Eye Area Concerns: all links so far

eye area concerns

• Allergic reaction to a product: swollen eyes

• An effective treatment for puffy eyes using Yonka’s Phyto Contour

• Crow’s Feet Q & A

• Dark Circles explained

• Dark Circles Q & A

• Eye Cream Q & A

• Eye Cream Quick Tip

• Eye Creams 101: What to use?

• EYE CREAM: WHY you want to use it & HOW TO apply this all-important skin care product (new!)

• Eye makeup removal with Vaseline question (new!)

• Forgotten Places: The Eye Area

• Hemorrhoid cream for puffy eyes: Does it really work? One experience—MINE! (new!)

• How NOT to apply eye cream

• Puffy Eyes? Turn a negative into a positive!

• Will my puffy eyes ever go away? Help!

EYE CREAM: WHY you want to use it & HOW TO apply this all-important skin care product

Why use eye cream?

You have no functioning oil glands directly under your eyes, so you want to keep that skin moisturized at all times. Why? So that when you express and the lines crease around your eyes, they are creasing on soft tissue.

Lines are formed after years of facial expressions and sun exposure that cause a breakdown of collagen (the supporting structure of the skin), which then creates a wrinkle. A topical cream is merely keeping the tissue soft and, therefore, the lines less noticeable—less hard looking. 

Creams (even the most expensive eye cream) cannot completely repair damage incurred by sun exposure, nor can a cream stop the natural aging process. At best, with eye creams specifically, they can help to soften the blow caused by facial expressions. As consumers, we have been lulled into believing a mere man-made cream can overturn what nature, genetics, and sun exposure have caused. Don’t be fooled. Being clear about what is and what is not possible will save you a lot of time and money. However, using eye creams is vitally important in keeping the tissue around the eye area soft and supple, reducing the look of the lines.

How to use eye cream

I have many clients who ask me how exactly to use an eye cream. They are not quite sure where they should apply it, how much to use, and if they really need one at all.

First, you only want to use a small amount of cream—just enough to smooth on the lines. The more you use, the greater the chances the cream will find its way into your eyes. Sometimes if you apply too much or apply a cream that is heavy, it can cause puffiness when the thin under-eye skin tries to absorb the excess.

When applying eye cream you want to be very careful not to stretch or pull this delicate tissue. I always use my ring fingers (like the photo above). Place a small amount of eye cream on one finger and warm it by patting your ring fingers together. Then gently apply to the lines around your eyes. Remember to pat, not rub, the under-eye skin.

You want to apply your cream on the lines near your eyes—your crow’s feet. The oil glands stop functioning where the bone is just under the eyes. The reason you need eye cream in the first place is because there are no functioning oil glands directly under and around the eyes. Thus lines form there very easily due to the true-dry (oil-dry) nature of that delicate, thin skin. 

Another question I’m frequently asked is should eye cream be applied on the eyelids? It’s not really necessary. You want eye cream specifically on the lines around the eyes. Too much cream on the lids can cause it to migrate (through warming because the lids are open throughout the day) into the eyes themselves. If you have scaly or excessively dry lids, you can put a small amount of cream there but I’d only do that at night when your eyes will be closed. If you suffer from eczema or some other form of dermatitis, you’ll want to seek a dermatologist’s care.

Eye cream is an important part of your daily Basics program. Hydrating the skin under and around the eyes does help to keep that skin soft and therefore the lines less noticeable. But alas, an eye cream (no matter how much you paid or the promises it makes) will not keep the lines from forming.

For more information, see:

• Eye Creams 101: What to use 
• Eye Cream Quick Tip 
• How NOT to apply eye cream

Hemorrhoid cream for puffy eyes: Does it really work? One experience—MINE!

I’m sure many of you have heard about a “miracle” treatment for puffiness around the eyes: Preparation H®, the hemorrhoid cream. I’ve read about it and heard about it for years, and I’m frequently asked if it works, so I had to find out for myself what the truth is.

