Can you use eye cream as face cream?

What makes an eye cream useful on your face?

Moisturizers rehydrate the skin's top layer and help keep water from escaping. Ingredients such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid attract moisture, while silicone and oils help seal moisture in. An eye cream containing these ingredients can perform that basic moisturizing job on facial skin. The moisturizing ingredients matter more than the area named on the jar, which is not a border checkpoint.1

For example, CeraVe Eye Repair Cream contains ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide in a fragrance free formula. Those are moisturizing and barrier supporting ingredients, not just ingredients for dark circles. CeraVe directs users to apply this product around the eyes; using it across the face is an application of general moisturizing guidance, not CeraVe's stated direction.4

Will the texture suit your skin?

• Dry skin usually needs a cream or ointment rather than a lighter lotion. A moisturizing eye cream is a reasonable option if it gives you enough moisture.
• Oily skin can suit a lighter gel better than a rich cream. Too much moisturizer can clog pores and contribute to acne.
• Combination skin does not need equal amounts everywhere. Moisturize dry areas rather than automatically coating oily areas.
• Sensitive or dry skin benefits from avoiding fragrance, which can irritate skin. An eye cream label alone is not a reason to skip checking the ingredients.

An expensive eye cream is not automatically a better facial moisturizer, even if the price suggests it has been promoted. Pick the formula that meets your moisturizing needs rather than paying more simply because the product is called an eye cream.5

How to try eye cream as face cream

1. 1Introduce only one new product at a time. If your skin is sensitive, test a pea sized dot behind your ear along the jawline and wait a day or two before applying it across your face.
2. 2Wash with a gentle cleanser and gently pat dry. For a moisturizing cream, applying while the skin is still damp helps trap water.
3. 3Apply any skin medication or treatment after cleansing, then use the moisturizing eye cream at the moisturizer step. Around the eyes, use your ring finger to avoid pulling hard on delicate skin.
4. 4Follow the product's frequency directions. CeraVe Eye Repair Cream allows once or twice daily use, morning or evening; that schedule is not a rule for every eye cream.
5. 5In the morning, apply broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. Apply makeup afterward if you use it.

When should you stop or get help?

Skin around the eyes is thin and sensitive, and a new eye product can cause a reaction. Do not add several treatment creams at once, especially multiple products aimed at signs of aging, because that can irritate skin.36

If a scaly, burning or bumpy rash develops around your eyes, stop applying cosmetic creams to the affected area and seek medical advice rather than layering on more moisturizer. Moisturizers can trigger periocular dermatitis, a rash around the eyes. If you use a prescribed steroid cream there, ask your clinician before stopping it, as abrupt withdrawal can cause a severe flare.7

See a dermatologist if dryness keeps worsening or becomes painful, cracked, bleeding or very irritating despite moisturizing.2