Do you guys make a list of things to buy at the start of the season? I feel like most women do; and near the top of my list is a natural eye cream. Believe it or not, I’ve been looking to buy one since last fall / winter, when I first started noticing fine lines underneath my eyes. Unfortunately, my search for an eye cream that is cruelty-free and toxin-free was unsuccessful–it turns out, eye creams tend to have more chemical ingredients than your average face oil.
Since I’ve spent time and effort to “green” my makeup bag and bathroom counter, I felt iffy about getting an expensive eye cream full of unknown chemical ingredients. Meanwhile, as the weather became warmer and more humid, the fine lines became less prominent–but now that it’s September again, I’m determined to get this eye cream thing down!
First, let’s talk about some common eye area issues and what causes them.
1. Fine lines: The skin around the eyes is the most delicate part of your face, and the first to get wrinkles. This area doesn’t have oil glands, which means it doesn’t produce its own moisture! (At first this seemed like a gross injustice…but maybe it’s a good thing, since last thing I want is to be fighting pimples under my eyes! No oil glands = no pimples ever. But I digress). There are 3 different aging processes that affect your skin: Genetic, hormonal (primarily menopause), and environmental aging (UV damage). Any one of these contribute to loss of collagen (firmness) and elastin (what allows skin to bounce back), leading to lines.
2. Dark circles: I have these too! We’ve all heard that dark circles are mostly inherited, but not all are equal. Blue circles are caused by oxygenated blood pooling underneath the thin skin of your eyes. Brown circles, on the other hand, are caused by sun exposure or genetics.
3. Puffiness: Some common causes are: lack of sleep, alcohol, poor or high-sugar diet, and inflammation. This means puffiness is an issue that can be resolved with lifestyle changes–hooray. 🙂
For fine lines and dark circles though, these natural, vegan-friendly, mostly organic eye creams can help.
DeVita Revitalizing Eye Creme, $23.95
Aloe vera gel, coconut emollient, shea butter, and vegan collagen are some of the main ingredients in this eye cream designed to encourage collagen production. Best for: fine lines and wrinkles
100% Pure Organic Coffee Bean Eye Cream, $25.00
We’ve discussed before how caffeine can tone the skin of your body, and it can do the same thing to the skin around your eyes. This coffee- and green tea-infused eye cream is also packed with rose water and rosehip oil, making it a great de-puffer and eye brightener. Plus, it smells deliciously like coffee, which is a nice morning boost! Best for: brightening and depuffing
Acure Eye Cream, $16.99
I saw this one on Mary’s morning vegan skincare routine post. This cream boasts edelweiss (the cute Alpine flower!) stem cells and chlorella, a green algae, to protect and boost your collagen and elastin. Its other main ingredient is a yummy antioxidant blend of blackberries, acai berries, rosehip, and pomegranate. (Seriously, yum!). Best for: fine lines and wrinkles
And last but not least, some tips to help your eyes stay bright!
1) Exercise has now been proven as an anti-ager on a cellular level, and studies show that active people’s skins are actually younger than those of sedentary people. So make daily exercise a habit and keep those lines at bay!
2) Put on your sunglasses whenever you step outside and it’s not raining, to protect your eye lids and under eyes from UV damage-induced discoloration and lines. Plus, squinting and wrinkling your eyes in the sunlight add up over the years!
3) Most eye creams, especially all natural ones, don’t have SPF built in. I use my Haut Cosmetics HDD Cream with built-in mineral SPF under my eyes, which gives protection. (Not on lids though, hence sunglasses). Make sure you apply some sort of mineral SPF cream or powder in your eye area.
4) Drink a lot of water; eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, and less sugar, alcohol, smoking. (Pretty obvious!)
5) Get your beauty sleep on–at least 7 hours a night, on a comfortable bed / pillow so you get fully rested and allow your product to work its magic.
What about you guys? Do you have eye area concerns? Do you have a favorite eye cream or tip? Let us know!
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Photo: thenewclassic via Instagram
