How to Apply Eye Contour Cream

Applying cream around the eyes has its own rules and features. This post contains a short and succinct guide (with pictures and videos) on how to properly apply eye cream.

Apply a small pea-sized amount of cream to your ring finger.

Apply the cream around the eyes along the bone - under the eyebrow, under the eyes along the edge of the cheekbones and on the crow's feet area.

Use the pad of your ring finger to spread the cream with light massage movements.

Move from bottom to temples to nose. From above - from the nose to the temples.

Using patting movements, gently “beat” the cream into the skin.

Allow the cream to absorb for at least 90 seconds, preferably 10-15 minutes, before applying makeup.

Nuances

1. Don't go overboard with the quantity. More doesn't mean better. If there is too much cream on the skin, it will flow into the eyes, causing irritation and swelling. Makeup will “float” on oily skin. In addition, if the cream has not had time to be absorbed and you rub your eye, it will get on the mucous membrane and cause discomfort.
2. If your eye cream “lives” in a jar, be sure to use a spatula. This is especially important for the eyes.
3. The ring finger is the best choice for applying eye cream. It is the weakest when pressed.
4. The skin around the eyes is delicate and easily damaged. Do not stretch or rub the skin. Pat rather than rub in the cream.
5. Press very gently - don't overdo it.
6. Pay special attention to the crow's feet area.
7. Apply eye cream first, then face cream.
8. If irritation, redness or itching occurs, stop use immediately.
9. Always read the instructions for your specific product. The manufacturer may recommend its own method of application.

Why you can’t apply cream to your moving eyelid

The cream “migrates” over time and spreads over the eyelid on its own. If you initially apply the cream too close to the mucous membrane, it will get into the eyes and cause burning, swelling, redness, tears, irritation and swelling.

If your eyelid itself is peeling (for example, due to allergies), carefully apply a minimal amount of a proven hypoallergenic cream to the peeling area. Be careful not to get the cream into your eyes.

LaraBar Tips & Tricks

To extend the life and effectiveness of your eye cream, store it in the refrigerator door. Especially anti-swelling gels. Cold gels will work even better against edema and swelling.

Want to know more? Read the post Eye cream. ►

And for dessert, five videos from beauty experts on how to apply eye cream.

How do you use eye cream? Share in the comments.

Improve your cosmetic literacy, stay with us and be beautiful.

The deeper you study the rules of skin care, the more wisdom you will learn. Here, for example, is an eye cream: it would seem nothing complicated, but you will have to remember both the scheme and the application technique.

1. Why do you need eye cream?
2. Application technique
3. Common mistakes when applying eye cream
4. Tools Overview

Why do you need eye cream?

Until recently, the eyes were called the mirror of the soul, and now they are called a marker of age. Because the first signs of aging appear on the skin around the eyes.

1. There are very few sebaceous glands in this area, so it is often dry. Lack of moisture leads to loss of elasticity and increased sensitivity.
2. The abundance of facial muscles around the eyes provokes the appearance of wrinkles.
3. Loose and thin subcutaneous tissue accumulates fluid, which results in edema.

Not the most favorable input, right? It is not surprising that the delicate skin of the eyelids requires special care and a special cream.

Here are the characteristics of a suitable product:

1. light texture;
2. ophthalmologist-tested formula;
3. moisturizing and soothing components: hyaluronic acid, aloe extract, allantoin;
4. the ability to reduce swelling and dark circles under the eyes - caffeine, escin, cornflower and licorice extracts work against them;
5. effectiveness in the fight against wrinkles - this result is provided by rhamnose, vitamin C, retinol.

The skin around the eyes does not have sebaceous glands, so it is often dry. © iStock

Application technique

Until recently, it was believed that it was better to apply eye cream only in the morning, and not at night, otherwise swelling may appear. But modern products are suitable for use in the evening too. The main thing is to apply them an hour and a half before going to bed.

Here's how to do it right.

Remove eye makeup using a special product.

Wash your face with gel or foam and gently pat your skin with a towel, leaving it slightly damp.

Warm a small amount of cream on your fingertips - this will allow the product to be absorbed better.

Apply the cream first under the eyebrow.

Then - to the lower eyelid, along the orbital bone.

Distribute the cream with soft tapping movements using the pad of your ring finger. On the upper eyelid - from the inner corner of the eye to the outer. Neither the lower one - from external to internal.

This application scheme is the most common. But there are also nuances.

According to Elena Eliseeva, Vichy brand consultant, the technique of applying cream to the lower eyelid depends on the purpose of the product.

For edema

Apply the cream from the center to the periphery, that is, from the nose to the outer corner of the eye. Lymphatic vessels pass through there, and this technique will provide additional drainage.

For wrinkles

When applying anti-aging products, the fingers move in the opposite direction - from the outer corner of the eye to the inner. This technique does not stretch thin, aging skin.

