The Top Retinol Eye Creams to Fight Dark Circles and Wrinkles
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Anti-aging is a tricky market to navigate. While it may be a few more years before I ask my dermatologist for a little Botox pick-me-up, wherever you are in your anti-aging journey, it’s always the under-eyes that are the first areas to start looking a little worse for wear. Puffiness, fine lines, and dark circles are just some of our woes. And while using an eye cream is a great way to give them some love, it can feel like there are so many promises made, but very few treatments are truly effective. But if you can trust just one ingredient, it’s retinol. Beauty editors know how essential retinol is in our routines, but adding it to an eye cream feels risky, primarily since retinol is known for causing some unseemly reactions. To answer all our questions, we turned to dermatologists Dr. Omar Ibrahimi and Dr. Karan Lal to give us the facts.
What is retinol?
A derivative of vitamin A, “Retinol is one of the most evidenced-based and tried and true anti-aging molecules we have today,” says Dr. Ibrahimi. “[Retinols] help produce collagen, thicken skin and improve its overall health. The skin around our eyes is the thinnest we have on our body, and with time, collagen loss tends to sometimes be most dramatic in this area.” Be warned that retinols can have side effects: “The major caveat we have with retinol is that in individuals with sensitive skin or those who use too much, retinol can be too irritating or drying.” Whenever you’re using a retinol, it’s essential to pair it with a great sunscreen to avoid sun damage.
Is retinol safe to use on the under-eyes?
“It is absolutely safe to use retinol creams around your eyes,” says Dr. Lal. But that doesn’t mean that precautions shouldn’t be taken. “If you have sensitive skin or very thin skin, you may notice some redness, stinging, flaking early on with use, [which] is common. The cure-all is to use very little and moisturize on top [of the retinol eye cream].” Investing in a good moisturizer is an excellent way for anyone with sensitive skin to avoid irritation. “It’s too good a molecule to pass up on when it comes to anti-aging,” says Dr. Ibrahimi.
How should you use a retinol eye cream?
“I recommend people use 1/2 a pea-sized amount to both eyelids total and follow this with a great moisturizer to reduce the risk of irritation,” says Dr. Lal. “Don’t expect miracles—it will take months to see some improvement. This is why I recommend starting retinol creams at 25 to prevent and delay [the] development of fine lines and crepey skin.” If you’re worried about side effects, start slow. “I would start by only applying the product every other day, or every third day, and if there are no issues, one can work towards applying it nightly,” says Dr. Ibrahimi. “At any time, if it gets too irritating, then take a few days off to allow things to calm down.”
Here, find the 14 best retinol eye creams to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and give some life back to your under-eyes.
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