I went to the store and looked at all the different ointments and creams meant to shrink the pain and itching of hemorrhoids. There are a few brands available, Preparation H being the most well-known. Like many medications, there are generic brands that have virtually identical ingredients for less money. In order to do a “controlled” study, I purchased the Preparation H brand, but any of them would have worked the same I’m sure.

The ingredients listed in the cream as “active” are:

• glycerin (12%)
• petrolatum (18%)
• phenylephrine HCI (0.25%)
• shark liver oil (3.0%)

Glycerin is one of the main components of most creams due to its water-binding abilities. It is a humectant and therefore attracts moisture (water) to itself. How this is going to help with puffiness I can’t imagine. Petrolatum, which is just Vaseline or petroleum jelly, is another ingredient that helps to make the cream smooth and spreadable. How this particular ingredient helps with puffiness is also a mystery to me. If you were to put Vaseline around your eyes, it would probably cause puffiness due to its ability to retain moisture. I also wonder what the active component is in this very inert (inactive) substance. Petrolatum is also going to clog your pores.

I could not find phenylephrine HCI, but found phenylephrine HCL in my ingredient lists book. Also known as hydrochloride, it is used in some nasal decongestants to contract blood vessels or in medications to take the red out of the eyes. This would be consistent with a cream meant to shrink tissue, in this case, hemorrhoids. Shark liver oil is loaded with vitamin A and is used to lubricate many creams and lotions. Out of all these “active” ingredients, the only one that seems to be acting on reducing inflammation is phenylephrine HCI. The inactive ingredients listed on the package are mostly fillers, lanolins, and preservatives; they are nothing special, and certainly nothing harmful.

Like many of you, I wake up in the morning with moderate puffiness under my eyes. Throughout the day, the puffiness naturally diminishes, if only due to gravity and the fluids draining from the eye area. I used the hemorrhoid cream under only one eye so I could see if there was a difference between my two undereyes. This, by the way, is an important way to find out if something is working. If you use it on both sides, how can you tell, unless it is dramatic, how well something is working?

After using Preparation H (under one eye) for two full weeks, I can honestly and unequivocally say that this product didn’t do a thing for my undereye puffiness. I just didn’t see any appreciable difference. I would even ask those people I saw in that time frame, and they couldn’t see a measurable difference between my two eyes. 

I went back to the store and purchased the ointment and the gel, thinking maybe I had used the wrong form of Preparation H. Neither of these made any difference either, further cementing my belief that Preparation H should be used as it was originally intended and not for puffy eyes.

Using a hemorrhoid cream on your face may not leave you free from side effects. Redness, sensitivity, along with acne are possible reactions. Some of the hemorrhoid creams contain hydrocortisone, a steroid, and in rare cases it can be absorbed through the skin and get into your bloodstream, which overtime can cause stress on your adrenal glands. To all of that I say: Why use it?!

Perhaps Preparation H does work wonders in a situation like on a model in a runway show or for a makeup artist working on a famous person (like Kim Kardashian’s makeup person who swears by using this cream—click here for an article about just that). But my experience using it didn’t prove to be as beneficial. Try it for yourself. See if using a hemorrhoid cream around your eye area helps to reduce puffiness you may experience. Personally I’ll stick to eye treatment creams meant to help puffiness—around the eyes.

For more information, see:

• Puffy Eyes? Turn a negative into a positive! 
• Will my puffy eyes ever go away? Help!
• Forgotten Places: The Eye Area

Eye makeup removal with Vaseline question

I’ve been taking mascara off for years with Vaseline and have used it on my lips also. Is it harmful, and if so, what should I use instead?

Vaseline® or any other petroleum product in and of itself isn’t harmful to the skin necessarily; these ingredients can clog the pores if contained in a moisturizing cream or foundation.