For skin elasticity

If the skin has lost its elasticity, lightly pat it with the pad of your ring finger, which provides the lightest impact.

Common mistakes when applying eye cream

Now let’s figure out why swollen eyes in the morning is not yet a reason to change the cream. The problem may not be the product, but its incorrect application. What is most often done wrong?

The skin is not cleansed well enough. A mixture of makeup residue and cream can cause irritation.

Apply too much product. The skin around the eyes is thin and should not be overloaded.

Distribute the cream too intensively. This treatment causes the skin to stretch faster and lose its elasticity.

Cornflower extract in eye cream will help against swelling and dark circles under the eyes. © iStock

Tools Overview

Anti-aging cream for the eye area Revitalift Filler [Ha], L’Oréal Paris

Fights signs of aging, reduces the visibility of wrinkles no worse than “beauty injections”. The formula with low molecular weight hyaluronic acid allows the cream to penetrate deeper, fill folds and nasolacrimal grooves, and tighten the contour of the upper eyelid.

Awakening balm for the eye contour Aqualia Thermal, Vichy

Dynamic Hydration technology infuses skin with moisture. Caffeine helps reduce bags and circles under the eyes.

Product for the prevention and correction of superficial wrinkles around the eyes Active C Yeux, La Roche-Posay

Proxilan, blueberry extract, vitamin C stimulate collagen production and prevent glycation processes. The skin looks firmer, swelling and dark circles are less noticeable.

Cream for the skin around the eyes with a lifting effect Rénergie Yeux Multi-Lift, Lancôme

The complex based on acids and extract of the myrothamnus plant from the island of Madagascar works quickly, the first results are noticeable immediately after application. Skin remains hydrated and radiant throughout the day.

Forever Youth Liberator Crème Yeux, Yves Saint Laurent

A complex of glycans in combination with moisturizing components and reflective particles restores skin elasticity and radiance, smoothes out wrinkles.

Remedy against signs of fatigue around the eyes Total Recharge Eye, Biotherm

Avocado and shea butter, beta-carotene intensely moisturize and nourish, preventing the appearance of wrinkles caused by dry skin.

Anti-aging eye cream Collagenist Replump Eye Zoom, Helena Rubinstein

A complex for increasing elasticity and firmness in combination with hyaluronic acid, caffeine and butcher's broom extract tightens the skin, fills wrinkles and uneven terrain.

Where, how, when - and other questions about eye creams answered by the best experts

Admit it, how often do you apply face cream to the area around your eyes? Same thing. But beauty editors are people too, and they don’t always follow the rules. ELLE turned to experts to find out the whole truth about eye creams. Our verdict: you can’t do without a new tube.

Ekaterina Gvoskova

Darphin Lead Training Specialist

Why is face cream not suitable for eyelids?

The structure of the skin around the eyes differs from the structure of the skin of the face. This area contains more than 20 muscles that are responsible for facial expressions, which means that wrinkles appear here first. A thin hydrolipid film and constant exposure to negative environmental factors contribute to dehydration. Therefore, it is recommended to give preference to a cream specially created for this delicate area. Face cream may cause swelling and irritation.

Do eye creams differ depending on age?

At different ages, different problems of the contour around the eyes may bother you: from the first expression lines to drooping eyelids. Therefore, the texture of the cream may differ depending on the solution to a specific problem. In addition, regardless of age, problems such as dark circles under the eyes, puffiness, and dehydration may bother you. Light serums and creams of different textures can help solve several problems in the area around the eyes.

How to choose the right texture?

Light textures tend to provide hydration and protection. Rich in nourishment and help smooth out visible signs of aging. In any case, even the rich texture of an eye contour cream is always lighter than a similar face cream.

Where and how should the cream be applied?

You will need a small amount of cream about the size of a grain of rice. It is recommended to first distribute it between two fingers (if there is no special applicator). Apply the cream along the lower orbital bone with light smoothing back-and-forth movements from the inner corners of the eyes to the outer ones. Repeat the same movements along the superior orbital bone below the brow line. Finish the movements above the temples for a lifting effect.

Lyudmila Tolkacheva

Leading trainer of Swiss Line in Russia

Do I need to get two eye creams: day and night?

As a rule, manufacturers produce universal creams for the area around the eyes. If the manufacturer nevertheless divides creams by time of day, there may be several reasons for this. For example, a filler with the effect of filling wrinkles is dense and works during the day, but at night it prevents the skin from getting rid of toxins. Also, a thick cream applied in the evening can cause morning swelling. And if the cream contains a whitening complex or UV filters, it should be used in the morning.

Which face masks can and cannot be applied to the area around the eyes?

