You wake up. You get up. You shower, you shave. You brush your teeth, wash your face and comb your hair. You might even apply a little moisturiser — one with SPF if you’re being especially sensible. But how many of us can honestly count an eye cream as part of our morning routine?
Despite the crumples, rumples and wrinkles that develop around our eyes, men tend to avoid eye creams. And that’s before we even come to eye gels, balms or serums. It’s a crying shame — because there’s some tip-top ointments and emollients out there. So, if you’re looking for a lotion that will erase the signs of ageing, improve your skin’s smoothness and moisturise your eyes, we’ve tried, tested and identified the very best below…
An eye cream will simply smoothen and moisturise
If you’re raising your eyebrows at the idea of an eye cream, firstly stop it — that’ll just give you more crow’s feet. Next, invest in a simple eye cream. These smooth, velvety lotions most resemble the moisturisers you’re already familiar with; and work to reduce dark circles under your eyes, make your skin more elastic and increase the production of youth-giving elastin and collagen in the body.
Simply put, it ‘lifts’ your skin — and does little else. But it’s still well worth introducing to your bathroom cabinet. Aesop’s Parsley Seed offering is especially rich, and has the added bonus of being fantastically fast-absorbing; an ideal quick solution to a particularly nasty hangover. From Dr. Barbara Sturm, this chic cream is no-nonsense — free from synthetic fragrances, parabens and mineral oils. And Perricone MD’s cream has been scientifically developed to soothe and rejuvenate dry or sensitive skin.
An eye gel is lighter, energising and refreshing
A gel is a little more complex. Silkier in texture — but thinner than a cream — gels are typically formulated with non-oily ingredients that are suspended in water for a lighter touch. Perfect for those already suffering from overly oily skin, gels are the best option if you’re looking to combat puffiness around your eyes — and are less likely to sweat off during summer.
One of our favourite gels comes from Dr. Dennis Gross. Infused with hyaluronic acid and Japanese ‘Green Caviar’ algae, it’s as fancy as it sounds — with Caribbean gargonian extract and sarsaparilla root rounding off an ingredient list of the most exotic order. Dr Sebagh’s offering is predictably reliable — also using hyaluronic acid to stimulate collagen production and protect cellular regeneration. And Clinique’s caffeine-based Energizer Gel comes with a cooling roll-on tip.
An eye serum will add vitamins and antioxidants to your skin
Serums are where things gets serious. Rather than simply hydrating your skin, or energising your eyes and making them seem brighter, these products actively penetrate your cells and stuff them with antioxidants, vitamins and all manner of ingredients to boost your complexion from a cellular level. And they boast some humdingers of ingredients…
Take Aesop’s offering, for example. If parsley seed wasn’t enough, how about adding lavender stem and blue chamomile? Or Sisley’s Supremÿa Serum — formulated with a dizzying blend of shea butter, soy peptide extract and acai and yeast extracts? For us, the gold standard has to be La Mer’s The Lifting Eye Serum; infused with the brand’s signature ‘Miracle Broth’ — itself a blend of sea nutrients such as giant sea kelp, lime rinds and 100 proof pure vodka. We’re not sure how they came up with that mix, but we’re glad they did…
An eye balm will form a protective barrier around your eyes
Like a lip balm, an eye balm creates a wax-based protective barrier on top of your skin — allowing for light hydration while combatting any dryness that might lead to cracking or wrinkling around your eyes. Non-cloying, surprisingly lightweight and incredibly versatile, this is the most utilitarian approach to daily eye care — and its denser consistency offers perfect protection during colder snaps.
An intensive anti-ageing formula, ClarinsMen has developed a balm that restores firmness and fills in any lines that may be creeping into your complexion. Patricks has taken the lip balm comparison one step further and created a tube of its EB1 Triple Correction balm: ideal for brightening your skin and perfect for your pocket. Or, if you’re looking for something a little more cosmetic, Lancôme’s cooling eye balm immediately blurs the appearance of imperfections around your eyes.
Looking to freshen up your grooming routine? Try a new face wash…
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