Skin care literacy has come a long way in the last 10, 5 or even 3 years. Regular readers of Beauty News NYC know the value of a dedicated, regular skin care routine in achieving one’s desired complexion goals – whether it’s the dewy finish of glass skin, oil control for sebum-blessed girls, and even a basic cocktail for managing hyperpigmentation and the onset of fine lines and wrinkles. Readers of my skin care features may even have some familiarity with the latest cutting-edge, science-backed treatments like EGF and Exosomes. The next phase in skin care education focuses on the more challenging task of maintaining youthful, depuffed, and lifted eyes, along with plump, juicy lips. As the tissue on the lips and the undereye area are different from facial skin in terms of thickness and innate hydration, these areas require targeted, specialized care.
For expert guidance on the best practices to address the concerns and goals for eyes and lips, I consulted Board-Certified Dermatologist Michele Green. In addition to regularly helping patients navigate the puffiness, dark under eyes, and crows feet that plague the under eye area, as well as chronic dehydration, asymmetrical shapes and volume loss that are typical for the lips in her Manhattan office, Dr. Green has worked in the research and development labs of some of the largest international brands studying these special skin care concerns. Her thorough explanation of the challenges and breakdown of which actives work best for which concerns guided my curation of the best eye and skin care products I’ve come across this year.
Eye Care Q&A
Is eye care an integral component of any skin care regimen?
The skin around the eyes can be one of the first areas to show aging, so using the right skin care products is integral to maintaining a youthful appearance.
Does the under eye need special care or is facial moisturizer sufficient?
The skin under the eyes is thinner and has less of a natural barrier, so it requires gentler products than the rest of the face. While a facial moisturizer can help keep the under eyes hydrated, specialized eye creams can provide even greater benefits.
Is the skin on the under eye area different from facial skin?
The skin under and around the eyes is more delicate than the skin of the face. Under the eyes, the skin is much thinner and less elastic, which leads to the under-eye skin being worse at bouncing back after daily stressors. Due to being thinner, the under eye skin has less of a natural moisture barrier, leading to the skin drying out more quickly. The lack of elasticity makes it more prone to sagging and fine lines than other parts of the face.
The under eye area is prone to crow’s feet, discoloration more so than the rest of the skin. Can serums and topicals treat these issues?
Depending on its ingredients, an eye cream can boost collagen production, smooth out creases, improve skin texture, reduce the appearance of discoloration and puffiness, and improve hydration, ultimately improving the appearance of crow’s feet and discoloration. Topical products work best in combination with in-office cosmetic procedures to treat these concerns and maintain a youthful appearance.
A dermatologist can perform cosmetic procedures such as Botox and dermal fillers to rejuvenate the eye area. Botox temporarily “freezes” the muscles that form the crow’s feet, preventing them from worsening and diminishing their appearance over time. Dermal fillers composed of hyaluronic acid enhance volume in the under eye areas to treat hollowness and dark circles caused by shadowing.
What are the best ingredients for under eye skin concerns like dark circles, puffiness, and crows feet?
Some of the best ingredients to improve the under eye skin include caffeine, retinol, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C. Caffeine can be found in many eye creams due to its ability to decrease discoloration, puffiness gently, and creases around the eyes.
Retinols are known for their anti-aging qualities as they can decrease fine lines, such as crow’s feet, and improve the appearance of dark circles. Hyaluronic acid is great for improving the hydration of the under-eye skin due to its ability to attract moisture, which plumps and hydrates the skin. Another great ingredient is Vitamin C. As an antioxidant, vitamin C protects the skin from free radicals, reduces inflammation, brightens the skin, and aids cellular repair.
From the Hungarian doctor who pioneered double-cleansing in the 1930s with one most beloved, best-selling bar soaps in history, we’d expect a multi-pronged eye care protocol worthy of his celeb-adored status. The Erno Laszlo Multi-Task Serum Eye Mask delivers a paraben-free hydrating bath of niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, centella asiatica, and algae derivative to tackle puffiness, dark circles, and crow’s feet. The signature mask material derived from locust bean gum means they won’t slide down while multitasking or resting. Keep them refrigerated for maximum mood-boosting refreshment day or night.
Post-mask, whether used during a morning or evening skin care routine, the Erno Laszlo Day & Night Intensive Eye Cream Duo offers targeted solutions for both. In the a.m. when brightening and depuffing are in order, the day side of the cream soothes, illuminates, and moisturizes for day-long radiance with Vitamin C and Peptides. Added bonus: it absorbs quickly for concealer application. In the p.m., to tap into the body’s nighttime repair processes, the night side of the eye cream duo harnesses Retinol to tackle dullness and fine lines.
Skin Moderne
Skin Moderne – purveyor of the breakthrough Nano Fusion and Ultra Fusion facial treatments that target facial rejuvenation minus the downtime, discomfort, or dermal injury of microneedling and sonic therapy – targets full eye restoration with the Cell-CPR Eye serum. The formulation brightens and tightens by stimulating fibroblasts with stem cells from proprietary fermented extracts of cranberry, marine plants, peptides, and camelina seed oil. Its ultrathin, watery consistency applies seamlessly as the first step in a multi-step eye care routine. In just a month, it has yielded remarkable results from my under eye discoloration.
