Our eyes are the windows to our souls, and they see the beauty in the world around us, yet they are often overworked, and neglected. All day, every day, our eyes deserve to be treated as special as they are.

What Makes the Skin around Eyes so Important?

The skin around your eyes is different from the rest of your face. It is delicate, and should always be treated gently. The skin around your eyes is thin and the eye muscles move constantly as they help to convey emotions to others. The eyes, and the skin around them are perhaps the most communicative parts of ourselves, offering smiles, frowns, and a hundred other nuances. It is also affected by the environment we live in, both outdoors and indoors, and affected by our diet, water intake, and light.

Where is the Eye Area?

The eye area consists of the orbital bone, eyebrow, upper cheekbones, and out to the side where it joins the temple. The eyelid skin is also included in the eye area, and this skin is an even more fragile area.

Dark Circles, Puffiness, and More

Some of the concerns for eye-care include tired eyes, targeting dark circles, puffiness, fine lines, and wrinkles. Tired eyes can be a combination of factors, both external and internal, including overall stress and lack of sleep, in addition to straining your eyes from computers/screens/poor lighting, or the wrong eye prescription. Tired eyes can strain your eye area by squinting, and accelerating fine lines, and wrinkles. Dark circles extend downwards from the inner corner of eyes in a gray or purplish-black tone. If hereditary, an eye treatment with caffeine or vitamin K can help with circulation (greater blood flow in this area will improve the colour). Poor diet can also contribute to dark circles, lack of water, and a consistent lack of sleep. Excess alcohol can also enhance dark circles, so try to limit your daily intake.

Puffiness, especially if it’s more than the eye area that is affected, can be reduced by lowering your salt intake to avoid water retention. Continue to drink your daily required amount of water by sipping throughout the day. Fine lines will noticeably improve with some TLC. Remember to pat gently and not rub the eyes aggressively. Wrinkles, especially crinkle, or smile lines, can be visually improved, or softened, with a regular eye care routine. Wrinkles occur naturally over time so the earlier you commit to taking regular care of this area, the better.

Commit to Caring

Twice daily action, equalling only a few minutes, can make an immediate difference in the appearance, texture, and feeling of the skin around your eyes. Here’s what to do: in the morning, wash your face as usual, then add an eye cream or gel under your eye, in the area near the outer corner of your eyes, and slightly downwards. Never pull or tug down, use a gentle finger to tap the product on quickly, using a pea-sized amount of product. Do not apply to your lashes. If your lashes are brittle, or hard, be sure all makeup is off, and look into purchasing a special lash conditioner which is sold in a mascara-like tube. At night, remove all makeup with a gentle cleansing product specific to eyes as they are less harsh and should not sting your eye. Pat dry, then apply eye cream or gel.

Cream Versus Gel

Take time to choose what is best for your skin, or ask Glow Spa staff for an assessment. Generally, eye cream is best for dry skin while eye gel is designed for normal/combination skin. Both differ from face or body moisturizers by containing less concentration of product formula to lessen the risk of eye irritation. If your skin reacts to a product, it could mean there is an ingredient in the formula which triggers a reaction, such as perfume, or simply the concentration is too strong.

Carrots and Cucumbers

Carrots are extremely nutritious, bursting with beta carotene, vitamin K, and potassium. They also contain lutein (an antioxidant) which improves the overall health of your eyes. Incorporate them into your diet, along with cucumbers.

Cucumbers are high in both hydration and antioxidants; leave the peel on and add them into salads, or eat raw. For a quick at home remedy for tired eyes use slices of cucumbers to cool, and hydrate. Chill the cucumbers, and don’t slice them too thin. Lay your head back and put one on each eye. Relax for ten to fifteen minutes, and once they’ve warmed from your body heat, flip them over.

Twinkle in Your Eyes

For work and play, eyes are using technology at an alarming rate. To avoid eye strain, do regular eye exercises and take frequent breaks from screens. Wearing protective eyewear and using eye drops can protect and relieve dry, itchy eyes. Avoid straining your eyes by squinting, and make sure your eye prescriptions are up to date by visiting an ophthalmologist.  In addition to a regular routine, at times your eyes benefit from a little bit of extra attention. When there are sudden changes in health, heightened stress, travel, and seasonal changes, a simple jade roller ball, kept chilled in the fridge, and rolled over the eye area is soothing. Alternatively, try placing a cool cloth on your eyes and taking a five-minute rest by closing both eyes and breathing slowly for temporary relief.

Twinkle in Your Eye

Try Glow Spa’s Eye Rescue, a $70.00, thirty-minute eye treatment to rehydrate and replenish dry, thirsty skin or the Pro Power Eye Peel, a powerful and gentle eye peel featuring ingredients which encourage cell turnover. Use this concentrated eye patch to brighten the under-eye skin to hep even skin tone, and texture, and minimize the appearance of fine lines, and wrinkles. The Pro Power Eye Peel can be added to any facial, or peel service for only $35.00!

You only have one pair of eyes to last your whole life, so Glow Spa is ready to help you establish an excellent and easy eye-care routine.