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Beauty Breakdown: Everything You Need To Know About Eye Care, From Experts

Jamie Schneider
Author:
March 20, 2023
Jamie Schneider
Beauty & Health Editor
By Jamie Schneider
Beauty & Health Editor
Jamie Schneider is the Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English from the University of Michigan, and her work has appeared in Coveteur, The Chill Times, and Wyld Skincare.
woman applying eye cream
Image by ohlamour studio / Stocksy
March 20, 2023
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For such a small amount of facial real estate, the eyes dominate quite the significant chunk of beauty conversation. I'd argue it's because the eye area is essentially a microcosm of just about every beauty concern out there. Discoloration? Hello, dark circles. Fine lines? Yep, and crow's feet, too. Even hair growth gripes (like shedding and brittleness) make their way into the discussion—eyelashes are tiny hairs, after all.  

Given the many intricacies of the eyes, it can be difficult to compile every single eye care tip into one scannable field guide. Difficult, yes, but not impossible! Below, you'll find everything you need to know about caring for the eyes—from under-eye wrinkles to dark circles to puffiness, lash growth, and more. 

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The 101 on eye care. 

The skin around your eyes is the thinnest, most sensitive region of your entire face. Because the epidermis is so thin, the skin under your eyes is a lot more sensitive to sun damage, pollution, and oxidative stress. Your skin already thins with age (thanks to a loss of collagen), but the area around your eyes is usually the first to sag. 

Your eyes also emote quite a bit throughout your lifetime, making the area a vulnerable spot for fine lines. That's not to say you should never squint or laugh again, but constantly contracting those muscles can create wrinkles over time; it's another reason the area tends to be first to show fine lines with age. 

And because the skin is so thin and delicate, it can easily dry out, crease, or swell after a late night, bout of poor sleep, or uptick in stress. They say the eyes are windows to the soul—in skin care, their brightness (or lack thereof) can offer a peek into your overall health. 

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The 7 things we're getting wrong right now. 

You might be surprised by a few of these mistakes: 

  1. Sleeping in your makeup: "Sleeping with eye makeup can be particularly dangerous, resulting in irritation, allergic reactions, or more severe conditions, such as infections or a scratched cornea," board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, M.D., previously told mbg about sleeping in makeup. Not to mention, heading to bed with mascara on can lead to eyelash breakage and sparse flutters. Especially if you smash your face into the pillow while you sleep, as the stiff mascara can "crunch" your lashes against the fabric, King adds. 
  2. Tugging or rubbing your eyes: Rubbing the occasional itch likely won't do much harm, but try not to be too harsh on your fragile eye area. Constantly tugging the eyes can damage the lid skin (leading to wrinkles) and may even cause lashes to fall out. "Also, rubbing the eyes increases risk of exposing this delicate skin to something on the fingers that could trigger contact dermatitis," King says regarding dry eyelids.
  3. Forgetting SPF: You need to protect your skin from excess sun, full stop. But so many forget to show the under-eyes that same love! "UV exposure plays a huge role in under-eye wrinkle formation," board-certified dermatologist Lauren Penzi, M.D., FAAD, tells mbg about under-eye wrinkles, so make sure to protect the delicate area. 
  4. Using irritating eye makeup: Contact dermatitis is especially prevalent around the eyes, and irritating eye makeup is a very common culprit. "Sensitivity to makeup is often confused for seasonal allergies," board-certified ophthalmologist Diane Hilal-Campo, M.D., founder of twenty/twenty beauty, previously told mbg. "You might notice redness, irritation, dry eyes, blurred vision, a burning feeling, a scratchy sensation in your eye (like something is in it), or tired eyes." Some people even encounter lash loss, too. 
  5. Using harsh topicals: Potent actives—retinol, glycolic acid, and the like—are great for fending off fine lines and wrinkles, but they do have the potential to irritate sensitive eyes and result in more fine lines over time (it's a delicate dance). Make sure the products you use directly under the eyes remain gentle enough to tolerate, and make sure your heavy-duty actives stay spread out from the eye area. 
  6. Ignoring eye strain: Constantly straining your eyes may lead to crow's feet and dark circles down the road due to "subsequent engorgement of the surrounding blood vessels," board-certified dermatologist Rebecca Marcus, M.D., FAAD, once explained. More importantly, eye strain is linked to issues with brain fog, anxiety, and overall health
  7. Ignoring diet & lifestyle: "Diet is definitely important for our skin overall and likely plays a role in under-eye wrinkle formation," Penzi says. Your eyes are quick to betray salt retention, inflammation from sugar, an uptick in stress, and of course, a lack of sleep. 
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The 7 steps you need to know. 

