Jocelyn Petroni talks eye creams with Body & Soul: turn back the clock - or just fake a good night's sleep - with targeted, high-tech solutions that will help wave a magic over your entire face.
We blink up to 17 times per minute, as well as squint, laugh and cry, which amounts to *a lot* of eye movement in a single day. On top of that, let’s not forget about those pesky environmental stressors like UV rays and pollution, combined with natural ageing and genetics. In short, this delicate area deals with a lot. “For these reasons, the skin around the eyes shows signs of ageing earlier than elsewhere on the face, with fine lines, wrinkles and crepiness,” explains dermatologist Dr Cara McDonald. “The skin around your eyes is also less robust and more prone to irritation or allergy than elsewhere on your face.” The other thing to know? “There are minimal oil and sweat glands in the eye area, so with age the skin becomes dry and dehydrated,” says leading facialist Jocelyn Petroni. Which is why it’s essential to look for a solution that’s truly restorative. But like all things in beauty-land, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to supporting the skin around our peepers. Here’s how to choose the best option and wake up looking like you’ve had eight hours’ sleep – even when you haven’t.
Why is it important to incorporate an eye cream into our routines?
The delicate skin of the eye area is about 1/3 the thickness of the rest of the face. Being fine in nature the skin will naturally absorb a fine textured cream, something ultra light weight, that won’t ‘weigh down’ on the skin. There are minimal oil and sweat glands in the eye area, so with age the skin becomes dry and dehydrated. Starting to apply an eye cream in your 20’s will prevent dehydration lines forming in your 30’s.
What are some brightening ingredients that are commonly found in eye creams?
Vitamin C is the best brightening ingredient found in an eye cream. It is an incredible anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant that mimics the skin’s natural ceramide production, providing hydration, reduces the appearance of fine lines and improves overall tone and texture of the skin.
What are some tips on banishing puffiness around the eyes?
There is no miracle cream that treats puffiness around the eyes. To date I have not found a single topical product that effectively decreases puffiness in the eye area. Lymphatic drainage massage is an excellent method that can be incorporated daily into your cleaning routine and how you apply your eye cream every day. Puffiness is caused when fluid becomes trapped in the eye area and does not naturally drain into the lymphatic system. A daily lymphatic drainage massage pumps the excess fluid along the right path and does wonders for reducing swelling and puffiness.
What's the best method to apply eye cream? (patting vs massaging, what finger should we use, do we need to wait for it to dry before applying other skincare products)
Always apply from the inner corner of your eye and slowly, gently, work towards the outer corner. Use the tips of your ‘cosmetic fingers’ the ring finger and middle finger for gentle control. Only apply over the bone, along the top and bottom of the eye socket. Do not applying cream over the eye ball itself! the skin is so thin the cream will seep through to where it’s needed.
Ultraceuticals Ultra C Firming Eye Cream is my personal favourite eye care product. It contains pure Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid) in a CSIRO developed delivery system.
