Eye products – do they really work?
The one thing that all skin experts can agree on is that the eye area is the first to show signs of ageing. As we age the skin around the eyes becomes thinner, making dark circles more visible. Collagen and elastin begins to weaken, leading to droopy lids, wrinkles and eye bags.
But is it really necessary to use a separate eye product, won’t our regular moisturiser or night cream do? No, not according Newby Hands, beauty and health director of Harpers Bazaar magazine, who writes, ‘the problem is that because the skin around the eyes is much thinner than that on the face, most products - especially heavily loaded anti-ageing creams and gels - are just going to be too heavy and irritating, which can actually do more harm than good’.
But is there really an eye cream that can replicate Botox ‘in a bottle’? Until now, botox used as an ingredient in a cream could only be applied by a doctor and on prescription, but cosmetic dentist, Dr Stephen Hennessy, has just created his own product, Dr Hennessy Serum Intense, £19.99 (0845 060 0678), a potent blend of collagen, hyaluronic acid and snake venom. ‘Initially I created this product for my patients,’ explains Dr Hennessy. ‘I believe that it is the most potent thing in a cream that isn’t available on prescription’.
To tackle lines and wrinkles, collagen- producing vitamin C and retinol are the heavyweight ingredients to look out for. Try Eve Lom Eyelift, £45 (www.spacenk.co.uk), which also contains oat kernel extract to tone. For deeper wrinkles and dark circles, Glo Therapeutics 7.5 per cent Eye Gel, £55 (020 7491 0150), combines high concentrations of vitamin C with a powerful octopeptide that targets expression lines.
For an immediate fix, a product containing hyaluronic acid - such as the latest offering from Dr Sebagh, Eye Primer Lift, £48 (www.spacenk.co.uk) - will bind water to the skin and fill lines. It includes a clever line-smoothing powder and natural growth factors - proteins that prompt the skin cells to produce more collagen.
Loss of elastin - the protein that gives skin its resilience - is the main cause of sagging eyelids. According to dermatologists, one of the most exciting advances in skin care is a new generation of creams that can increase the elastin production, such as Bremenn Upper Eyelid Lifter, £52 (www.victoriahealth.com). It also contains a skin brightening agent to make eyes look healthier and fresher.