The most important thing to remember is whenever you are removing mascara, you have to be sure not to pull your undereye skin as you are wiping off the mascara. That tissue is delicate and should not be pulled or tugged daily. This is the number one reason using Vaseline isn’t such a good idea.

Due to its gooey consistency, this petroleum jelly will naturally stick to the skin. Therefore, the potential for having to pull the skin near your eyes increases. Vaseline tends to stick around wherever it has been applied, so if you choose to use this as a makeup remover, along with the potential to pull the sensitive tissue around your eyes, you also add the potential for it getting (and staying) in your eyes. If this has ever happened to you, you know that it takes quite a long time for the jelly to get out of your eyes, creating blurred vision temporarily.

Therefore I can say I am not a fan of using Vaseline or any other gooey product to remove your eye makeup. A thin oil is better than petroleum jelly, and a product made for makeup removal would be my number one recommendation. Vaseline is probably inexpensive, but because you run the risk of pre-aging the skin around your eyes, it could end up being an expensive proposal. See the articles listed below for details on how to properly (and easily) remove your eye makeup, including mascara.

For more information, see:

• Removing eye makeup: Part I & 
• Removing eye makeup: Part II—the best way to remove mascara to find out the best way to remove your eye makeup
• Petroleum as an ingredient in your face & body products

Allergic reaction to a product: swollen eyes

Hi Carolyn! I’ve got a question for you. I have a client who developed swollen eyelids from a product (not Yonka) that she applied there. Now her eyelids are super swollen. Would a compress of diluted Pure help? I told her to call the Derm. Help!

This question came from an aesthetician friend of mine. As you may already know, the tissue all around the eye area is delicate and highly susceptible to all kinds of issues, especially swelling and inflammation. When it comes to the eyelids, how you treat them is also very important. It’s helpful to remember that sometimes the simplest fix is the best solution; with swollen eyes this is certainly true. Following is my response to this inquiry.

Pure (Yonka’s concentrated toner emulsion) might help. If it were me or my client, I would initially simply use cold compresses to help relieve some of the inflammation. The eyelids are especially sensitive due to the fact they are made up of such thin skin. Once an area is in reaction, anything could be irritating and lead to further reaction—even water.

I actually wouldn’t use tea bags (like in the photo) for this particular problem. Like I said, even water could irritate this already irritated and inflamed area. On any other given day, a particular tea might not irritate this tissue, but once the skin is in reaction, I wouldn’t take any chances—so stay away from cold tea bags—for now.

If your client happens to have Yonka’s Creme 11, I’d have her put a thin layer on one eyelid and not the other. Then use cold compresses on both eyes. If she sees a difference with the Creme 11 eye, then apply that to both eyelids—again, applying in a very thin layer. Creme 11, as you know, incorporates arnica, an anti-inflammatory and soothing ingredient.

Although Yonka’s Pure is great for many things, my concern is—with even a super diluted amount of this concentrate (known for its soothing abilities)—it could further the irritation. Then again, Pure might work wonders, but it wouldn’t be my first choice. If your client wants to try diluted Pure, I would suggest she do the one-eyelid-only method. If Pure works, she’ll see it because the untreated eyelid will still be inflamed. If it doesn’t work, only one eyelid will be further irritated or be without change.

If your client has a gel version of a hydrocortisone product (like Cordaid or Cortizone-10) she could apply it sparingly on her eye lids. When it comes to the eyes, I’m not a huge fan of putting a steroid cream on the eyelid, so close to the eyes, but this will probably help with the inflammation and swollen nature of the skin.

Hydrocortisone products come in creams and gels. I like a gel best because it is less like to migrate (spread) too far from the application site. Creams, due to their more emollient nature, can sometimes move around and possibly get in the eye. This, obviously, is not desired. Just to be safe, I’d recommend using a hydrocortisone cream when the eyes will be closed, like just before bedtime.

Again, if it were me, I’d start with Creme 11 (discontinued 2/2018) and see how that goes before using steroids. If the swelling hasn’t gone down significantly within 24 hours, go with hydrocortisone. If nothing seems to work, I would stick with plain old cold compresses and then wait it out.

