An eye cream is a must in every woman’s skincare routine. The eye area is one of the most delicate, sensitive and fragile areas on the face, and that’s why it needs extra-special care. The eye area is also fraught with problems: dryness, dark undereye circles, fine lines, puffiness – sometimes in combination.
Yet, many of us are unknowingly make these 8 common mistakes when it comes to using an eye cream (and then wonder why it’s not working). Learn what they are here.
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The order in which you apply your skincare makes a difference in how each product is absorbed, and how effective it is on your skin.
As a general rule, apply skincare products in order of thickness. So if your eye cream happens to be thicker and richer than your moisturiser, apply it after. If it is lighter than your face serum, then it should go under it.
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Pro tip: if you want to get the most out of your eye cream (and moisturiser), you should apply it on damp skin to lock in the moisture. Plus, damp skin creates less friction, so you don’t end up tugging on your skin more than you need to.
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Learn this rule: Pat eye cream into skin, never rub it in. And use your fourth finger to do so as it is the weakest one, which ensures you won’t put more pressure on the delicate eye area than is needed.
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In the same way that you’d apply moisturiser twice a day, you should also do the same with your eye cream. Your skin is the most vulnerable to environmental factors and stressors during the day, so you must protect the delicate eye area with a thicker formula. Night time is when the skin regenerates and repairs itself, so save the serums or gels with smaller molecules and corrective ingredients for your PM routine.
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Give your eye cream time to fully absorb into your skin before you apply moisturiser or makeup. Wait a minute or two after (the perfect time to catch up on your IG stories or e-mails) to reap maximum benefits. If you don’t, you’ll just end up spreading the eye cream all over your face.
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More isn’t better when it comes to using eye cream. All you need is a pea-sized amount, which should be enough for both eyes. Applying a larger quantity is not always beneficial, and you might end up wasting precious product.
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It is a misconception that you should only use an eye cream when your skin starts to show signs of ageing – it’s probably already too late.
Eye creams work best as prevention, so you don’t have to deal with dark circles, wrinkles or puffiness later on. Ideally, you should start using an eye cream in your early to mid-20s, starting with a lightweight formula and switching to richer ingredients and formulation as you get older.
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Just because something costs more doesn’t mean it works better. Instead of choosing an eye cream based on its price, pay attention to the ingredients list instead. Look for formulas that contain hyaluronic acid (for hydration), retinol or vitamin A (which encourages cell turnover and boosts collagen production) and vitamins C and E (for brightening and anti-ageing).
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