All products for the area around the eyes, including masks, must be approved by ophthalmologists. Only after this can the cosmetic product be positioned as an eye product. Accordingly, if the mask is not intended for the area around the eyes, it should not be applied there. Applying face masks under the eyes can cause swelling, redness, and itching.

How to properly use patches for the area under the eyes?

Patches are fabric-based and hydrogel-based. Depending on the composition with which they are impregnated, they have different effects: moisturizing, draining (from swelling and dark circles), anti-aging.

Regardless of the effect of the patches and their base, it is necessary to cleanse the skin around the eyes before applying. Then carefully place the patches under the eyes, stepping back approximately 0.7 cm from the eyelash contour and press them lightly. It is advisable to lie down for 10-15 minutes and allow yourself to relax. During this time, they will give the skin all the beneficial substances. The exception is some brands of patches to relieve puffiness; they need to be left on for 20-30 minutes.

Often tubes of cream are equipped with applicators. What is their advantage?

Ease of use. Another advantage is hygiene (provided that the applicator is wiped after each use). If the applicator is a cold ball applicator, it can be used for massage. Exposure to cold reduces swelling, and massage improves the penetration of active ingredients.

Which active ingredients are most beneficial for the skin around the eyes: against puffiness, bruising, wrinkles, pigmentation?

The appearance of edema and dark circles is associated with a violation of trophism (cell nutrition processes) and weakening of the walls of blood vessels. To eliminate these problems, caffeine, butcher's broom, ginkgo biloba, some peptides, rutin, vitamin K, and ascorbic acid are used, which provides a drainage, vasoconstrictor and strengthening effect. It should be remembered that anti-edema creams are not applied along classic massage lines, but vice versa: from the bridge of the nose to the temple with light pressing movements to pump the lymph.

The most advanced anti-aging ingredients are peptides (for example, with the effect of Botox), plant stem cells, cell extracts of plant or animal origin, epidermal growth factor EGF, phytoesrogens, hydrolyzed collagen.

AHA acids and retinol have a good brightening effect, but they are quite aggressive and therefore they are added in small concentrations to eye creams; therefore, their effect is not very powerful. Vitamin C, bearberry extract, and peptides are most often used to brighten the eyes. They are powerful and not aggressive.

What problems cannot be solved by a cream, but only a cosmetologist or surgeon can help?

What problems can we most often encounter under the eyes? Pigmentation, drooping of the upper eyelid and drooping corner of the eye, wrinkles, sunken eyes, hernias. Modern anti-aging creams are designed to correct almost all of the listed imperfections, except for hernias and drooping corners of the eyes. Hernias can only be removed surgically (blepharoplasty).

But some things cannot be done by plastic surgery. Plastic surgery does not affect the level of skin hydration, and this is a very important indicator. Remember what dried fruits look like. These are examples of what happens to living tissue in the absence of moisture. Plastic surgery does not improve the texture and tone of the skin, nor does it provide antioxidant or UV protection. A good cream will significantly delay the time when it becomes clear that it is time to contact a plastic surgeon and prolong the results of operations.

Elena Polyakova

Sensai brand expert

Is a concealer sufficient for care if the manufacturer claims that it contains beneficial ingredients?

The skin around the eyes is very thin, four times thinner than the skin around the cheeks. There is a minimum of connective tissue (collagen and elastin), therefore, the skin is especially prone to loss of elasticity. In addition, there are practically no sebaceous glands in this area, which means the skin quickly loses moisture and becomes dry. Let's add here the frequency of blinking (10,000-20,000 times a day) and voltage. Due to the above, this area is more susceptible to the aging process. This means that this area of ​​the skin requires special care. Always, and at any age, try to take care of the thin and delicate skin around the eyes. And be sure, before applying decorative cosmetics, namely concealer (even if the concealer contains useful components), do not forget about the cream for the area around the eyes. It will serve as a protective veil and minimize damage. The skin will be moisturized and there will be no feeling of tightness. The concealer will lie smoother and will not roll up or get into folds.

Do some manufacturers suggest applying creams throughout the day over concealer? Does this have any effect? Does the cream penetrate through a layer of makeup?

There are such creams, including Sensai. It can be applied to the lower eyelid over foundation and concealer. It is not recommended to apply such creams to the upper eyelid, as this may negatively affect the durability of the shadows. If shadows are not used, the cream can be applied to the upper eyelid.

Is it possible to run home in the evening, remove makeup, apply eye cream and fall asleep?

It is best to apply eye cream an hour before bed to avoid swelling.

There is currently a boom in skin oils. What oils can be applied to the area around the eyes?

As a rule, our scientists do not use natural essential oils in eye products due to the risk of allergic reactions. Preference is given to innovative synthetic oils. They are very light, non-comedogenic, do not cause swelling, smooth the skin, retain moisture, and promote pleasant application.

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