Although the eye tissue is quick to react, it can be much slower to get back to 100% normal. An allergic reaction to a product usually will resolve itself within 24-48 hours. It is important to remember this tissue could be more sensitive to things that normally don’t cause any problems. An allergic reaction will go away if the skin is given time—without further irritation—to go back to normal (the pre-allergic state).

For more information, see:

• Allergic Reactions to Products & The 72-Hour Test
• Reactions to products: Is it eczema?
• An effective treatment for puffy eyes using Yonka’s Phyto Contour This product is not recommended for an allergic reaction, as written about above. But if your eye area is just puffy in general, this product really helps!

Eye Cream Q & A

Does eye cream make a difference? Should I use it?

Absolutely! Eye cream is an essential component to your Basics 1-2-3 skin care routine (see link below). After cleansing, toning, and applying face moisturizer, then apply your eye cream—every day at least twice a day. The difference eye cream will make is to keep the skin directly under your eyes soft and hydrated, something that doesn’t happen naturally. You have no functioning oil glands there, so applying cream is the only way to keep that skin moisturized.

Can I put vitamin E around my eyes for eye cream?

I’m sure the reason you are asking this question is because you know the benefits of vitamin E. I prefer to reach for manufactured products when it comes to my skin. My eye cream might actually have vitamin E as one of the ingredients, which is a good thing, but it also contains numerous other ingredients that will help to soothe and moisturize this delicate skin. This is my preference.

If using vitamin E as an eye cream works for you, then I don’t think it is a bad thing. I just think it has limited capabilities vs. a cream that is produced specifically for the eyes. Perhaps for a happy medium, you could mix your eye cream with a drop of vitamin E oil. Mix these two in your palm and then apply to the eye area. This way you will get more than just straight oil on your skin, which could eventually get into your eyes and cause problems, or might even cause puffiness.

I am 34 and looking for something that will help combat these ever-increasing wrinkles under my eyes.

As I tell all my clients, the lines are only going to get worse! Seriously, it’s true. The natural aging of our bodies includes lines and wrinkles where we are expressing the most. At 34 years old, you are probably just beginning to notice the lines around your eyes because they are probably just beginning to form. Using eye cream, if you are not already, is important. It will keep the skin soft and maybe even make the lines look less noticeable. Eye cream will not decrease the wrinkles—even over time.

I have so many lines around my eyes. I use eye cream every day, but still the skin around my eyes is so dried out. Is there a super rich cream I can use to keep this area from drying out?

My recommendation is not to use a thick cream, but to use eye cream throughout the day, not just morning and night. The skin directly under the eyes has no functioning oil glands, so you need to keep a lipid substance there at all times to keep this skin soft and supple. In fact, you don’t want to use a super rich eye cream. Usually these will make your eyes look puffy due to the heavy oils they contain. The thin skin around the eyes absorbs the oil, which can produce edema or puffiness. I recommend using eye cream vs. face creams around the eye area. These have been formulated specifically for this delicate and sensitive tissue and are going to be your best bet.

Something you can do which can be very effective is to add a drop of oil to your eye cream, mix and apply. Like the recommendation for the reader asking about vitamin E as an eye cream, mixing just one drop of this or another oil can really enrich your eye treatment and successfully help with dryness around your eyes. I find this recommendation particularly helpful in the winter months.

The skin around my mouth and eyes is very dry and kind of flaky. Once I put my moisturizer on, it’s not as noticeable, but then when I wash again the dryness is back. It doesn’t happen anywhere else on my face. It happens a lot; it even happens during warm months and stays around for a few weeks, then sort of goes away until the next time. Any suggestions?

You may be experiencing eczema, or it may just be a severe case of dehydration. Usually dehydration happens across a wide area, while other maladies such as eczema would be more localized. If you use a cortisone cream on the area for at least three or four days (consistently) and the dryness goes away, it was more than likely a dermatitis. If the dryness is still there, try exfoliating the area and see if that helps.

