Are eye creams or serums better? Creams and serums are different from each other, providing their own benefits for specific concerns. Serums tend to be more concentrated, which might go as far as to irritate sensitive skin, whereas eye creams don't deliver active ingredients as serums can.
The skin around your eyes is 30% thinner and more fragile than other parts of your face. That also means it's more sensitive to ageing factors. Because of this, both an eye serum and eye cream should be incorporated into your daily ritual – starting from your 20s.
Consistency and Texture:
An eye cream as the name suggests is a cream or lotion. On the other hand, an eye serum has no defined consistency- it can be a gel, a clear runny fluid and so on. It is lighter in texture and is usually the first step of care (in case you decide to follow up with a cream).
"Individuals should be using both an eye serum and an eye cream since they each address different eye area skin concerns," Dr. Harold Lancer, a celebrity dermatologist in Los Angeles whose clients include Kim Kardashian West, Jennifer Lopez, and Victoria Beckham, tells TZR.
If dark circles, fine lines, and bags under your eyes have already appeared, it is best advised to include eye serum in your daily skincare routine. It is also best to make it part of your anti-aging regimen.
Pat the serum into the skin first and follow up with the eye cream. When choosing an eye serum and eye cream, look for products that contain antioxidants and brightening ingredients such as vitamin C and caffeine.
Like face serums, the biggest boon of eye-area serums is that they're highly concentrated. Their potency, along with their ability to be paired with heavier eye creams, means eye serums are highly effective in managing eye-area concerns like puffiness and crow's feet.
Eye cream doesn't work for dark circles
And that's true for some people—but dermatologists say that eye creams can make a difference in dark under-eye circles, as long as you know what to look for. Dark circles can be caused by either an excess of pigment, vascularity, or genetics.
"All eye creams are formulated to be used underneath and around the eye, but not all of them can be used on the upper lids," says Dr. Robinson. As a general rule of thumb, use the orbital bone as a guide. Start applying your eye cream in the inner or outer corner of your under-eye area, right on top of the bone.
Incorporate a Retinol in Your Routine
Adding an eye cream formulated with retinol can help keep the skin under the eyes looking smoother and more youthful. We recommend the Peace Out Retinol Eye Stick ($28, sephora.com), which has a balmy texture and is easy to apply thanks to its tube applicator.
“Serum can be applied to the full face, including the under-eye area in a thin layer to penetrate the skin,” she continues. “Then a specific eye cream should be applied before a general facial moisturizer or sunscreen if it is a thin lotion gel or hybrid formula.
The general rule is to apply products from the thinnest to thickest consistency, so serums should come before moisturizers and facial oils.
“Around 30 secs to 1 min is a sufficient gap between layers in the skincare step. The exception is post serum / spot treatment and retinol. You should allow 3 – 5 mins before applying the next layer to allow surface skin penetration. Apply sunscreen only after there are no traces of moisturiser on the face.
Topical creams and bleaching agents: Topical creams, such as vitamin C, and bleaching agents, such as hydroquinone, can help lighten the appearance of dark circles under your eyes. Chemical peels: Chemical peels use alpha-hydroxy acids to reduce the pigmentation under your eyes.
The simple answer is that while there's no set time to start using an eye serum, it's best to incorporate one into your skincare routine as early as you can. Like retinol, you'll probably want to start using it in your mid-twenties.
Just as you should cleanse and moisturize your skin twice a day, you should also apply your eye cream morning and night. The L'Oréal Paris RevitaLift Revitalift Derm Intensives with 1.5% Hyaluronic Acid + 1% Caffeine Eye Serum is a daily moisturizer created to care for the delicate area around the eyes.
If you want a more affordable and less invasive solution, products like eye creams and serums can help. When choosing one of those, you should look for specific dermatologist-recommended ingredients. “Caffeine works well because it actually does immediately decrease puffiness,” Nazarian said.
Vitamin deficiencies, including vitamin B12, E, K and D, have been associated with dark circles. 4- Volume Loss: Hollowness or the sunken appearance of the eyelids is the final primary cause of dark circles.