Tips for pampering delicate skin
Published 7:00 pm Friday, January 30, 2009
First impressions start at the eyes — they’re what sparkle when you smile.
There’s a price for that, though: The skin is thinner and more delicate than the rest of your face, and aging leads to a loss of collagen and elastin. The delicate eye area is beset by puffiness, dark circles, rubbing and even the thousands of blinks every day.
Aside from the obvious creams and ointments, there are lifestyle decisions that could help:
Protect your eyes from the sun.
Cool the area with a cool compress or cucumber.
No rubbing: You’re actually bruising the fragile skin.
Tobacco and alcohol use contribute to dark circles and swelling.
Get your beauty sleep: Circulation slows down when you’re tired.
The industry is steadily increasing its arsenal of weapons to aid the cause:
Sjal eye cream uses gingko biloba, cucumber and aloe in an effort to reduce puffiness, and amino-acid compounds to break up fatty deposits.
La Mer’s The Eye Concentrate increases circulation with sea kelp.
Relastin’s Eye Silk focuses on rebuilding elastin with a zinc complex.
Cor’s Silver Eye Cream deliver silvers (an anti-bacterial agent), peptides, vitamins C and E, and macadamia oil, among other ingredients.
All-natural Emergin C has four products: one for dark circles with vitamin K and plant-based lighteners; one with vitamin C to boost collagen production; a cellular energizer with antioxidants, vitamin E and biotin, believed to tone the skin; and a quick-fix formula with cucumber, licorice root and green tea.
Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller by Garnier Nutritioniste distributes limited amounts of caffeine around the eye area to help puffiness by stimulating circulation.
