BEAUTY & GROOMING

Are under eye creams just overpriced moisturisers?

By Ria Bhatia
03 October, 2022

We speak to dermatologists and experts to weigh in on this sometimes ambiguous product

It doesn’t take a beauty aficionado to be cognisant of the product that an under eye cream is. While the more complex products and ingredients—think essences, resurfacing skin pads and polyglutamic acid and retinol—fall under the (skincare) au courant bracket, an under eye cream has been in the market for decades. And still, the putatively magical anti-ageing hero continues to be a questionable enigma. Many beauty influencers and experts have also gone ahead and touted an under eye cream as “gimmicky” and “unnecessary” on social media. So is that little jar really worth the thousands of rupees it usually costs? Let’s attempt to settle the debate.

But first, what exactly is an eye cream?

We’ve all read and heard a slew of outlandish claims made by every eye cream ever, but what is it exactly? Dr Kiran Sethi, founder, Isya Aesthetics and author, Skin Sense, defines it as “a cream that is designed to be light enough for the thin under eye skin, with ingredients titrated for the sensitivity of the area.” Just like the chemistry of your facial skin is different from your body’s, the skin on your face also varies in different areas. “The skin around your eyes is the thinnest. So it has less protection from external elements and a high irritation potential,” says Sethi. “The delicate skin around the eyes is especially prone to irritation, fine lines, dark circles and puffiness,” adds Dr Niketa Sonavane, celebrity dermatologist and founder, Ambrosia Aesthetics. Hence, trusting a concoction that is specifically formulated for the under eye area could increase the probability of youthful and healthy-looking under eyes.

iS Clinical is a favourite brand not only amongst dermatologists but the Youth Eye Complex is a go-to amongst celebrities

Vitamin C, kojic acid and vitamin K or hesperidin are recommended for vascular blood flow issues

What makes for a really good eye cream?

“The skin around the eyes needs additional support in many areas and this can be provided through proper ingredient selection, combination and formulating design. To assume that the eye area is just like facial skin can lead to a product that does not fully address eye area concerns and may lead to complications like irritation, dryness and hyperpigmentation. The concentration of ingredients must be carefully managed, as some concentrations may be too harsh for the eye area,” suggests Dr Charlene DeHaven, Clinical Director, iS Clinical. The dermatologist’s favourite brand’s Youth Eye Complex is a go-to amongst celebrities and models across the globe to keep tired, fatigued and baggy under eyes at bay. 

“TO ASSUME THAT THE EYE AREA IS JUST LIKE FACIAL SKIN CAN LEAD TO A PRODUCT THAT DOES NOT FULLY ADDRESS EYE AREA CONCERNS AND MAY LEAD TO COMPLICATIONS LIKE IRRITATION, DRYNESS AND HYPERPIGMENTATION”
Dr Charlene DeHaven

“Some eye creams may be gimmicky,” DeHave admits. “However, at iS Clinical, we recognise the eye area is unique and has special needs.” The potency of the aforementioned product comes from an impressive mix of ingredients like Copper Tripeptide-1, Centella Asiatica, licorice, hyaluronic acid, vitamins A, C and B5 combined with other cognate agents. According to Sonavane, “Caffeine, hyaluronic acid and peptides are important ingredients to look out for. A morning formula with peptides and caffeine can help brighten dark circles and target puffiness, while a night formula with retinol, ceramides and hyaluronic acid can help firm and smooth the skin.” Sethi, on the other hand, suggests looking for vitamin C, kojic acid and vitamin K or hesperidin for vascular blood flow issues. By now, one thing is clear—the ingredients (and their concentration) have a key role to play in determining the efficacy and performance of the eye cream. 

But will it make  dark circles vanish?

Let’s address the elephant in the room. If an under eye cream claims to make dark circles and under eye bags disappear, the brand is either over-promising or hasn’t done its homework well enough. “No under eye cream can make dark circles and puffiness vanish, as all the under eye issues are multifactorial, involving internal and external causes,” states Sethi. In consensus, Sonavane says, “They are not a miracle cure.” So  are eye creams all noise, no substance? Not really–they assist with caring, repairing and protecting, just like any other skincare product. “Eye creams can help moisturise, protect, boost, anti-age, brighten and de-pigment the under eye area, plus prevent against some future damage,” says Sethi.

“If your under eye area is fine, healthy and youthful, under eye cream can be left alone. But after the age of 30, I suggest preventative under eye care,” says Dr Kiran Sethi. Image: Pexels

Can your regular moisturiser fill in?

Simply put: yes and no. Whether or not you can deploy your facial moisturiser to your under eye area depends highly on the condition and requirements of the area. “It is not unusual for a brand to re-label a facial moisturiser as an eye cream,” reveals DeHaven. “However, moisturisation is not all that is needed by the eye area and additional qualities should also be incorporated into a good eye cream,” she believes. Sonavane explains, “You can use your face moisturiser on the skin around your eyes as long as it does not irritate your eyes and provides adequate moisture. Because the area is so delicate, age-related skin concerns such as fine lines and puffiness tend to appear here fairly early. As a result, we recommend everyone to use eye cream in the morning and at night, not only to keep the area looking good, but also to help prevent future damage.” Sethi recommends we factor in our age too. “If your under eye area is fine, healthy and youthful, under eye cream can be left alone. But after the age of 30, I suggest preventative under eye care,” she shares. The final verdict: listen to your under eye skin and observe its changing requirements.

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