It's all eyes on eye care. 

1.

Hydrate. 

Whether you use a proper eye cream or simply tap some moisturizer onto the area, you need to give the eye area some extra TLC. Depending on your specific skin care goal—be it puffiness, dark circles, fine lines, etc.—you may reach for a slightly different formula (don't worry; we'll offer recommendations below), but antioxidants, humectants, and peptides are generally A+ players. 

No matter which targeted product you use, consider this your sign to start hydrating the fragile skin. 

2.

Protect from free radicals. 

When free radicals come in contact with the skin (via air pollution, smoking, UV exposure, etc.), they put it into a state of oxidative stress. Over time, this can actually speed up the skin aging process1, triggering concerns like dark spots, fine lines, and sagging. And because the skin around your eyes is the thinnest and most fragile region of your whole face, you might notice those changes sooner than others. 

All that to say: Do your best to protect the skin from those free radicals. Some aggressors, like air pollution, are simply out of your control, but there are ways you can fend off that oxidative stress. Stop smoking if you currently are, use SPF (more on that in a minute), and make sure you have plenty of antioxidants in your skin care lineup. 

3.

Find the right topicals. 

Everyone can benefit from extra hydration, but if you're dealing with a specific under-eye concern, you'll want to consider more targeted ingredients: 

  • For fine lines: Humectants (like hyaluronic acid) can temporarily plump those fine lines, but for long-term smoothness, you might find success with retinol. "It is safe to use in this area if it is formulated using a low concentration, a gentle cream-type base, and compounded with other nourishing or hydrating ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, etc." says Penzi. Again, just make sure it's actually gentle enough for your delicate under-eyes to handle.  
  • For puffiness: Caffeine is your best bet. It's a vasoconstrictor (meaning it compresses blood vessels in the skin), which can help reduce flushing and inflammation—both of which can lead to puffiness in the eye area. Banana extract is also a star ingredient: "The high level of potassium in bananas helps counteract the salt that leads to fluid retention," writes integrative medicine physician Bindiya Gandhi, M.D., about puffy eyes.  
  • For dark circles: Caffeine also works wonders here thanks to vasoconstriction (one cause of dark circles is blood showing through the thin skin). You'll also want to look for classic skin brighteners, like vitamin C, arbutin, kojic acid, or niacinamide
  • For dryness: Dry, flaky under-eyes are just the worst, aren't they? Load on the hydrating players, like hyaluronic acid, aloe, colloidal oat, squalane, and so on. 
4.

Take care of your lashes. 

Let's not forget about those flutters. Your eyelashes do so much for your orbs—for instance, they keep dust and dirt out of your eyes and help your orbs stay hydrated—so it's important to keep them strong and healthy. Below, find some must-have tips from Hilal-Campo: 

  • Curl with caution: "Lash curling should be done gently, so as not to damage the lashes," she says. All you need is a gentle squeeze to encourage the curl. 
  • Limit your falsies & extensions: Constantly dolloping glue onto your sensitive lash line can lead to irritation and even lash loss (another reason you should always remove your makeup at the end of the day!). "Many avoid cleansing [extensions] to preserve them, which can lead to infection as well as infestation of Demodex, or lash mites," she adds. 
  • Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate: To keep the lashes full and lifted, moisture is key. Hilal-Campo recommends opting for a lash growth serum with minimal, conditioning ingredients. Think castor oil, peptides, panthenol, aloe vera, etc. 

For more lash growth tips, feel free to check out our full guide here

5.

Prioritize sleep. 

Beauty sleep is very real. Just one night of poor sleep can result in dark, swollen under-eye circles. Not to mention, research has demonstrated a link between shut-eye and collagen production2. So a lack of sleep can actually accelerate skin aging over time—for the eyes, this means sagging lids, fine lines, and sunken shadows. 

6.

Protect with SPF. 

