Can I use Vanicream Moisturizing Cream around my eyes?

Is the cream a sensible choice?

Vanicream Moisturizing Cream is used for skin hydration maintenance, and Vanicream makes products for sensitive skin. The cream is the richer option compared with Vanicream Moisturizing Lotion, so the word "cream" is doing some actual work. If you want a lighter texture, the lotion is the lighter alternative, but that texture difference is not a reason to expect either product to suit every eyelid.34

How should I apply it?

1. 1Start with clean hands before touching your eyelids.
2. 2If you are washing your face first, use lukewarm water and a gentle cleanser without alcohol. Apply cleanser with your fingertips rather than a washcloth or sponge.
3. 3Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry with a soft towel. Do not scrub.
4. 4Apply the moisturizer gently to dry skin around your eyes. Avoid pulling, rubbing or scratching the eyelid skin.

Let dryness guide when you moisturize rather than treating eye care as a separate compulsory routine. You can include gentle application after your morning or evening face wash when the surrounding skin is dry. Limit face washing to twice daily and after heavy sweating; extra washing is not the answer to irritation.1

What should I expect it to do?

A moisturizer's job is to keep skin from becoming dry, which is a smaller job description than the eye care aisle tends to suggest. For contact dermatitis, meaning eczema triggered by something touching the skin, moisturizer helps with dryness while identifying and avoiding the trigger addresses the cause. Persistent inflammation can need treatment as well as moisturizing.5

What if my eyelids are sensitive?

Sensitive skin and a history of atopic eczema increase the risk of eyelid dermatitis. Moisturizers and eye creams can themselves trigger allergic contact dermatitis, so a product made for sensitive skin still needs to agree with your skin. A reaction can appear hours or days after contact, not necessarily during application.25

Stop using a product that irritates the area. New burning, stinging, itching, scaling, swelling or blistering warrants medical assessment. On lighter skin, contact dermatitis can look red; on darker skin, it can look dark brown, purple or grey. A clinician can assess the cause and arrange patch testing if an allergy is suspected.25

If you have eyelid dermatitis, avoid eye makeup while it is active. The trigger is not always the moisturizer: cosmetics, eye drops, contact lens solution, hair dye and nail products can also be involved. Identifying the trigger matters because dermatitis can return when you encounter it again. See a doctor for persistent, recurring or severe symptoms.25

When is it an eye problem rather than dry skin?

Eye pain, light sensitivity, blurry vision, a gritty feeling or sticky discharge needs assessment rather than another application of cream. Adults with atopic eczema should see a dermatologist or eye doctor when an eye problem lasts more than a few days. Avoid frequent eye rubbing, which can change the shape of the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye. If your eyelids swell so much that you cannot see, go to an emergency department immediately.26