What is Eye Cream and What Does It Do?

What is eye cream? Definition and Purpose

If you read any skincare blog, you’ll notice that you’ll be recommended a million different products and a million different steps. I include myself in this category. I’ve definitely broken down an entirely intimidating twelve-step skincare routine before.

I definitely am not capable of twelve steps anymore. That used to take me half the day on Sunday to do! Getting older for me meant having less energy overall and I really can’t be losing half a Sunday just to skincare when I can be doing so many more fun things before work.

So now, I have only kept the steps and the products that truly make a difference in my skin. One of those steps and products is eye cream! I want to take the time today to talk about eye cream, its purpose, and some of my favorite eye products.

The difference between eye skin and face skin

The first thing to note about the skin around your eye area is that it is thinner than the rest of the skin on your face. The reason for this is that skin around your eyes has less subcutaneous fat and it also contains less collagen and oil glands. This makes the skin in this area prone to dryness and fine lines. However, there are many other factors that contribute to the overall skin condition of your eyes.

Age plays a part. As we get older, we produce less collagen which can lead to dryness, fine lines, and less overall thickness of the skin. The amount of sleep we get also plays a part not just in our overall body health but in the health of our skin. The most obvious sign of lack of sleep is dark circles under the eyes.

To help combat the negative effects on the skin, specifically in the eye region, people either opt for surgeries or creams. I’ve never had plastic surgery anywhere on my body so I can’t speak to that but I have used many eye creams before and I do have opinions on the efficacy and point of this skincare product.

Is eye cream necessary? Who should use it?

So one of the obvious questions is do eye creams do anything or are they just like a placebo that makes you feel good about doing something? The answer is complicated for me. I don’t expect any kind of topical cream to turn back time. I am only getting older and even though I’ve been trying to eat better and drink more water, my body will produce less collagen over time and one day, I will develop wrinkles on my face.

I’ve always had pretty deep under eyes and they’ve been pretty dark for as long as I can remember. This is a genetic thing, I think. I do notice my parents have pretty noticeable under eyes as well. I don’t expect any eye cream to change my genetics either.

So what do I use my eye creams for? For hydration, mostly. To make sure my under-eye skin isn’t dry and itchy. To be frank, I do use it so that my eye makeup applies easier. Have I noticed a difference in skin condition after being religious about eye cream? Not really. Does my makeup apply better? Yes, it does.

But my body is different than other people’s. An eye cream might work miracles on your eyes, wrinkles, or its darkness. From my own experience though, I haven’t seen a difference. I can’t turn back time.

Eye cream recommendations

One of my favorite affordable eye creams is the SKINFOOD Royal Honey Essential Eye Cream. This eye cream claims to address dark circles and fine lines but I didn’t really see it affecting any of my dark circles or fine lines. What I was impressed with, however, was how hydrating this eye cream was without feeling sticky. In the end, that’s what I’m really looking for in an eye cream. I need something hydrating.

A current favorite of mine is the Algenist Triple Algae Eye Renewing Balm. This one also purportedly addresses dark circles and fine lines but for me, this is a great moisturizing cream. The consistency of this eye cream is thick and it’s often the last step of my skincare routine because it’s the most viscous out of all my products. My eyes never feel dry, they feel hydrated but this never causes my eyes to feel sticky. I highly recommend it.

I hope these recommendations and thoughts gave you a good place to start in your eye cream journey.