For plant-based clean beauty solutions that compliments the growing popularity of adaptogenic mushrooms as an alternative to coffee, House of Gro blends heavy-hitting Chaga and Shiitake mushrooms to revive the area where stress first manifests. Delivered via a cooling metal rollerball, the Eye Detox Brightening Oil combines ultra nourishing almond, rosehip, and carrot seed oils as a base for Wild Harvested Chaga mushroom extract – a botanical almost unrivaled in its free radical neutralizing, anti-inflammatory and collagen boosting capacities. The ultra portable Eye Detox Brightening Oil detox brightens and refreshes with a matte finish for any time of day.
If looking for a total multitasking cream to bring the under eyes back to life and disrupt aging, Tsubaki & Bakuchiol Eye Crème is like an espresso for this delicate area. To combat the naturally low moisture levels of the thin swath of skin, tsubaki, a Japanese botanical that mimics sebum, provides hydration. With doses of caffeine, hyaluronic acid, and bakuchiol – a gentle alternative to retinol – it can be used day and night. Formulated after years of clinical research by Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, Nina S. Naidu, MD FACS, 5% of Tsubaki & Bakuchiol Eye Crème sales and all Anokha products are donated to humanitarian charities.
Whichever cocktail of serums, creams, and oils one likes to layer for targeted under eye TLC, female-founded brand BareFaced, which harnesses Revieve’s AI technology to customize and personalize skin care routines, offers the ultimate at-home eye care hack. Basting the area with the help of BareFaced’s Everyday Eye Hero medical-grade silicone eye patches guarantees maximum absorption of depuffing, brightening and plumping actives. Reusable and snug even during sleep, they yield zero waste.
Lip Care Q&A
Why are lips so prone to chronic dryness?
The lips are particularly prone to dryness due to their delicate structure; the skin on the lips is thinner than on the rest of the body, rendering them more vulnerable to chapping. Moreover, lips lack oil glands, which means they cannot generate the natural oils needed to retain moisture. This combination of factors leads to the lips becoming easily dehydrated.
What are the best practices and products for long term lip care?
The most important practice for long-term lip care is to maintain hydration by using lip oils or lip balms with beneficial ingredients. Lip oils often contain hydrating elements like hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, and vitamin E, which penetrate deep into the lips to replenish moisture.
Lip balms that include occlusives, such as petroleum jelly or shea butter, can help prevent moisture loss throughout the day. Staying hydrated by drinking water is also an excellent way to keep your lips moisturized. Additionally, using a humidifier at home can increase the moisture content in the air, which is especially beneficial for those who breathe through their mouths at night. It’s important to avoid biting, picking, or licking your lips, as saliva can dry them out once it evaporates.
Can topical lip treatments compete with lip filler?
Topical treatments to plump the lips are short-term solutions that can provide a mild plumping effect. Lip fillers are dermal fillers specifically designed to enhance lip volume and definition and create a more luscious pout. There are many different lip filler products, each with a specific concentration and linkage of hyaluronic acid molecules to achieve an aesthetic goal. Some lip fillers are best for creating a volumized pout, while others are better for more subtle, natural-looking results. Fillers typically remain in the lips for up to one year.
The latest launch from the Swiss Botanical-inspired, family business Alchimie Forever combines plant-based beauty traditions with cutting-edge, clinical results. This one-of-a-kind Peptide Lip Booster shows both instant and longer-term plumping results with minimal tingling and no irritation. With proprietary peptides derived from Edelweiss, the alpine herb endowed with alchemical properties in Swiss lore, yields hydration and fullness rarely seen from the use of topical lip products. It’s perfection in the day under lip gloss or lipstick and at night for daily maintenance.
Alpyn BeautyIf in search of a multi-tasking, night time protocol that offers the trifecta of lip care – exfoliation, hydration and plumping – Alpyn Beauty’s Plumping Lip Mask does it all. Free from the ickies – parabens, triclosan and mineral oil – the pink pudding absorbs instantly and nourishes with squalane, coconut oil, and sweet agave, hydrates and fills in lines with hyaluronic acid and aloe, and gently sloughs of skin with Willow Bark, the natural source of salicylic acid.
Whether focusing on exfoliation and/or skin barrier repair, basting the lips in a rich, nutrient-packed, ceramide-rich, moisturizing layer overnight is required for a flake-free, supple pout in the morning. Though a new viral obsession, lip basting is an age-old practice on par with slathering the feet with a heavy balm and throwing on socks overnight. From the iconic French brand that’s been addressing a myriad of skin care concerns – rosacea, chronic dryness, and irritation – with naturally postbiotic-rich thermal spring water from a river in the South of France, Avene’s Cicalfate+ LIPS Restorative Lip Balm is especially formulated to repair cracked lips. Free of parabens, mineral oil, talc, and fragrance, it’s a clean beauty alternative, if not an upgrade, to your Nana’s Aquaphor and Vaseline.