Told you we'd come back to SPF! Up to 80% of the signs of skin aging3 are due to UV damage, and since the eyes are already so susceptible to accelerated aging, that damage can show up pretty quickly. 

"In addition to protecting the skin of your face with SPF, it is important not to forget the eyelid skin and other sensitive areas," double board-certified dermatologist Brendan Camp, M.D., says about eye wrinkle treatments. Either find an eye cream that includes SPF, or tap your regular sunscreen underneath and around the eyes. Just make sure to strategically apply the lotion and avoid touching the orbs themselves, lest you face any stinging or irritation.

7.

Promote collagen production.

Collagen is what keeps your skin looking firm and taut, and that includes the skin underneath your eyes. As your skin loses its collagen and elastin, the fat pads around your eyes lose their structure and start to droop. 

That's why experts will encourage ingredients known to support collagen production, like retinol, antioxidants, peptides, and algae (which can inhibit enzymes that break down collagen and help manage photoaging). They'll also recommend internal methods, like eating foods high in collagen (think bone broth) or taking collagen supplements, to help restore your natural levels. Here, you can find our favorite high-quality powders

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3 extra ideas. 

Looking to go above and beyond? I applaud your determination! Here are some extra tips to supercharge all-around eye care:

  1. Face massage: To reduce puffing, might we suggest a quick under-eye massage? Whether you use a chilled ice globe (feels heavenly) or your own two fingers, applying a bit of pressure can help drain the fluid. Just make sure to use a very light hand and always apply a cream or oil for some slip.
  2. Use an under-eye patch: Eye patches are great for temporarily plumping the skin and dialing down inflammation (which leads to brighter, less puffy eyes). Plus, they're A+ for prepping the area pre-makeup—because no one likes flaky concealer. See here for our favorite serum-soaked swishes. 
  3. Try face yoga: Your eyes contain tiny, delicate muscles responsible for squinting, smiling, and expressing. Why not strengthen them? Plenty of folks swear by face yoga for firming the skin and keeping it plump since the isolated movements can help promote blood circulation in the skin and tighten the area. See here for some beginner-friendly exercises around the eye area. 
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The 8 best products to try:

Best for fine lines: Origins Plantscription Wrinkle Correction Eye Cream With Encapsulated Retinol

Pros

  • Gently brightens & smooths fine lines
  • Thick formula that’s great for nighttime hydration

Cons

  • Doesn’t come with a spoon or spatula

Key ingredients:

AnogeissusEncapsulated retinolNiacinamideCaffeineHyaluronic acid

Price:

$58

Retinol is your best bet for easing fine lines, but this antioxidant-rich formula uses encapsulated retinol to ensure it remains gentle enough for those under-eyes. Plus, the soothing oils and butters (cocoa seed butter and sunflower seed oil, to name a couple) buffer the active so you’re left only with bright, firm, silky-smooth peepers. In fact, after 142 women tested the product twice a day for 4 weeks, 89% of them said their eye area looked more youthful. 

Best for puffiness: ILIA Bright Start Retinol Alternative Eye Cream

Pros

  • Eases fine lines & puffiness
  • Smooth application
  • Fragrance-free

Cons

  • Ceramic tip can be difficult to sanitize

Key ingredients:

CaffeineSea fennel extractAvocado extractPeptides

Price:

$46

This silky formula includes sea fennel extract (which is often touted as a natural retinol alternative), upcycled avocado extract, caffeine, and peptides to smooth and refresh tired, sallow under-eyes. Not to mention, it features light-reflecting pearl pigments to provide some instant brightness. Caffeine itself is great for reducing puffiness, but this eye cream also comes with a cooling ceramic tipwhen you glide the applicator around your eyes, it doubles as a de-puffing tool

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Best for dark circles: Kinship Brightwave

Pros

  • Doubles as a color corrector
  • Cooling & whipped, creamy texture

Cons

  • Doesn’t come with an applicator

Key ingredients:

Vitamin CRed algaeChaga mushroomSea buckthorn berry

Price:

$35

This creamy formula is filled with ingredients known for their brightening, anti-inflammatory benefits. Of course, you’ll find vitamin C esters to even discoloration, but you’ll also discover red algae to attract hydration and chaga mushroom to provide de-puffing, energizing properties.

