The skin around your eyes is the most delicate part of your face. That means you have to take extra care of the area, especially as you age. The thin skin there unfortunately means that it’s also the first place that’ll show signs of aging, however, there are certain ingredients in skincare that can help slow down the effects.

To help you pinpoint exactly what ingredients to look for, we’ve compiled a guide below based on what concerns you’re looking to target.

Dark Circles

Two ingredients that can help with dark circles are niacinamide and vitamin C, both powerful antioxidants. Niacinamide, also known as vitamin b3, and vitamin C target dark spots such as your undereye to brighten the discoloration.

Puffiness

You probably notice puffy eyes most after eating a large meal the night before or a lack of sleep. That’s because it's caused by fluid retention. Ingredients that can help reduce this are caffeine or green tea, which are anti-inflammatory and can calm your skin.

Dryness

Many signs of aging are exacerbated by a lack of moisture in your skin. If you already apply moisturizer there yet are still experiencing dryness, try out a thicker cream that can bring even more moisturizing power. Ingredients to look out for are hyaluronic acid and ceramides, which both draw and retain moisture in your skin.

Lines and Wrinkles

To lessen the look of lines or wrinkles around your eyes, the number one thing to do is also to moisturize. The same ingredients that help with dryness also help plump up the skin with the extra moisture.

The second most important ingredients are retinol and peptides. By increasing the production of collagen, retinol and peptides make the skin more bouncy and youthful.

Lastly, you must protect your eyes from the sun. SPF is vital for your eye area if you want to slow down the signs of aging caused by the sun. You can also wear sunglasses for extra protection.

Do I need an eye cream?

One question you may still have is whether or not you need an eye cream. If your face cream works, there’s no need to purchase a separate eye cream. But if you want to give your under eye area some extra TLC, an eye cream will help bring even more helpful ingredients.