3 Tips for Younger Looking Eyes in a Blink
Our eyes are the top giveaway of our age. In studies, people who were asked to gauge a stranger’s age relied on the eye area for clues. “Reverse signs of aging around your eyes and your whole face will look more youthful,” says Beverly Hills dermatologist Ava Shamban, MD. Here’s how:
Dark circles? Try almond oil
Shadows appear when blood pools and shows through the thin skin under the eyes — and that skin gets thinner with every birthday, making dark circles more visible. Dr. Shamban’s advice? Reach for almond oil. Its vitamin K boosts blood flow to thwart pooling, and as a bonus, its vitamin A increases collagen production to firm skin and reduce crow’s-feet. Simply dip a cotton swab in the oil, like Aura Cacia Sweet Almond Skin Care Oil ($5.99, the Vitamin Shoppe) and apply to circles twice a day for results in three weeks.
Puffy bags? Try a protein serum
As skin around the eyes loses elasticity with age, there’ more room for fluid to gather, resulting in bags. The instant fix: albumin serum. “Albumin is a protein that temporary tightens skin as it dries,” says Dr. Shamban. Just massage a pea-size drop, like Sudden Change Under-Eye Firming Serum ($8.97, Walmart) under eyes for results that last up to four hours. And to ward off bags in the future, use the serum in combination with a retinol eye cream. Studies show retinol tightens skin by 36 percent in eight weeks.
Under-eye hollows? Try fillers
That hollowed-out look sets in when fat pads that line the eyes start to thin and droop. “The best way to restore volume in this area is to opt for fillers,” says New York City plastic surgeon Joshua Zuckerman, MD. The newest version: Juvéderm Vollure XC. This injectable gel is made with hyaluronic acid, which has been shown to restore volume while increasing skin firmness. One treatment costs $700 on average and works instantly to fill in under-eye hollows, with results lasting 12 to 24 months.
For a low-cost at-home alternative, consider an eye cream containing hyaluronic acid, like Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream Eye ($12.49, Amazon). In addition to restoring moisture to the delicate eye area to plump up skin, twicedaily application has been shown to increase skin firmness and elasticity by 55 percent within eight weeks.
This story originally appeared in our print magazine.
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