Remember, if your body is deficient in certain vitamins and essential nutrients (like essential fatty acids, for instance), your skin may be showing the signs of this. Don’t just look to treat skin problems topically. Also look at your diet and stress levels to get a clue as to what may be going on inside, which is showing up outside.

I never go without eye cream now. I cannot believe what a difference it has made. Thank you for your help!

For more information, see: 

• The Basics 1-2-3 Program for proper skin care
• EYE CREAM: WHY you want to use it & HOW TO apply this all-important skin care product
• Scaly, dry skin on your eyelids? It could be eczema

 

Dark Circles Q & A

I have very dark circles that are genetic and require concealer. I have had difficulties with eye creams that don’t blend well with concealer or somehow increase the dryness or are too oily, making the concealer settle and crease in the wrinkles beneath my eyes.

I was looking at an alpha hydroxy eye cream for wrinkle prevention. I also saw an eye cream that said it helped with the dark circles. But I am not sure whether either of these would work with concealer and makeup during the day. I was hoping perhaps you could help me.

Dark circles (darkness under the eye area) is a big concern for a lot of people. Below I will answer this reader’s question part by part in hopes to make sense of how to take care of this eye area concern.

I have very dark circles that are genetic and require concealer. Genetic is the operative word here. If you know your dark circles stem from a genetic predisposition, then please know that no product, miracle or not, is going to rid you of your genetic “gifts.” How do you know if they’re genetic? Look at your parents and even their parents. If you see dark circles wherever you turn, then you are just carrying on the family tradition.

I have had difficulties with eye creams that don’t blend well with concealer or somehow increase the dryness or are too oily, making the concealer settle and crease in the wrinkles beneath my eyes. Eye cream shouldn’t make the skin around your eyes feel dry. You may be having an allergic reaction or an intolerance to one or more of the ingredients. If the eye cream makes the skin too oily, you may be putting too much on (only use a small amount, but often), or it just may be too rich a cream for your skin. When you use concealer around the eyes, it will crease inside the wrinkles no matter if you use eye cream or not. Like foundation (both contain pigment), concealer will usually accentuate the lines and wrinkles.

I was looking at an alpha hydroxy eye cream for wrinkle prevention. I also saw an eye cream that said it helped with the dark circles. But I am not sure whether either of these would work with concealer and makeup during the day. Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) do help with lines and wrinkles because they decompose microscopic bits of skin, leaving the surface of your face smoother and the texture refined. They don’t prevent wrinkles—nothing really does. Creams that say they help with dark circles might help, but only to a certain degree.

As far as AHAs or creams for dark circles working with your concealer, you will have to experiment and see. After applying your eye cream, try waiting at least 5-10 minutes before putting the concealer on. This might help with some of the creasing.

I am thinking of having surgery to remove my dark circles. Do you think there is something else I can do to get rid of them?

Surgery can only take adipose (fat) from that area; it will do nothing for the capillaries or blood vessels. I am not a proponent of surgery. Toxins in our bodies will contribute to the darkness around the eyes. The skin is very thin and shows vascular changes quite easily. So, if your internal health is optimal, usually the darkness will subside, unless of course you are genetically predisposed to dark circles.

I know from personal experience that on the morning after eating sugar, I have noticeable dark circles under my eyes. I believe this is due to an inflammatory response (similar to an allergic reaction) that sugar causes in my body. The same holds true for alcohol consumption. I see the same response (dark circles) after a night of even moderate drinking.

Eating sugar, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, not getting enough sleep at night, and other environmental factors can all contribute to your problem. Change what you are putting in your body (really, give this serious consideration) and see what effects it has on your dark circles.

For more information, see.

• Allergic Reactions to Products & The 72-Hour Test 
• Will my puffy eyes ever go away? Help! 
• An effective treatment for puffy eyes using Yonka’s Phyto Contour (This product is also helpful for dark circles.)

