Do you feel like you’re fighting a losing battle when it comes to fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes? The delicate skin in this area is often the first place to show signs of sun damage and aging. Even if you’ve taken excellent care of your skin, crow’s feet and expression lines typically become noticeable between the late 20s and early 30s.
Where eye wrinkles come from
- Facial expressions. Any repetitive movement of the facial muscles, such as smiling or frowning, can contribute to creases and lines on your face. When it comes to the eye area, fine lines often occur as a result of frowning or furrowing the brows — fittingly referred to as “frown lines.” Squinting is also a culprit, so if you’re having trouble with your eyesight, head to the doctor. And always wear sunglasses. This stops you from squinting in the sun and protects your eyes from UV damage.
- Stress and tension. Your emotional well-being is connected to the health of your skin, and periods of intense emotional stress can have negative effects on your complexion. When you’re stressed, you also tend to frown and furrow your brows, which, as mentioned above, can contribute to permanent lines over time.
- Environmental stressors. UV rays, smoke and pollution are all responsible for the breakdown of your skin. Also known as free radicals, these destructive elements weaken skin and cause premature aging, including lines, leathery skin, dullness, age spots and broken capillaries.
- The natural aging process. Unfortunately, there are many aspects of aging that we can’t control. As we age, the body naturally produces less collagen and elastin, which means skin loses its plump, full appearance and lines and wrinkles start to appear. Also, skin becomes drier and less resilient.
Anti-aging for the eyes
Fortunately, there are many advanced eye treatments designed to target lines and wrinkles, such as M.D. Forte Skin Rejuvenation Eye Cream, which contains vitamin A, Vitamin E and glycolic acid, or La Roche Posay Redermic Eyes, which contains the active ingredient Madecassoside to repair skin.
When shopping for an anti-aging eye treatment, look for ingredients such as:
- Retinol: a derivative of vitamin A, which reduces wrinkles and firms skin.
- Peptides: proteins that improve collagen production.
- Antioxidants: fight free radicals and prevent future damage
- Alpha hydroxy acids: such as glycolic or lactic acid, which dissolve dead skin cells
Top 5 anti-aging eye creams
- NIA24 Eye Repair Complex. With a unique blend of active ingredients, this multi-tasking formula allows you to simultaneously correct prior damage and prevent future damage. The patented ingredient Pro-Niacin™ effectively strengthens the skin’s barrier while improving overall tone and texture. Caffeine improves circulation, Matrixyl stimulates collagen and elastin production and an AMC complex provides continuous hydration. Finally, a combination of vitamin C, licorice and white birch brighten dark shadows.
- Dr. Brandt Lineless Eye Cream. Improve the look of fine lines and wrinkles with this targeted formula. It effectively hydrates dry skin while reducing puffiness and erasing expression lines. Vitamins C and E help to firm and protect the skin, renewing the contour of the eye area.
- Peter Thomas Roth UnWrinkle Eye. In just one application, this cream offers visible results. A combination of six anti-aging peptides and neuropeptides firms and lifts sagging skin, making this an ideal treatment for mature skin. It also helps to smooth fine lines and reduce the size of deeper wrinkles. And it’s safe for sensitive skin.
- Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Plump Perfect Eye Moisture Cream SPF 15. This potent formula with Argireline, EyeLiss™ and Equistat™ plumps wrinkles and smoothes fine lines and crow’s feet. A Ceramide Triple Complex further strengthens and soothes mature skin for a younger and more vibrant look overall. It also reduces puffiness and provides sun protection.
- Dr. Michelle Copeland Rewind Eye Formula. This breakthrough treatment contains a proprietary blend of anti-aging ingredients: grape seed extract, argireline, biopeptide CL, soy, lipoic acid, DMAE, vitamin E and ubiquinone. Together, these ingredients work to stimulate cell renewal, erase wrinkles and protect fragile skin from environmental stressors. The positive results can be seen immediately and continue to improve over time.
While you might not have the power to stop the clock and halt the aging process completely, you do have control over how you treat your skin. Retinol, peptides, alpha hydroxy acids and antioxidants are all effective options when it comes to firming and smoothing the skin around the eyes. So, take advantage of the many anti-aging eye products on the market today.