EARLY MORNINGS ARE TOUGH ENOUGH AS IT IS, so the last thing you need is to look in the mirror and see two tired, puffy eyes staring back at you.
At just 0.5mm thick, the skin around the eyes is the thinnest on the body, which means that it’s the first area where tell-tale signs of ageing appear. And while we’re all susceptible to pesky shadows and lines, some of us are genetically more predisposed to eye nasties than others.
Whether your problem is raccoon-like dark circles, wrinkles, bags, or all three, one thing’s for sure: it takes more than a quick dab of eye cream to remedy the issue. However, with the right combination of products and treatments, anyone can lift their eye grooming game. Here’s how.
Upgrade your tools
Tell tale dark shadows and bags mean that a quality eye product is a necessity. And though every skincare brand and their dog has an eye cream, not all of them are made equal – far from it, in fact. You can save on moisturiser and SPF, but when it comes to serums and products targeting the eye area, it pays to splurge.
Australian-owned and made premium cosmeceuticals brand, Mx Skincare, specialise in scientifically formulated products, which are created to target specific skin concerns, including the delicate under-eye area. The Dark Circles & Puffy Eyes Solution is a triple whammy collection of products containing powerful peptides and potent active ingredients, including Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid, all designed to stimulate collagen production, facilitates cell repair and improves skin firmness.
Touted as the ‘world’s first’ clinical strength retinal for the eye area, Medik8’s Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye Cream features a twin-encapsulation retinal delivery system to allow a gentle release of Vitamin A, which helps smooth crow’s feet and to visibly brighten dark circles. Use at night (skin regeneration is faster at night than during the day) and wake up looking sharp.
For a fast-acting fix, Sunday Riley’s 5 Stars Retinoid + Niacinamide Eye Serum is a winner. An hydrating gel serum works to plump the look of lines and prevent the signs of premature skin ageing, counteracting dark circles and creating the appearance of youthful-looking eyes.
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Patch repair
Just as there’s a bevy of targeted facial masks available a cluster of brands have developed single-use masks specifically designed for the eye area, which makes complete sense given its aforementioned thinness.
Self-Dissolving Microneedle Patches from Wrinkles Schminkles delivers active ingredients – ingredients including collagen, hyaluronic acid, caffeine and peptides – deep into the skin through 1,800 micro needles for increased absorption. These powerful patches are designed to hydrate, de-puff, tone and smooth the delicate under-eye area, taking you from raccoon to bright-eyed in no time.
The Derminfusion Eye Mask by Dr. Dennis Gross, meanwhile, helps improve age-related volume loss and fill the appearance of fine lines via a vitamin infusion combined with stimulating ceramides.
Lighten your load
An absolute game-changer in the skincare world was the invention of the LED facial mask. Originally developed by Nasa for plant growth experiments, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have since been found to have healing, rejuvenating, and stimulating properties for skin. And while you’ve likely seen a swag of facial masks on your Insta feeds, there’s only a handful of brands that have created masks designed specifically for the eye area.
CurrentBody LED Eye Perfector uses proven technology to help ramp up collagen production and kickstart your skin’s healing process, which means a significant reduction in fine lines, wrinkles eye bags and dark circles.
Using four powerful LED wavelengths and 80 professional-strength LEDs, results can be seen in as little as two months with dark circles, firmness, under-eye bags, pigmentation, and overall skin tone all tackled in an easy three-minute session daily.
Pay the pros
When the passage of time truly begins to take its toll (aka hitting 40) even the most fastidious of groomers will find that their regime is no longer cutting it. So, to really counter stubborn hollowness and dark circles, you’ll likely need to turn to injectables.
“The reason the eye area is so susceptible to ageing is because the natural facial fat that sits immediately under the skin of the eye tends to descend with age, causing an exposure of the orbital bone, resulting in an aged, hollow, tired appearance,” explains founder of Contour Clinics, Dr Josh Wall. “Also, because the skin is so thin, you can see the underlying muscles with age resulting in unpleasant dark circles, which causes the individual to appear tired, and in some cases unwell.”
One of the most popular treatments with Wall’s male clients is filler in the tear trough (under the eyes) area. Made up of hyaluronic acid – which is a natural substance found normally in the body’s skin, joints, and fluid within the eye – filler works to re-volumise the area and plump out the skin, eradicating the hollowing that’s been causing your under-eye bags and dark circles. The result is a more youthful, healthy, rested and wide awake appearance.
“That’s where tear filler is the most effective treatment for the under-eye area as it causes a smoothing of the under eye region, a reduction in dark circles and a reduction in fine lines.”
Brow benefits
Outside of anti-ageing products and treatments, there is an optical illusion hack that can instantly add some eye area pep: a brow shape.
As men age, our eyebrows often become overgrown. So, if you’ve got bushy eyebrows that would make even Noel Gallagher blush, then just cleaning up some of the excess hair can really help shave off the years. And while you may think that a sneaky swipe of your razor is a solution, a stubbly unibrow is never a good look. Instead, play it safe and pay a professional.
Face of Man have been a staple in Sydney’s male grooming scene for more than 40 years and their premium new HQ is the place to go for some serious TLC. Amidst the offering of in-house barber, swanky Elemis facials and massage, punters can also get their brows expertly shaped.
Working with the brow’s natural lines to ensure a perfect contour, therapists can tame unruly facial follicles into an eye-area masterpiece making your eyes look more open and your face more youthful.
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