasy (i.e. causing milia – those pesky little white bumps under the skin) for the eyelid skin. In these cases when your facial moisturizer is not working well around the eyes, it may be better to use a separate eye cream.
- You have specific eye concerns you would like to treat (fine lines, discoloration, etc.) and your active ingredients for your face are too irritating around your eyes. Many eye creams are formulated with lower concentrations of active ingredients, which are often better tolerated around the eyelid skin.
- You enjoy using one! Skincare is SO personal and many people just ENJOY using an eye cream (myself included). So even if you don’t necessarily “fit” into one of the categories above, but want to incorporate one into your routine, I’m all about it.
EYE CREAM RECOMMENDATIONS
So if you are interested in adding in an eye cream, I GOT YOU. Here are some of my tried & true products I recommend in various categories depending on your needs. As always, I include both drugstore and higher end options to fit your individual budget.
Remember, there is no MIRACLE eye cream. If you have specific concerns, in-office treatments are often needed for significant improvement, so your $$ may be better spent there. Prevention is key, so most importantly, make sure you are applying your sunscreen around your eyes on a daily basis!
Eye cream with Sunscreen & Concealer – Colorescience Total Eye 3 in 1 Renewal Therapy SPF 35 OR (PRO TIP)I love using a sunscreen stick around the eyes like the Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Stick
Eye cream with Retinol – Avene Retrinal Eyes
Eye cream with Retinol (drugstore pick) – Olay Retinol24 Eye Cream
Splurge – Worthy Eye Cream – SkinBetter Interfuse Eye Cream or Skinceuticals A.G.E Advanced Eye Cream
Best cream for Crow’s feet – Revision Revox Line Relaxer
Eye cream without retinol – Neocutis Lumiere Eye Cream
Eye cream without retinol (drugstore pick) – Cerave Skin Renewing Eye Cream
Reuseable Eye Mask – Dieux Forever Eye Mask Reuseable Silicone Patches
I hope this helps! If you have any specific questions, feel free to drop them below or send me a message. Most of these products are linked on my “Shop My” page if you want to see specifics.
