All You Need To Know About Eyes

In the world of skincare, much time and attention is dedicated to the subject of eyes. Which is little wonder, given their singular status as a facial feature - the skin is thinner than that of the rest of the face, and they tend to be the first part of the face to show the signs of ageing. They’re also the most emotive, expressive and beautiful attributes of a face (they’re not dubbed the windows of the soul for nothing). Here, our guide to why you should be taking extra special care of your gaze, and the techniques and products to help you do so…

Image: Instagram @epicfashionmoments

The Low-Down On Eyes

You might wonder why it is that we need to care for our eye area differently to the rest of our skin. Simply put, we put our eyes to work – a lot. Education Director at La Prairie, Belinda Besant, shares, “The skin around the eyes is thinner and more delicate than the skin on other parts of the body. This coupled with the perpetual motion these 22 muscles experience daily – we blink around 10,000 times a day – makes the eyes the first place to show signs of ageing.”

Frowning, squinting, smiling, rolling your eyes in exasperation – we also rely on our eyes to convey our true thoughts and feelings to those around us. Add to that all the reading, watching, and scrolling we put our peepers through, and you can understand why the eye area needs some special attention. The skin around our eyes has fewer oil glands, which can lead to dryness and premature ageing (think wrinkles, loss of elasticity and sagging). And as we age, our collagen and elastin store drop, so extra care is needed.

Image: Instagram @the90ssupermodels

Our Products Of Choice

Skin Caviar Eye Lift

The non-negotiables to preventing ageing around the eyes? Quality skincare that is targeted to the eye area, as opposed to just bringing your regular face serums and moisturisers up around the eyes. Belinda shares, “Eye products are specially formulated to treat the more sensitive and finer textured skin around the eyes.” She continues: “The active ingredients are adjusted to be less irritating and they are ophthalmologist tested. They also have specific ingredients that offer a solution to specific problems that may affect the eyes like puffiness and dark circles.”

The latest innovation is La Prairie’s Skin Caviar Eye Lift – the newest addition to their cult line of caviar offerings, and is designed for use not just under the eyes, but across the whole eye area (brows included). Belinda explains, “(It) is the first eye opening serum for the complete eye area. With regular use, over time the eyes appear opened while the eye contours and eyebrows appear redefined.”

Featuring a patent-pending pump mechanism, it harnesses La Prairie’s signature Caviar Premier and their Exclusive Cellular Complex to help redefine and tighten sagging skin, and to firm wrinkles.

To get the most out of your eye serum, prep your eyes first with an eye essence like Essence of Skin Caviar Eye Complex – a lightly hydrated skin can better absorb subsequent products. Gently apply Skin Caviar Eye Lift, and then finish your ritual with a nourishing eye cream like Skin Caviar Luxe Eye Cream. Belinda advises that more is not always better when it comes to application – a pea-sized amount of product is sufficient for both eyes and will absorb better into that area.

Essence of Skin Caviar Eye Complex

Massage Magic

You already know the benefits of massaging your face, so it should come as little surprise that incorporating a massage routine into your eye care ritual can work wonders, too. Our method of choice? Gently tap around the eye from up along the underside of the brow, and back down the cheekbone and under the inner eye, and repeat a few times. This will drain the excess fluid, and freshen and awaken your eyes.

Be especially gentle while massaging the eye area as it’s more delicate than other parts of the face. Belinda suggests using your ring finger when massaging and patting product onto eyes, then using a light gliding motion to smooth product in. A jade roller or gua sha, lightly applied, is also a good pick.

Our Gaze Guide

As for the rest of the complexion, a focus on wellbeing is fundamental to keeping your eyes and the surrounding area healthy and beautiful. Belinda states, “As your eyes reflect what’s happening on the inside, getting more sleep, exercising and trying to follow a healthy diet will improve how your eyes look.” Staying hydrated is vital to keeping things looking plump and wrinkle-free, so aim to get your two to three litres of water every day.

A well-balanced diet is obviously also key. Consider upping your intake of salmon, as its abundance of omega 3s help nourish the delicate eye area skin (as well as helping improve eyesight). Other foods rich in good fats – nuts, seeds and avocados – are also beautifying (and delicious) additions to your diet. Carrots are famously beneficial to eye health – they’re rich in beta-carotene, which the body transforms into vitamin A, an essential component to good eyesight. Supplement these lifestyle changes with adding Skin Caviar Eye Lift to your morning and evening skincare routine, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for healthy, youthful eyes