A Delicate Matter: The Skin around Our Eyes

Our eyes reveal so much about us from the way that we are feeling, right down to our lifestyle and our genetics! In fact, our eyes are a significant telltale sign of whether we are sleeping enough, having too much time in the sun without the support of SPF, or simply chronological ageing when our skin is going through the ageing process.

Why are the eyes such a bold marker of ageing?

Firstly, it is because the skin around our eyes is incredibly delicate, far thinner than the rest of our face at only 0.5mm. Due to its fineness, it is prone to showing signs of aging for many reasons. As there are far fewer oil glands, this delicate area has lower levels of natural moisture and increased levels of dryness. Add in constant movement from blinking, smiling, and squinting, plus environmental factors like UV exposure and pollution, and it’s no wonder this area needs extra attention in our skin care routines.

The second way that our eye area can reveal ageing is due to puffiness which can easily accumulate around our eye area and add to the appearance of ageing due to fluid being retained, especially if circulation is poor. Therefore, it is especially important that we look after our eyes and focus on products that can moisturise this area. Many eye care products contain cooling agents that constrict swelling which can help to reduce the appearance of eye puffiness. However, it’s recommended to ensure a varied diet, rich in antioxidants such as green tea and a wide selection of fruits and vegetables, to give the body the best chance of clearing lymphatic pathways and enter homeostasis.

In Chinese face reading, excessive puffiness around the eye area can indicate a weakness in the kidney area and the efficient elimination of toxins.

Finally, the skin around our eye area can burden us with hyper pigmentation. As the skin is only 0.5mm, blood vessels and capillaries are more visible which results in the appearance of dark circles. This is worsened when paired with lack of sleep such as when routines change, permitting the body to rest less i.e., in early motherhood. Spots of pigmentation can be sensitively treated with Cryopen if they are bothersome.

Why is eye care so important?

If we do not take care of the skin around our eyes, fine lines, crow’s feet, dark circles, and puffiness can creep in. However, using right eye care products can make a big difference, helping to hydrate, firm, and brighten the area, so you can keep your eyes looking fresh, youthful, and well-rested. It may come as a surprise to know that the most significant decrease in youthfulness around the eye area starts around the late twenties to early thirties as natural collagen production slows and the skin loses its elasticity. Without proper care, this process can accelerate, making the eyes appear more tired and aged.

To reverse the clock, there are a range of lifestyle tweaks and products on the market that can help the skin to appear more youthful and radiant:

The best changes are the ones that you can make at home each day. A solid start is ensuring that you can sleep for eight hours each night (or as closely to this mark as possible). If this isn’t always possible, upping your skincare in your night time routine can help to combat the signs of ageing and give you a helping hand. A great product for th eye area is Phyto Nature Lifting Eye Cream; this serum reduces folds and tightens the skin under the eyes, including the upper lids! We found that most of clients had very positive feedback with this product, with correct usage.

Stress reduction is equally as important for inhibiting the ageing process. The best advice that I have heard is to live in the moment and live mindfully. This may look like taking an extra twenty minutes for you in the morning or, choosing small ways to recharge such as a walk during your lunch break to refresh mind, body and skin! A simple, self-love hack is to always wear products to protect your skin in the morning such as your SPFs but also, to add moisture and potentially, some caffeine to the eyes in the morning to act as a vasoconstrictor and reduce puffiness around your eyes. This can be done in ways other than a morning coffee! Dermalogica’s Awaken Peptide Eye Gel is perfect for tired, puffy eyes, this lightweight gel is packed with peptides that help firm and refresh the skin.

After all of this, always ensure that you wear sunglasses and a good quality SPF such as Dermalogica’s Dynamic Recovery SPF 50 or Invisible Physical Defense SPF 50. Both of these products are lightweight, moisturising sun creams with anti-ageing benefits that are designed to blend well into the skin. An additional method of TLC is to invest in Sensoria’s Skin Needling treatments. These treatments are natural, safe and effective and designed to reduce skin wrinkling by improving the skin’s collagen and elastin production; this in turn smoothes out crow’s feet and fine lines making a longer lasting different to the texture of the skin around the eyes.

Have you tried Pro Eye Flash?

Pro Eye Flash is a powerful treatment that helps tone, smooth and brighten the eye contour through intense stimulation and an infusion of botanical actives. It’s available as a stand alone treatment or can be added to either your Dermalogica ProSkin or Dermalogica ProPeel treatment.

Did you know that we offer Lumi Eyes treatment?

Lumi Eyes is a tissue stimulator designed for around the eyes and the tear valley. It reduces dark circles under the eyes, moisturises and fights fine wrinkles, as well as smoothing and lifting the skin under the eyes.

As a tissue booster, it has a proven rejuvenating effect, it improves the firmness, density and quality of the skin in an extremely natural way. There is no downtime with this treatment, you can return to your normal daily life straight after the treatment. Caution: due to the delicate nature of the eye area, bruising can sometimes occur.

Three to four treatments are recommended with an interval of 4 weeks and repeat the treatment twice a year.

The takeaway message

Although it can be difficult to find time for you each day, there are small, actionable steps that can support your lifestyle to give you the best chance at stopping the clock and give you measurable results. All of our products are available for purchase in our online shop or can be collected in salon.

Book treatments here and find out more about what you can purchase for your eyes here

Originally published May 10, 2025