How NOT to apply eye cream

I don’t recommend applying cream on the upper eyelid. Read why:

Where one should apply their eye cream seems to be a big mystery to a lot of people. Looking over photos on the Internet reinforces my opinion that most people apply it incorrectly. I have included some photos from what look like homemade how-tos in order to give you my take on how to—or rather how not to apply your eye cream.

There are several things that are wrong about the eye cream application in the photo above. I will say, however, that perhaps the cream was applied how and where it was for the sake of the photograph—to show up better. But since I wasn’t at this lady’s home when she took the photo, I will give a critique of how it looks like she was going to apply her eye cream and why you don’t want to do it this way.

First of all, she has applied way too much product. The skin around your eyes is the thinnest anywhere on your body. Therefore it cannot absorb much of anything—including a thick, emollient hydrating cream. Less is more when it comes to how much eye cream to apply.

Next is where she has applied it. Actually—no. I really can’t get past how much cream she has used! Once she pats that into her skin, well patting probably won’t work. There is just too much product!

The young woman in this image has also applied way too much cream and, similar to the first photo, not in the right areas. First, using too much product can and will cause edema (puffiness) because the skin is thin around the eyes and it simply cannot absorb much cream. Next, you really don’t need to apply your eye cream so far into the nose area. Look in the mirror, squint, and where your lines are forming is essentially where you want the eye cream to go. Applying cream in the middle part of the eye area toward the nose may also cause edema or even dark circles. This tissue doesn’t have the capability of taking in all of that cream. 

I don’t recommend applying eye creams above your eyes, on your upper eyelids, because it leaves the potential for the eye cream to migrate (move) down into your eyes. If you apply eye cream on your eyelid at night before going to bed, that would be OK. You will be asleep with your eyes closed all night so the cream should stay put. But then again, why apply eye cream on an area that simply doesn’t need it? Your eyelid doesn’t generally wrinkle or age. It’s under the eyes that you want to put the eye treatment you’re using—where your wrinkles are forming. This is where you want to apply eye cream.

For more information, see:

• EYE CREAM: WHY you want to use it & HOW TO apply this all-important skin care product
• Eye Creams 101: What to use?
• The Forgotten Places: The Eye Area

An effective treatment for puffy eyes using Yonka’s Phyto Contour

Originally the bulk of this article was contained in the Yonka eye treatment post (listed below). I decided to separate the information to make it easier to access—hopefully!

How to go about treating puffy eyes is a question I am frequently asked by my clients. Following is an effective way to help reduce puffiness from the eye area using a Yonka eye treatment cream. Yonka’s rosemary eye cream is certainly not the only product on the market that can help with edema around the eyes, but it sure is a good one.

For severe or even mild puffiness:

On a morning when you wake up with puffy eyes, I recommend using Phyto-Contour in the following way:

• First, grab your Phyto-Contour and sit up in bed. Sitting up allows gravity to help give the fluids an opportunity to drain. If you just “get up and go” the puffiness is more likely to stay put

• Apply Phyto-Contour in a thick layer under the eyes where the puffiness (or dark circles) is most prevalent

• Relax and remain sitting up in bed for at least 5 minutes, 15 if possible

• Now do your morning skin care Basics routine (cleanse, tone, hydrate). Because you’re cleansing, you will be removing the eye treatment under your eyes, which is fine. If you gave it 5-15 minutes to work, you should see a reduction in puffines

• After the Basics, apply whatever eye cream you choose, whether Phyto-Contour (in a thin layer now) or any other

If you are using this thicker application method other than first thing in the morning, still sit up somewhere and get comfortable. Apply a thick layer of Phyto-Contour and relax. Afterwards (assuming you’re not going to clean your face), simply smooth in the cream and wipe off any excess product. If it were me, I’d massage any remaining Phyto-Contour onto my neck. Why not? Rosemary is wonderful for all skin tissue!

