When to use eye cream in your skincare routine

How to apply eye cream

1. 1Wash your face with a gentle cleanser, then gently pat dry.
2. 2Apply any prescribed skin medication or treatment after cleansing. If you use a serum, apply it before eye cream.
3. 3Use a small amount of eye cream. Gently pat it around your eyes with your ring finger, without pulling or tugging the skin.
4. 4Apply your moisturizer. The general layering rule is to put lighter products before heavier creams.
5. 5In the morning, apply sunscreen as your final skincare step, then makeup if you wear it. At night, leave out sunscreen.

Should you use eye cream morning or night?

The ingredient matters more than the word "eye" on the jar. A moisturizing eye cream fits into the moisturizing part of either routine. Retinol products are used at night because sunlight can deactivate them and cause irritation. Applying eye cream in the morning does not replace sun protection around your eyes. You can use the same sunscreen you use on the rest of your face or one designed for the eye area.13

Do you need a separate eye cream?

Moisturizer is an alternative, particularly if the eye area is sensitive. Start with daily moisturizer and sunscreen before adding a product for a specific concern. Choose broad spectrum SPF 30 or higher, with water resistance for outdoor use, and reapply every two hours outdoors.14

Choose for the concern you want to address

• For dryness, look for moisturizing ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and ceramides. Hydrated skin looks plumper, making wrinkles less visible.
• For lines and wrinkles, retinol stimulates collagen. Peptides help firm sagging skin by increasing collagen and elastin.
• For persistent discoloration, niacinamide and kojic acid brighten skin by reducing activity in the cells that produce pigment.

Anti aging creams deliver modest results, not the results of a facelift. There is no single eye cream that suits every concern. Effective anti aging products come in all price ranges, so a larger price tag is not a treatment step. Give sunscreen and moisturizer a few weeks before deciding whether you need another product for a remaining concern.34

What if eye cream irritates your skin?

The skin around your eyes is thin and gets dry and irritated easily. Avoid strongly scented eye creams, and introduce fewer new products at once. Using several anti aging products can cause irritation rather than better results. If a product causes skin irritation or contact dermatitis, an inflammatory skin reaction, stop using it and make an appointment with a dermatologist.123