• What are the main causes of ageing around our eyes?
• So, does anti-ageing eye cream work on wrinkles?
• How to apply eye cream
• Can't I just use a daily moisturiser as a replacement
• How to find the best men's anti-ageing eye cream for you
• What are the ingredients to look out for in an anti-ageing cream?
• Are there ingredients we should avoid in anti-ageing eye creams?
• How to get the most out of your eye cream

We’ll start by saying that anti-ageing eye creams will only do so much; they’re never going to take decades off you, but before you push that tiny pot of cream off the edge of your nightstand and into the bin, we can tell you that getting a good anti-ageing eye cream as part of a well-rounded skincare routine is going to brighten and youthen your face and eyes.

We know that applying eye cream isn’t at the top of the priority list when it comes to your grooming routine, but we do recommend investing in one and using it regularly if you want to prevent those lines from creeping in.

The skin around our eyes, as it’s so thin and fragile, is one of the first places to show the signs of ageing. Due to the delicate constitution of the skin under the eye, the cells are more vulnerable to external factors, such as the sun, and are hence more likely to become damaged. The ageing, and damage to our skin, can be shown in the form of lines on our faces, such as ‘crows feet’ and fine lines under our eyes.

An anti-ageing eye cream will hydrate the skin, keep it soft, and reduce appearance of wrinkle depth by hydrating surface skin cells, allowing them to be more even, and therefore light reflecting. Keep it next to your daily facial moisturiser and you won’t forget to use it every day.

What are the main causes of ageing around our eyes?

Sun exposure (photoaging)

The sun is THE reason our skin starts to age. As soon as we step out of the door and see that glorious sunshine, our skin is immediately hit by UV rays. Unfortunately, it can damage our cells on cloudy days too. Ultraviolet A rays hit our cells at a deep level (the dermis) due to their long length and cause the cells that produce our skin cells to become a bit faulty.

Damage from the sun is shown in the form of wrinkles, dark spots, dark circles, sagging skin, redness and uneven skin texture. Of course, we don’t want to be going outside completely covered up, but by using an SPF to cover our skin, we can prevent unwanted damage. Sunglasses can also help!

Loss of collagen

Collagen is the protein fibre which supports the structure of our skin’s connective tissues. As we get older we lose elasticity in our skin and this is due to the depletion of collagen. As the skin under our eyes is one of the thinnest parts of our bodies, it is the first area to show signs of ageing. A loss of collagen under the eyes causes our skin to become loose which then makes it sag and fold.

A decrease in fat and muscle, as we age, also reduces the amount of support in the skin under the eyes.

Dehydration

As our bodies are made up of 60% water, we constantly need water to stay hydrated. This isn’t just important for our internal organs, it’s also important for our skin. Wrinkles and fine lines can be a symptom of dehydrated skin and this can be caused by poor diet, lack of sleep, excess sweating, and not drinking enough water.

Lifestyle choices

Smoking and drinking large amounts of alcohol regularly have a detrimental effect on the health of our skin.

There are over 4000 chemicals in tobacco (source) which attribute to the destruction of collagen in the skin and elastin in the skin. Smoking also constricts our blood vessels which reduces the amount of oxygen and nutrients that are needed to repair and replace damaged skin cells. (source)

Alcohol is a diuretic which means it dehydrates our bodies of natural moisture. It can cause us to urinate more regularly and if we do not replace the amount of liquid we get rid of, our bodies become dehydrated. The dehydration can then occur at a cellular level, leaving our skin lacking the water it needs to function properly. (source)

So, does anti-ageing eye cream work on wrinkles?

The golden question. To be honest, an eye cream - no matter the cost - will not erase wrinkles, dark circles or fine lines. (We’ve discussed it in our dark circles article too.) That is not to say don’t invest in a good eye cream as the effectiveness of an eye cream is dependent on the ingredients. It also depends on how often you use a product. Consistency is key - and we can’t stress that highly enough.
 
It’s also worth noting that you shouldn’t expect to see immediate results. The effects of an anti-ageing eye cream, or any other concern-tackling skincare product, usually take at least a month to show. So, be patient.

Ageing is a natural process so whilst it’s almost impossible to reverse the effects of UVA rays (and other contributing factors) - without some form of surgical intervention - an anti-ageing eye cream will help to improve and maintain the health of the skin around the eye.

How to apply eye cream

Don’t be too aggressive with your eye cream - leave your heavy hands at the door as the softer the touch, the better for your eyes. Rubbing hard on this sensitive area can lead to irritation.

A ‘Humanery hack’ is to use your ring finger, as it is the weakest finger in your hand and best for using a light dabbing motion. Apply the anti-ageing cream to the skin under the eye (aka the problem area), the sides of the eyes, and the skin on the orbital bone. Avoid getting any eye cream in your eye, so steer clear of getting the product on the eyelid and eyelashes. As the body heats up, the oils in the cream can ‘travel’ and enter the eye - it can be painful.

Leave the cream to soak into the skin before applying any other product, such as makeup.

We also recommend using a rice grain-sized amount of any eye cream. You don’t need to slap it on: those small tubes and pots can go far when used properly.

Can’t I just use a daily moisturiser as a replacement?

Ideally, no. The formulation of an anti-ageing eye cream is completely different to your daily moisturiser, and the best men’s eye creams have been created especially for this sensitive area. A decent eye cream will contain specific ingredients to tackle certain skin concerns and - not to sound too obvious - but an anti-ageing cream will be formulated to reduce the signs of ageing and not, for example, improve your skin tone.

Be aware that a rich facial moisturiser can cause unnecessary issues as it can clog the pores of your delicate under-eye skin. This will be apparent by the appearance of tiny white spots under the eyes, known as milia/milium.

How to find the best men’s anti-ageing eye cream for you

The question is when choosing the right men’s anti-ageing eye cream: what are you most concerned about? For every skin concern, there will be different ingredients which will be more effective for that concern. With eyes, the most ‘popular’ concerns are wrinkles, fine lines, dark circles (or discolouration), sagging skin, and puffiness. These are all associated with signs of ageing.

What are the ingredients to look out for in an anti-ageing cream?

Peptides - in skincare peptides can help to boost collagen production. An increase in collagen can make the skin look firmer and plumper.

Jack Black Protein Booster Eye Rescue

£36.00

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Ceramides - natural ceramides are fats or lipids which are found in our skin cells and are important for maintaining our skin’s moisture. Synthetic ceramides, found in anti-ageing creams, help create a barrier to prevent moisture from leaving the skin.

Vitamin C - works as an antioxidant to free radicals which can cause stress to the skin. Studies have shown that vitamin C, especially used alongside an SPF, can reduce the signs of fine and deep wrinkles. (source)

Aesop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Eye Cream

£63.00

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Niacinamide - in topical form, niacinamide can help to boost collagen levels and reduce early signs of ageing in the skin. (source)

Retinol - there are conflicting reports about retinol as depending on its concentration, and your skin type, can be too harsh on fine skin under the eyes. In the form of vitamin A, it has been shown to boost collagen production which makes the skin appear smoother.

Saunders & Long Eye Cream

£52.00

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Caffeine - it can work as an anti-inflammatory which is ideal for puffy skin under the eyes. It’s also known to restrict blood flow which is helpful for dark circles.

Vitamin K - prevents the calcification of elastin which helps to keep our skin plump and stretchy.

Hyaluronic acid - found naturally in the body, it works as a lubricant in the skin. Hyaluronic acid can dramatically help to reduce the appearance of deep wrinkles

Humanity Cosmetics Eye Restore Cream

£55.00

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Green Tea - this is full of vitamins as well as an antioxidant (epigallocatechin gallate) which fights damage from UV rays. It also helps to maintain collagen levels.

Shea butter - intensely hydrating and containing the power to promote the reproduction of skin cells, shea butter can help to hydrate and smooth out the skin.

REN Keep Young And Beautiful Firm And Lift Eye Cream

£28.00

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Are there ingredients we should avoid in anti-ageing eye creams?

The most important thing to note is that as all our skin differs from each other, we will react differently to certain ingredients in eye creams. If you start to use a new anti-ageing eye cream and notice that the skin around the eye starts to look irritated; it might start to itch or turn red and blotchy, then please stop using that product. It might not just be the ingredients, but the product not suiting your skin type.

There is some evidence that ingredients such as phenoxyethanol (a natural preservative), which is found in many eye creams, can cause the death of skin cells. Sounds horrendous we know, but there’s no need to panic if you spot this on the ingredients list as it is deemed safe and it shouldn’t cause major damage. It just might not help to improve cell reproduction. If you suffer from dry skin, this ingredient might not work well with your skin. (source)

We would say it’s advisable to avoid eye creams that are fragranced. Fragrance in skincare is a controversial topic but it is likely that if something in a product is going to cause an irritation on the skin, it will be a strong fragrance. The addition of unnatural fragrance isn’t needed in skincare, it’s just a nice marketing/selling point!

How to get the most out of your eye cream

Here are a few top tips for using an anti-ageing eye cream.

• Check the back of your product to see how long its expiration period is. There will be a little icon of a pot with a lid open and a number in the middle. This is the number of months it will last after you have opened it: most likely it will be 6 months. High quality targeted eye creams will contain less preservatives so it won’t last as long as your regular highstreet brands.

• To preserve your men’s eye cream, keep it in the fridge. When you pop the cream on your skin, it will act as an anti-inflammatory and will soothe any puffiness - great for after a heavy night out. If you’re really looking to take your grooming to another level, check out cosmetic fridges!

• And just a small reminder that we need to use our eye creams like our moisturiser: twice a day, morning and night. If it contains a potent formula, including retinol, you might want to use it just at night and let it do it’s thing whilst you sleep.