By giving the rosemary a chance to absorb into the skin, it can help reduce the fluid retention you were experiencing under your eyes. This will make your puffiness and/or dark circles look much improved. Here is a comment about Phyto Contour from one of my clients: 

Thank you for the reference to your blog post instructions. I tried the morning method and noticed an immediate difference. I’m looking forward to using this product more often!

For more information, see

• Will my puffy eyes ever go away? Help!
• Yonka’s Eye Treatment Creams & Gels 
• EYE CREAM: WHY you want to use it & HOW TO apply this all-important skin care product

Dark Circles explained

What are dark circles? What causes them?

When you see dark circles under your eyes, you are essentially seeing the blood vessels—filled with blood—due to the exceptionally thin skin in that area. Stress and lack of sleep can cause changes in your blood circulation (it becomes slower), which can cause the tiny capillaries to expand. Thin skin or circulation that has slowed down can both cause dark circles to appear.

Then there are allergies. Airborne inhalants as well as food allergies can cause dark circles to form. So the short answer to that question is similar to what causes problem skin: diet, environment, and lifestyle habits. Genetics, as always, can also play a key role in whether or not you will have dark circles.

My story. Throughout my life, I have never really had a problem with dark circles under my eyes. Sure, once in a while if I was out too late or just didn’t get enough sleep for some reason, they might appear temporarily. And many years ago, while I lived in Dallas, I had terrible springtime allergies, so during my annual two months of misery, the dark circles were generally always present. But by and large, I didn’t consider dark circles a concern for me.

Then when I moved to Chicago in 2002 (age 41), I noticed a marked difference in the dark circles under my eyes. In fact, I noticed that I constantly had them! At first I thought it was due to the stress I was under having recently moved my life to a new city. Then I thought it was the pollution here (although I think both cities have an equal problem when it comes to air quality). When I would go to Dallas on business I noticed the dark circles virtually went away, so I knew it was something to do with life in Chicago.

Months later, I discovered the culprit. It was not so much the outside air pollution, it was no longer the stress of moving (I’d lived there long enough to smooth all that out), but what I think was causing the problem was the apartment I was living in at the time. It was extremely dusty there, and I’m not sure why. I could see the dust accumulate on everything—including my cats! I have never lived anywhere with so much dust! I put air filters in every room, including the bathroom, but still, the dust kept on coming. Dust is a very common allergen, and I believe it was dust that ultimately caused my dark circles back then. It was my body’s allergic reaction showing itself.

Dark circles are there for a reason. But just like my dusty apartment story, it may take a sleuth to figure out why they are there. It’s always going to be environmental—your body’s environment. Our magnificent machines are always throwing off toxins, and when the toxic buildup is too much to take, the body starts giving signs of overload. So if you suffer with dark circles, look around and see if you can figure out what is causing them. I believe that common allergens, whether they be in your diet or your immediate environment, are causes for persistent or even temporarily dark circles.

To further discuss my personal experience with darkness under the eyes, I have found that since moving into menopause (I am 54), the dark circles are somewhat of a permanent feature on my face. I’m sure due to hormone changes and simply the aging of my skin, the dark circles are clear and present. I eat a fairly pristine diet and unless I have had alcohol or sugar, which make the darkness worse, the discoloration is always there to some degree. At this point I don’t let the darkness bother me. I find my eye glasses, which I don’t wear all the time, cover the area if I feel the need.

Products for dark circles. Although there are many products on the market that profess to remove dark circles, I would caution you against spending too much of your hard earned money on them. I’m not saying you won’t find relief with one or more of these creams, but I have not found one product that stands out from any other. I believe if there was a product that really got rid of dark circles completely, we would all know about it. The manufacturers would be rich and no one would have to walk the earth with dark circles! But that isn’t the case.

