THE EYES are a particularly fragile area, prone to puffiness, wrinkles, crow’s feet, dark circles and sagging. Plus the skin is four times thinner than on the rest of the face and has fewer oil glands, leaving it extra vulnerable to moisture loss.
DARK CIRCLES are caused by dilation of the tiny blood vessels beneath your eyes. Your bone structure and natural skin tone can make the problem seem worse (people with darker skin tend to suffer); so can sun exposure, lack of sleep and allergies. And, of course, as we age and the skin thins it only becomes more of an issue.
WRINKLES tend to be worse around the eyes because that’s where a lot of facial movement happens – we blink around 11,000 times a day for a start and then there’s smiling, frowning, squinting etc. Smoking can lead to more under-eye wrinkles as toxins in the smoke speed up the breakdown of collagen and slow the growth of new cells.
PUFFINESS can be caused by many things, from fluid retention and fluctuating hormones to drinking too much alcohol. Allergies and certain additives in food and wine can also puff up eyes.
Eye tips
Apply eye treatments before you put on moisturiser (unless they’re tinted). They should be applied in tiny dots and then smoothed into skin by gently patting – never rub or pull.
Look out for multitaskers that tackle puffiness, lines and darkness. Useful ingredients include vitamin C, green tea, caffeine and horse chestnut. Lots of treatments come with metal applicators which feel pleasantly cooling on the skin.
If you have stubborn dark circles, go easy on the smoky eyeshadow and highlight your lips with a vibrant look instead.
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