5 Ways to Reverse Signs of Aging Around the Eyes

**Updated May 2024**

Wrinkles Around Eyes

1. Moisturize and Treat

Fine lines and wrinkles around eyes are the most common early signs of aging. The things we do on a daily basis like squinting, smiling, and rubbing our eyes can create crow's feet and other eye wrinkles, even if we don't notice we are doing them.

Neocutis has an award winning eye wrinkle cream that addresses most all anti aging eye concerns including dark circles, puffiness, fine lines under eyes, and wrinkles under eyes. They use a state of the art delivery system to drive in the exceptional and high quality ingredients in their revolutionary Lumiere Firm. This revolutionary product combines growth factors and micro-peptides to address most all aging concerns! Neocutis's award winning eye cream- Lumiere Firm- also comes in a "Riche" version which is extra hydrating and a great night time eye product! Both of these also contain peptides which give an immediately smoother look around the eyes.

One of the best moisturizing eye wrinkle creams for anti-aging is SkinMedica TNS Eye Repair. The TNS Eye Repair from SkinMedica is one of the only scientifically backed and clinically tested eye wrinkle creams that include a growth factor complex. SkinMedica's grown factor is Human Fibroblast Conditioned Media (TNS). SkinMedica TNS Eye Repair also includes peptides and antioxidants such as Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 and Oligopeptide, Vitamins C, E, and A and a variety of other things to target the delicate skin around the eyes.

Other highly recommended eye creams and moisturizers include:

• Alastin Skincare Restorative Eye Treatment
• AnteAGE Eye Cream 
• Obagi ELASTIderm Eye Cream
• Revision Skincare DEJ Eye Cream
• Sente Illumine Eye Cream
• iS Clinical Youth Eye Complex

2. Drink Water

Sounds simple enough? Yes, but drinking water is one of the most important things you can do for your body. Staying well hydrated improves blood circulation, which is a key factor in reducing puffiness around the eyes. By avoiding salty foods and increasing your water intake, you can reduce water retention and bring down the puffiness in your face.

Adults are recommended to drink at least eight glasses of water (or 64 oz.) each day, which can improve your eating habits, hydration, and other natural bodily functions. In addition to drinking sufficient water, starting the day off with a splash cold water on your face prior to your skincare routine is shown to help reduce swelling around the eyes.

3. Get Quality Sleep

One of the simplest, yet hardest to achieve lifestyle changes to minimize signs of aging is getting into a healthy sleep schedule. There are a variety of reasons why this may seem impossible, whether it be sleep disorders, kids, work, or stress, but getting into a routine can significantly help.

How long you sleep is important, but the stability of your schedule matters more. When you keep a consistent sleep pattern, hormones and biorhythms in your body are released during different stages of your sleep. When the pattern changes up, your body becomes confused and disrupts the biological process. This leads to increased inflammatory substances in the blood, which damage the skin and result in premature aging. Additionally, consistent sleep gives your anti-aging products a chance to work their magic.

The position you sleep in can also impact your skin. It may not be your natural preference, but sleeping on your back is best by far. Sleeping on your stomach or side crumples the delicate skin on your face and neck up against pillows and sheets, creating wrinkles, which worsen over time.

And, to avoid clogging pores and build up on your skin, sleep with your head slightly elevated. Try different pillow positions to achieve an optimal position that is most comfortable to you, as being comfortable leads to a good night's sleep.  

4. Exfoliate to Correct

Most often people forget to exfoliate their eye area. It is common to exfoliate other areas of the body for anti-aging purposes, but chemical exfoliation is a must under eye wrinkle treatment.  Retinols have been used for decades as the top anti aging product or ingredient on the market for under eye wrinkle treatment, but they are commonly not used in the eye area because sensitivity and irritation can occur. If your skin is able to tolerate a lose dose retinol product, you should try a retinol with a low concentration such as SkinMedica's Retinol Complex 0.25.

Our pick for a perfect night time exfoliating eye cream is Restorsea Revitalizing Eye Cream with Vibransea Complex. All Restorsea products contain an enzyme called AquaBeautineXL which is derived from salmon roe oil. This natural enzyme provides a gentle alternative to exfoliation, encouraging cell turnover without causing redness or irritation. 

To see the best results use a moisturizing eye cream in the morning to soften the lines and reduce puffiness, and use an exfoliating eye cream at night to correct unwanted signs of aging around the eyes. 

5. Protect

Everyone has heard the importance of using a sunscreen everyday to prevent signs of aging on the skin. But again, the eye area is sometimes overlooked due to its sensitivity. In order to prevent future damage to the eye area, a sunscreen of some sort must be included in a morning routine.

With that in mind, everyone's favorite suncare brand EltaMD recently introduced  UV AOX Eye Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen. Besides, being a great way to protect your skin from sun damage, it's also a formula rich in antioxidants to boost skin repair and anti-aging benefits. 

For another option, jane iredale Powder-Me SPF Dry Sunscreen Brush can easily dust on a mineral protection. Brush this powder all over face and eyes after makeup and skin care routine in the morning. The jane iredale Powder-Me SPF comes in different colors and is an easy and fast way to get a water resistant broad spectrum coverage to the eye area and any area that is exposed to sun exposure. 

Tinted moisturizers with SPF can do double duty as a foundation on days you want the "no makeup" look and are gentle enough for the undereye. Two of our favorite options are Revision Intellishade (available in Original, Matte, Clear, and TruPhysical varieties), and Alastin Hydratint Pro Mineral Sunscreen. For a non-tinted version, you can't go wrong with EltaMD UV Clear or UV Daily.

Bonus Tip: Eat the Right Foods

In addition to drinking a lot of water and getting a good night's sleep, eating the right foods can, in fact, help reverse the signs of aging.

• Vitamin-C rich foods such as yellow peppers, strawberries, and broccoli help to prevent free radicals from damaging your skin.
• Lean proteins, like those found in eggs, beans, and tofu, help build collagen to prevent sagging.
• Selenium rich foods like whole-grain barley or brazil nuts help fight against damage from UVA/UVB rays.
• Salmon has a variety of anti-aging factors including omega-3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation, reducing breakouts, and astaxanthin, which can help give your skin a youthful appearance.

By using these tips and changing some small habits in your life, you too can have youthful, firmer, and vibrant looking skin again.