If you want to try a product said to help reduce dark circles, don’t hesitate! But don’t be surprised if it doesn’t do all you want it to do. If the product helps, great; if it doesn’t, return it if you can. For less severe cases of dark circles, products truly may help. But if you are genetically predisposed and/or have a lifestyle that doesn’t support your best health, you may not find the results you are looking for in a cream designed to help with dark circles. And do try looking at your diet to see if you may be contributing to the problem.

For more information, see:

• Yonka’s Eye Treatment Creams & Gels (scroll down to Phyto-Contour to see what Yonka has for dark circles and puffiness under the eyes)
• Will my puffy eyes ever go away? Help!
• Air pollution and how it affects your skin

Yonka’s Eye Treatment Creams & Gels

Crow’s Feet Q & A

How can I get rid of or prevent crow’s feet?

In a word, you can’t. Crow’s feet are the lines and wrinkles that form around the eyes from years of expressing, including laughing, crying, squinting, and rubbing the area. Throughout our lives the eye area gets a good deal of sun exposure, too. This will increase both the speed of formation and the depth of the lines around your eyes.

You have no functioning oil glands directly under your eyes, so it stands to reason that this particular area remains dry (oil-dry) throughout your life, coupled with the fact that the eyes are the most expressive part of the face. This gives just about everyone a recipe for premature lines and wrinkles.

Crow’s feet are not preventable—unless of course you don’t express and otherwise don’t disrupt the tissue. Obviously, this is not going to happen. Even young people have the beginnings of crow’s feet—they are a natural part of the evolution of our skin. You can’t really get rid of them nor can you prevent them from occurring.

This is where Botox and other cosmetic procedures step in. And this is where I go my separate way. You get lines and wrinkles due to the natural aging process, like it or not. And my choice is to accept and move on. For others, moving on means reaching for cosmetic helpers that will help diminish or even eliminate the lines. I still contend the lines around your eyes cannot be completely eliminated, but Botox and some laser procedures can significantly lessen their appearance. I don’t subscribe to these procedures, but they are widely available.

I am not sure if 26 is the magic number, but I have started to notice the beginnings of the dreaded crow’s feet (which is why I am stocking up on eye cream!). Is this normal? Am I aging prematurely? How can I make it stop?

The aging process starts when it does. It is different for every individual, but at 26 you are probably going to start seeing something. Because the eyes are so expressive, it is usually the first place you will see lines starting to form. You can’t “make it stop,” but using eye cream every day will help to keep the skin under your eyes soft and therefore discourage lines from forming due to dehydration.

The lines will form there, and every year they will get deeper. Now in my 50s, I am of course seeing the aging process take hold. Gray hair, deeper lines, but I don’t obsess or even pay too much attention to all that. I know intellectually those things are going to happen. So I choose to focus my attention on the things I can change like eating well, exercising, and in general continuing to learn how to relax through life.

At 26 this may all sound like a bunch of “who cares,” but you can’t change the inevitable. You can, of course, use good products on your skin and stay away from direct sunlight on your face. But nature will take its course. Try to enjoy the process! (I’m sure you are rolling your eyes right about now!)

It is doubtful you are aging prematurely, and yes, seeing some lines is normal. But how much sun exposure you’ve received thus far (and will continue to get) greatly influences how deep the lines get in your mid-20s. For instance, do you ever sit outside to eat lunch? What about driving with your sunroof open? These are really no different than lying on the beach. Sun is sun, and it is the number one cause of aging, both premature and normal aging.

I would like to instill an air of confidence in younger readers. I encourage you to stop looking so hard in the mirror and live your life. You may see the wrinkles starting to form, but they aren’t going anywhere! They will be with you for the rest of your life. Enjoy your youth; you have the rest of your life to worry about aging.

For more information, see:

• Dehydrated Skin Quick Tip
• 20 Ways To Keep Your Skin From Aging
• EYE CREAM: WHY you want to use it & HOW TO apply this all-important skin care product

Well, aging does happen, but focus on something you have control over!