Plus, the orange-peachy hue (derived from sea buckthorn berry) helps cancel out unwanted blue tones, so it functions like a color corrector. It’s also fragrance-free, which means you won’t irritate the sensitive eye area with any essential oils or perfumes. 

Best for dryness: Savor Beauty Caviar Eye Cream

Pros

  • Comes with a spatula applicator
  • Super hydrating
  • Rich whipped texture

Cons

  • Contains essential oils, if you’re sensitive to those

Key ingredients:

CaffeineWhite truffle extractCaviar extractCoQ10

Price:

$68

I have super dry under-eyes, and this is one of the only creams that delivers lasting hydration. I suspect it has to do with the caviar and white truffle extracts—aside from just sounding fancy, both ingredients feed the skin barrier with nourishing fatty acids. There’s also CoQ10 to support collagen production and caffeine to bright dark circles. And even though it does contain essential oils, I don’t notice any lingering fragrance, only supple moisturized under-eyes. 

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Best under-eye patches: Three Ships Beauty Brighter Days Red Algae + Avocado Biodegradable Eye Masks

Pros

  • 100% biodegradable
  • Budget-friendly
  • Very brightening & hydrating

Cons

  • Can be slippery on the skin

Key ingredients:

Avocado extractRed algaeGlycerinAllantoin

Price:

$29

I cannot get enough of these brightening eye patches—good thing the jar comes with 30 pairs, right? The hydrating serum contains glycerin and red algae extract to attract moisture, allantoin to soothe and reduce inflammation, and upcycled avocado extract to deliver conditioning fatty acids. And like the name suggests, these eye patches are 100% biodegradable: Pop them in warm-hot water for 10 minutes so they can dissolve, then you can pour the remaining liquid down the drain. It really works!

Best lash serum: twenty/twenty beauty Get Growing Lash & Brow Serum

Pros

  • Simple 3-ingredient formula
  • Formulated by an eye doctor
  • Very conditioning

Cons

  • You need your own brush or cotton swab to apply

Key ingredients:

Castor oilArgan oilCoconut oil

Price:

$52

This lash growth serum was formulated by Hilal-Campo herself, so you know it’s oh-so easy on the eyes. With castor oil (known for its lash-enhancing abilities), argan oil, and coconut oil, it strengthens and conditions lashes with absolutely zero irritation. No fragrance, no alcohol, and no uncomfortable side effects. 

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Best tool: True Botanicals De-Puff Under Eye Roller

Pros

  • Easy to clean
  • Can use with any serum or cream
  • Small enough to reach precise areas

Cons

  • Some reviewers note the roller can get stuck

Key ingredients:

Stainless steel

Price:

$38

To help your serums and eye creams sink into the skin, use this adorable roller tool. (It’s also a great addition to the eye creams above that don’t come with their own applicator.) The stainless steel material always stays cool so you can de-puff the eye area, and the natural weight helps stimulate circulation and move stagnant fluid. The result? Toned, bright, fresh under-eyes. 

Best makeup remover: Renée Rouleau Soothing Eye Makeup Remover

Pros

  • Very gentle
  • Big bottle
  • Fragrance-free

Cons

  • Very thin consistency, so you may need a lot of product with each use

Key ingredients:

Polysorbate 20Cocamidopropyl betaine

Price:

$34.50

You need to take off your makeup at the end of the day, but that doesn’t mean you must succumb to red, bleary, stinging eyes. This oil-free remover from famed esthetician Renée Rouleau melts away stubborn makeup (even waterproof mascara) without blurring your vision or leaving behind a greasy residue. The light, watery formula has a pH level of 7.5 which is similar to the pH of your own tears (tear fluid has a pH range of was 6.5 to 7.6), so it’s especially comforting on the orbs. 

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The beauty breakdown. 

Eye care is so much more than addressing fine lines or dark circles. To truly treat the area with the love it deserves, you'll want to approach eye care at every angle—from enhancing the under-eyes to lifting the lid skin to promoting lash growth and, of course, caring for the orbs themselves. And we didn't even get into makeup! (That would only make this article even more of a beast.) Don't worry: You can find every single concealer tip right here.

Meet The Experts

Jamie Schneider is the Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English from the University of Michigan, and her work has appeared in Coveteur, The Chill Times, and Wyld Skincare.