Can I Use My Face Moisturizer As An Eye Cream?

I have often wondered, are eye creams a fable…an urban legend that we all listen to and abide by or are they an absolute must. With the growth of the beauty business into a billion dollar industry, I  wonder if all these new inventions really work and are they scientifically driven in reality. It was time for some expert consultation to figure out if the veterans saw eye to eye with the eye creams!

Major cosmetic brands claim that their eye cream products contain elements such as caffeine, fennel, parsley, persimmon etc. Sounds more like a cooking school doesn’t it? However, it is true that these ingredients are much of use for their skin benefits. Caffeine is well known for its ability to reduce dark circles and puffiness, fennel soothes the skin and fights water retention, persimmon is abound with minerals, anti oxidants and vitamins. Parsley seeds have restorative benefits that protect the delicate eye area. In fact, these are just a few ingredients that are used in the eye cream product line. You can also find olive extracts, yams, soybean extract and many more such ingredients being used in eye cream recipes.

Today you will find many complex and varied ingredients being used in eye creams. Most labels can be bewildering to read and it is easier to convince oneself by saying  that your facial moisturizer will work just fine to treat your eye area. But sooner or later we all realize that the eye area of our face is a tad more vulnerable to aging. Here are some of the reasons why you should be using an eye cream:

• The skin around the eye is much softer and sensitive and hence prone to more damage in the form of fine lines, dark circles, puffiness etc.
• Aging makes the skin thinner and hence more vulnerable to genetic and environmental change.
• Most facial moisturizers contain active ingredients that are too harsh for the delicate under eye area.

You might feel that your facial moisturizer is doing the work required for your eye area, but an eye cream is lighter in its texture. Since eye creams are more emollient they work better as there are no oil glands present in the skin near the eyes. Most eye creams are of two varieties; for dark circles, puffiness and bags and the anti aging ones. Sometimes issues such as puffiness, dark circles etc. can be a hereditary condition or can be lifestyle driven. Your dermatologist will be able to identify your skins need and prescribe the right eye cream which will have the right ingredients to boost your appearance. If it is a retinoid that will boost collagen production and even out your crow’s feet or a moisturizer that will have all the active ingredients that suit your overall skin need, your dermatologist will make sure your skin gets the TLC that it deserves.

So what is your verdict on eye creams? Are they yet another ‘specialty formulation’… just a beauty trend or do they really work? Write in and share your views.