We all love the look of bright, wide-awake eyes, but we’ll see dark circles, fine lines, and puffiness at some point. Whether they’re due to a lack of sleep or the effects of aging, you may wonder if there’s anything you can do to address them. And if you already use a daily moisturizer, is it worth incorporating a dedicated eye cream into your skincare routine?
Below, we’ll outline some of the benefits of adding eye cream to your daily face care regimen and help you figure out how to make this step part of your routine.
Why We Use Eye Cream
Sensitivity
The skin around your eyes is different from the rest of the skin on your face. It’s thinner and tends to be much more sensitive to both pressure—such as rubbing or exfoliating—and to skincare products themselves.
Eye cream formulas are usually composed of ingredients that are better suited to sensitive skin, and the cream itself is generally lighter in consistency, so it can be applied gently but effectively. These products tend to have more oils than facial moisturizers, making them easier to apply in thin, even layers without too much rubbing. They may also contain ingredients that target skincare concerns that are specific to the undereye area and might not affect the rest of your face¹.
Signs of Aging
Since the skin around the eyes is thinner and more delicate, it also tends to show signs of aging sooner than other parts of the face². The eye area is prone to fine lines and wrinkles, as well as signs of dehydration and poor sleep. The ingredients in eye cream tend to be specifically chosen to improve dark circles and puffiness in this delicate area. Even if you use an anti-aging moisturizer, it may be too potent.
What to Look For in an Eye Cream
Now that you know why you should get a dedicated eye cream, it’s important to understand what should be in this product. Be wary of heavy fragrances or added coloring agents, which can cause issues for sensitive skin.
Look for ingredients that target specific concerns, such as fine lines or dark circles. Our newly reformulated Advanced Repair Eye Cream uses high-powered naturally-derived ingredients. Bladderwrack algae helps promote brightness and luminosity, while green microalgae visibly smooths the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Our plant-derived amino acids help firm skin, and fermented plant extract helps depuff and refresh the eye area³.
The area around your eyes needs hydration just like the rest of your skin, so it’s essential to choose a nourishing and moisturizing eye cream. We use squalane derived from sustainable sugarcane. This powerful hydrator offers all-day moisture while still feeling lightweight on the skin.
For extra firming and brightening when you need it, add an eye serum. Our Ocean Eyes® Age-Defying Serum contains hyaluronic acid for a hydration boost, plus smoothing peptides that reduce the appearance of lines and puffiness⁴.
How to Incorporate Eye Care Into Your Routine
If you already have an AM and PM skincare routine, then you’re on your way to more hydrated undereye skin. After using a gentle cleanser to wash your face, apply any toners and serums, including your eye serum. Let the serum sit for about 30 seconds so it penetrates fully.
Remember that products should be layered from lightest to heaviest, so eye cream comes after serum. Apply the cream gently by tapping into the skin with the tips of your ring fingers. Why this finger? The ring finger doesn’t have independent tendons, so it’s considered weaker than the other digits⁵—and that means no excess pressure. Once your eye cream is in place, you're ready to moisturize the rest of your face.
While adding another step to your skincare routine can seem a bit extra, eye care is worth the effort. Treat this ultra-delicate skin to more hydration and a firmer, brighter appearance.
Notes
1. Collins, S. Do You Really Need Eye Cream? WebMD. Retrieved February 15, 2023, from https://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/need-eye-cream
2. Montes, S. Do Eye Creams Work? Byrdie. Retrieved February 15, 2023, from https://www.byrdie.com/do-eye-creams-work
3. https://oseamalibu.com/products/advanced-repair-eye-cream
4. https://oseamalibu.com/products/ocean-eyes
5. Ibraheem, H. Making this simple change to your skincare routine could reduce eye wrinkles. Good Housekeeping. Retrieved February 15, 2023, from https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/beauty/skincare/a568623/how-to-prevent-eye-wrinkles/
