If the age-old saying: the eyes are the window to the soul is true, then what’s happening beneath your eyes is the portal to your life. Yup, we’re talking about under eye bags—those unwanted dark circles and puffy pockets that weren’t there when you went to bed, but have you looking 20 to 60 years (and anywhere in-between) older when you wake up in the morning.
According to Amanda Lindsay, a skin therapist for Dermalogica Canada and The International Dermal Institute in Toronto, under eye bags are predominantly the result of your genetics, aging and lifestyle. “As we age, the facial structure changes, which can cause excess fat tissues to migrate towards the orbital bone (a.k.a: the eye area),” explains Lindsay. “There isn’t much we can do about this. It boils down to what the cause is. We may not be able to change genetics, but lifestyle changes can always be adjusted.”
Cutting back on high sodium foods and booze—which can make you retain water and stretch out the skin beneath your eyes—getting a good night’s sleep, staying hydrated, exercising regularly and maintaining a nine to five work schedule are a great place to start. You can also help banish under eye bags by incorporating two upgrades to your skincare routine.
First, invest in a good eye cream or serum
Using your face cream as an under eye cream can be a puffy-eye contributor, says Lindsay. So stop. “The molecular structure of your face cream is generally too big for the delicate skin around the eye to handle,” says Lindsay. “This area will reach hydration levels quicker so if the product is too thick it will cause puffiness.” The lightweight texture of an eye cream or eye serum will absorb more quickly into your skin allowing it’s beneficial ingredients, like: caffeine, brown and red algae and chamomile to moisturize and minimize puffiness.
* AmongMen.com recommends: Dermalogica’s Ultrasmoothing Eye Serum, 15 ml for $67.50, available online at Dermalogica or Clarins Men Anti-Fatigue Eye Serum, 20 ml for $40, available at Shopper Drug Mart and Hudson’s Bay stores across Canada.
Second, banish dark circles with an under eye treatment
When applied nightly, ingredients like retinol and titanium dioxide can, over time, help reduce the appearance of dark circles, fine lines and puffiness. For a quick daytime fix Lindsay suggests applying a light-reflecting eye cream. “Optical light diffusers found in certain eye creams can minimize dark circles,” she explains. Slightly tinted with colour, “they blend right into the skin without the use of makeup. In other words they help to brighten the eye area.”
AmongMen.com recommends: NeoStrata Anti Dark Circle Complex, 15 ml for $39, available at Shopper Drug Mart stores across Canada and online at Well.ca or Dermalogica Total Eye Care SPF 15, 20 ml for $60 available online at Dermalogica.ca.
