The delicate eye area

It's said that the eyes are the mirror of the soul, but what's less well notes is that fact that it's often the delicate area around your eyes that's the first part of your face to show signs of ageing. For that reason, this sensitive area of your skin is worth taking extra special care of, and in this blog, we'll run you through how to do that and why it matters. 

Why your eye area is the first to age

We're all familiar with the idea of "crow's feet" - the wrinkles you get at the corners of your eyes as a result of years of smiling and other facial expressions. We've all suffered from dark circles or puffiness under our eyes, and they seem to plague us more as we get older. And, the chances are, we've all noticed the tell-tale signs of ageing making their presence felt on the delicate skin of our eyelids. But why are the effects of growing older so visible on this one area in particular? 

There are actually a few reasons why this is the case. Firstly, the skin around your eyes is thinner and more delicate than the skin elsewhere on your face. Like the rest of your skin, the proteins collagen and elastin are a critical part of its makeup, keeping it supple and firm. However, as you get older, you naturally start to lose collagen and elastin from your skin, and this loss is faster for women who are going through menopause. This, combined with environmental effects such as pollution and sun exposure, is why our skin starts to sag and fine lines and wrinkles develop as we get older - and the effects are more noticeable in the fragile skin around your eyes. 

Exacerbating the problems caused by natural collagen and elastin loss changes in the underlying fat, muscle and bone can occur as you age. For example, the sagging of fat and loss of bone mass is what can lead to the appearance of hollows under your eyes, which look darker due to the shadows that form in them. While this blog is all about caring for the skin itself, it's important to be aware of these underlying changes, as a good eye cream and collagen supplements for skin can help to mitigate their effects and improve how your overall eye area looks. 

Caring for the skin around your eyes

This brings us nicely onto the subject of your skincare routine for your eye area. As we've seen, the skin around your eyes is more delicate, and can also be prone to dryness, because this part of your skin doesn't have its own oil glands. This fragility means it's often the first part of your skin to start showing the signs of ageing, so it's worth investing in a good eye cream that's separate from the cream you use on the rest of your face. 

One fantastic option is our refreshing Collagen Eye Filler, which we've specially formulated to nourish and protect your delicate eye area while strengthening your skin's barrier. This advanced collagen eye cream doesn't just harness the power of plant collagen, vitamins and hyaluronic acid to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around your eyes - it does several other clever things to nourish your skin and improve the appearance of the area around your eyes. 

As well as reducing puffiness and brightening those dreaded dark circle, this anti-ageing eye cream also gives your eye area an immediate hydration boost and softens it, without clogging your pores. Made with sweet almond oil, it's suitable for all skin types and totally safe for you to apply around your eyes. 

Prevention is an important part of your eye area care as much as it is for your overall skincare routine too. During the day, making sure you use a good sunscreen around your eyes will help prevent sun damage, and wearing big, UV-protection sunglasses that cover your whole eye area is as good for your skin as it is for your style. 

How to apply eye cream

Finally, it's not just about choosing the right product for your delicate eye area - it's about making sure you apply it carefully. Rather than spreading it in, which tugs at the skin and can irritate it further, the advice from dermatologists is to gently pat it onto the skin using your ring finger. Make sure you include the skin above your eyes as well as under them and store your eye cream in a cool, airtight place out of direct sunlight to keep it at its best. 

If you'd like to learn more about collagen, find out more about its benefits for your skin or have a read of our quick guide to discover which collagen products are best suited to your own health and beauty goals. 

Written by guest blogger Rachel Ramsay.