“Why can’t I just use my face cream around my eyes?”
First of all reader, you already get bonus points for using a daily face cream. Double points if that moisturizer contains SPF! The short answer is ‘yes’…you do need a separate eye cream. The skin around your eyes is ten times thinner than the skin on your face and also has fewer pores. The skin around your eyes is also much more sensitive.
One main reason to use eye cream is because these products are formulated with molecules much smaller than those that make up your face cream. Regular moisturizers often contain different combinations of humectants (draw water into the skin and bind it there) and emollients (lie on the skin’s surface to protect the skin, strengthen the lipid barrier, and prevent dehydration). These molecules are often quite large, and because there are fewer pores under your eyes these ingredients will not absorb as well. This means any active ingredients in the cream are just going to waste. A specially formulated eye cream delivers concentrated active ingredients to treat common problems (dark circles, puffiness, fine lines) using very fine molecules that can be absorbed by the fine, tender skin around the eyes – therefore making it much more effective.
Secondly, the ingredients in your daily face cream may not be suitable for the delicate eye area. For example, the natural astringent qualities of the willow bark extract contained in your clear skin moisturizer may by too drying around your eyes. Likewise, a heavier face cream (like our guava bamboo age-defying moisturizer) may clog the pores around your eyes – resulting in those pesky whiteheads (called milia) that never seem to squeeze out.
So be kind to your eyes by using a specially formulated eye product. Eminence has some amazing eye products including creams, treatments, and even eye makeup remover. Here are a few of our favorites:
