Tender Touch: Elevating Your Eye Skin Care Game

Your eyes and the skin surrounding them say a whole lot about your overall health. The appearance of eyebags, fine lines or crow's feet, and puffiness can be one of the first signs of aging, dehydration, fatigue, and sun damage. It’s important to understand the signals our eye skin gives us so we can respond and adjust.

Here’s a deeper look into the skin around our eyes, what it’s telling us, and how to address it through our lifestyle and eye skin care.

Why The Skin Around the Eye Ages Fast

The skin around our eyes goes through a lot. Not only is it three times thinner than the skin on our face, but we blink between 14,400 and 19,200 times a day, meaning that there is a lot of movement that happens here! On top of that, we continuously squint, frown, laugh, and maneuver our faces in all sorts of ways.^[1]

All of these actions constantly stretch out and compress our eye area. These motions are only possible because our under-eye area and eyelid skin have less collagen than the rest of our skin. This gives the skin its added flexibility, but it also means the skin is much thinner.

Additionally, as we age, the skin barrier around the eyes weakens. When this barrier is compromised, it can no longer effectively retain the water essential for maintaining moisture, elasticity, and a youthful appearance. As a result, hydration begins to evaporate through a process known as transepidermal water loss.^[2]

These external factors can accelerate skin aging and make the surrounding and under-eye area prone to the premature appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, dark circles, and puffy eyes. ^[3]

Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Various factors contribute to the development of fine lines and wrinkles in the eye area. Let’s take a look at a few:

Collagen and elastin depletion:

Collagen and elastin are key to maintaining skin structure. Elastin gives the skin its elasticity, while collagen keeps the skin firm. Because the skin in the eye area contains less collagen and elastin fibers, the skin is structurally weaker; this leads to fine lines under the eyes, fine lines surrounding the eyes, under-eye wrinkles, and wrinkles surrounding the eyes. ^[4]

Increased sun sensitivity:

Sun sensitivity is one of the most common causes of wrinkling. Thinner skin is more prone to sun-induced damage due to a weakened protective barrier. Without a strong protective barrier, the proteins within our eye skin, such as collagen and elastin, get damaged. ^[5]

Increased wear and tear:

Our under-eye area and eye skin experience constant movement from squinting, smiling, blinking, etc. As elastin depletes, the skin cannot bounce back from the extensive motion. This can lead to smile lines or crow’s feet: fine lines that fan out from the corners of the eyes.^[6]

Dehydration:

Since the skin around our eyes has less collagen, it has a weaker protective barrier. This impacts the skin’s ability to lock moisture in. This makes it very easy for the skin in the eye area to get dehydrated, eventually leading to fine lines and wrinkles.^[7]

Dark Circles and Puffy Eyes

The thin skin of the eye means we can more clearly see what lies beneath. Dark circles, which many of us notice in the under-eye area from time to time, are often the result of visible blood vessels due to poor circulation. Deoxygenated blood in these vessels appears darker, and sluggish circulation can make them even more pronounced. On top of that, the thin skin around the eyes is more prone to inflammation, which can dilate blood vessels and further intensify the appearance of dark circles.^[8]

While dark circles are primarily related to blood vessels, puffy eyes have different causes, namely, water retention and fat accumulation. High salt intake and hormonal imbalances can promote fluid buildup leading to puffiness,^[10] while inflammatory triggers like sleep deprivation and stress can further contribute to water retention.^[9]

Additionally, the age-related collagen decline can allow fat to accumulate in the lower eyelids, adding to the puffy appearance.^[11]

6 Tips to Treat the Eye Area

With all the challenges our undereyes face, we must take care of our fragile friend. Here are some tips on keeping your eye area firm and healthy.

#1 Use products specifically designed for the eye

While it may be tempting to use your regular skincare products around your eyes, they aren't formulated for the unique needs of this fragile skin. The eye area is thinner, more prone to irritation, and requires gentler, targeted ingredients. Regular skincare products may not be tested for use around the eyes, which means they may contain ingredients that can be too harsh for this delicate area. To ensure safety, choose ophthalmologist-tested products specifically designed for this sensitive area.

The Eye Cream by Timeline is powered with Mitopure®, our patented Urolithin A compound, proven to slow intrinsic and extrinsic skin aging.^[12] By supporting mitochondrial function and collagen assembly, Timeline Eye Cream is formulated to hydrate, strengthen, brighten, and smooth the under-eye area while protecting against signs of aging.

• Hydrate: Boosts hydration by 40% in two weeks.
• Revitalizes: Fortifies the skin barrier by 20%.
• Brighten: 80% of users saw a visible reduction in dark circles and puffiness.
• Lifts & smooths: 97% of users agree their skin looks smoother and more refined.

Made with gentle, clinically tested ingredients, our formula is ophthalmologist-tested and safe for sensitive skin. From the lower eyelid to the brow bone, The Eye Cream addresses the health of the full orbital area to support skin health and ensure long-term skin longevity.

The Eye Cream

NEW

Strengthens skin barrier while combating signs of aging in the eye area.

Buy now

#2 Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

We all start to see that sunken look around our eyes after a few days of dehydration. Since the skin around our eyes is not great at locking in moisture, it can get dry very quickly. This makes hydration even more critical to under-eye care. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water, especially if you live in drier climates.

Choose eye creams that hydrate and moisturize. You’d be surprised how many moisturizers dry out your skin^[13].

#3 Avoid harsh ingredients

Many skincare products contain harsh ingredients such as parabens, silicones, and synthetic fragrances. These ingredients can be irritating to delicate skin around the eyes. Synthetic fragrances, in particular, are linked to increased skin sensitivity and disrupted skin barrier function. ^[14] This can accelerate the skin's aging process, contributing to fine lines and wrinkles.^[15]

Because the skin around the eye is already so sensitive, it’s even more critical to avoid these toxic ingredients in your eye care products. Read more about selecting products for sensitive skin here!

#4 Throw on some shades

Protecting the delicate skin around your eyes from harmful UV rays is a must, and that’s where a good pair of sunglasses comes in. This area is especially vulnerable to sun damage, which can speed up aging and contribute to wrinkles, thinning skin, and discoloration. UV-blocking sunglasses offer a simple, stylish way to shield your eyes and the surrounding skin.

#5 Get that beauty sleep

It’s called beauty sleep for a reason. The skin in the eye area will be one of your first indicators of sleep deprivation. Lack of sleep not only contributes to the formation of dark circles but also results in fluid retention and puffiness.

Establishing a consistent sleep routine and creating a conducive sleep environment can significantly enhance overall health and appearance as well. ^[16]

#6 Gently massage and try facial tools

A gentle facial massage can be a powerful addition to your eye care routine. It helps boost circulation, encourages collagen production, and supports lymphatic drainage—flushing out fluid buildup and reducing puffiness.^[17]

Take it a step further with facial tools like gua sha and cryo spoons. These tools enhance the benefits of massage by further improving blood flow, soothing inflammation, and relaxing facial tension.^[18]

For best results, choose hygienic, antimicrobial options like the Timeline gua sha and cryo spoon to minimize the risk of irritation and breakouts.

Timeline Cryo Spoons

5 · 3 reviews

Timeline Cryo-spoons

Buy now

Timeline Gua Sha

Elevate your skincare routine with Timeline's Gua Sha

Buy now

The Bottom Line: Show Your Eyes Some Love

The skin around your eyes works hard, and it shows. Understanding the unique structure and needs of the eye area can help you make smarter choices in your skincare routine and get the results you are looking for. Prioritize gentle, targeted products like The Eye Cream by Timeline, stay consistent with hydration and sun protection, and don’t underestimate the power of sleep and a little massage.

References