Updated 14/07/2026
It’s true. The first signs of ageing are often seen around the eyes.
Your eyes cop a lot of ageing.
-
Eyelid skin is the thinnest in the body (<1mm thick) and has no subcutaneous fat layer.
This makes them more susceptible to irritation and allergy and also to showing not only that irritation, but also changes due to the sun and ageing.
-
The skin around the eye is an area with fewer oil glands and less collagen in comparison to your other skin.
That makes the skin around your eyes prone to fine lines. dehydration, and dullness. It also gives you lax, loose skin around the eyes.
-
Your muscles around the eyes are constantly contracting and relaxing.
Blame the orbicularis oculi muscle, the muscle that surrounds the eyes in both the upper and lower eyelids which contracts whenever you do various facial expressions and movements.
All this movement causes folding or wrinkling of the overlying skin.
-
As you get older, we often see what we call a pseudoherniation or slipping down of the orbital fat pad, the fat pad that usually sits around your eye.
This is often genetic.
That can come packaged up with what we call a tear trough deformity. This is a concave depression close to the nose that is noticeable and becomes more so as you age.
-
We often miss this area when applying sunscreen so it can be especially prone to UV damage.
- We often miss the area around the eyes when applying our anti-ageing skin care.
No wonder people are beating a path to their plastic surgeons’ door for help!
How can we help our ageing eyes look a little brighter?
Dull, dehydrated, aged eye skin can make your eyes look older. So….
Up your skincare game
All the things that work against ageing skin elsewhere on your face works on the skin around your eyes.
We’re talking Retinal, L-Ascorbic Acid and Niacinamide and perhaps Hyaluronic acid and Ceramides for which there is some emerging evidence.
So, when applying your skin care, don’t forget the skin around your eyes.
Shop Retinal
The game-changing night cream developed in partnership with Selma Blair - combines our most potent hero ingredients to effectively and gently tackle the most common skin concerns – in one product. Tackling the signs of aging skin including fine lines, skin elasticity, impaired barrier function, hydration, dullness and uneven skin tone. it is our most powerful product yet and yet it’s still ridiculously well tolerated. Wake up to skin that's supple, smoother, and softer. For the most irritable of skin, Ultimate A may be a better option, particularly when starting to use Retinal based products
Ultimate A Gold
Ultimate A Gold: the most effective and gentle ingredients that evidence based cosmeceutical skincare has to offer, in one revolutionary formula.
*Ultimate A Gold (Retinal) may transfer onto white or light-coloured fabrics. For best results, we recommend using darker clothing or surfaces to avoid visible marks.
Shop L-Ascorbic Acid
C Forte Morning Serum is packed with 16% L-ascorbic acid, the purest form of Vitamin C, combined with vitamin E and ferulic acid for maximum results. Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) is an anti-oxidant helping neutralise free radicals (associated with exposure to the sun). The result? A brighter, firmer, plumper looking skin with fewer fine lines apparent and a more even skin tone. Formulated at the ideal pH (2.5-3.5) and housed in airless, opaque packaging, C Forte ensures stability and effectiveness, delivering radiant skin with every use.
C Forte
Featuring;
- Evidence based ingredients and formulations for superior efficacy.
- Potent skin brightening ingredients
- A plumper, more hydrated and even toned skin.
Note: C Forte can exacerbate acne and may be too strong for irritable skin.
Shop Niacinamide, Ceramides & Hyaluronic Acid
Repair + is a moisturiser formulated to support skin hydration and barrier function. Its combination of niacinamide, panthenol, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides is designed to help maintain skin moisture, strengthen the barrier function of the skin, reduce the appearance of redness, and support overall skin texture. Key Features:
Repair +
That includes your sunscreen.
The skin around your eyes can be super sensitive but make sure you get sunscreen to that skin and go for wrap around sunglasses that will also reduce your risk of cataracts, macular degeneration and even skin cancers that just love to pop up on the eyelids.
Zinc Shade is a lightweight matte day cream and primer. Its non-greasy, matte finish allows for smooth application and works well under makeup. We spent countless iterations perfecting this lightweight, non-greasy formula to avoid the typical white cast and thick feel of zinc products. The results? A matte finish that works beautifully under makeup. With well tolerated matte finish, it's also well suited to irritable and blemish and bump prone skin. With SPF 15 it also provides broad-spectrum sun protection against UVA and UVB rays. Key features: Lightweight, matte formula suitable for daily use Smooth application with minimal white cast Broad-spectrum UV protection Tested SPF 15 with enhanced UVA coverage Usage: Apply evenly to all exposed areas of skin before sun exposure. Reapply as needed throughout the day.
Zinc Shade
Try an eye cream with caffeine in it.
Caffeine not only helps constrict blood vessels meaning less fluid leaking into the under-eye area, but it also stimulates the blood circulation around the eye which makes the skin around the eye look fresh and rejuvenated.
Plus, studies show that caffeine is a powerful antioxidant, helping protect cells against UV radiation and slowing down the effects of photoaging on the skin.
Our Eye Cream is specially designed to care for the delicate skin around your eyes, where aging signs first appear. The eyelid area has the thinnest skin on the body, with fewer oil glands and less collagen, making it prone to fine lines, dryness, and dullness. Add in constant muscle movement and UV exposure, and you’ve got a recipe for wrinkles and sagging. Our eye cream is packed with gentle peptides, caffeine, and moisturisers to hydrate, firm, and brighten this delicate area. Say goodbye to tired-looking eyes and hello to a refreshed, youthful look that lets your eyes shine! Featuring; A rich blend of organic, peptide and antioxidant ingredients lighten, tighten and brighten the skin under and around the eyes. 
Eye Serum
How to combat crows’ feet (AKA “lateral canthal rhytids”)
A 2012 Korean study of 525 people found that crow’s feet are super common. They affect 81% of people, and 100% over 60.
All wrinkles can be divided into dynamic wrinkles (wrinkles that emerge with animation) and static wrinkles (wrinkles present at rest).
The gold standard of treatment these days is Botulinum toxin injections, which work by blocking the release of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine where the nerves supply the muscles around the eyes.
The effect of botulinum treatment may take 1–2 weeks to fully kick in, and the effect lasts on average 3 to 4 months. Botulinum toxin is more effective against dynamic than static wrinkles.
In clinic microneedling has proven to be somewhat effective but metal needles aren’t always that well tolerated! Especially close to the eyes.
Recently, dissolving anti-aging microneedle patches have been successfully used to reduce fine lines and lateral canthal lines.
They combine the advantages of microneedling with super high tolerability and the ease of being able to do it at home.
How to combat puffy eyes
Talk about a dearth of research!
If your eyes suddenly puff up, think of a medical cause.
Doctors typically test you for thyroid problems, kidney disease or check in on medications that can cause fluid retention.
Even allergies can give you puffy eyes intermittently (this should clear up with an antihistamine.)
But assuming there’s no medical cause, for quick symptom relief, you can try a cool compress on your eyes.
Wet a clean washcloth with cool water. Place the damp washcloth around your eyes for a few minutes, applying very gentle pressure. Do this while sitting upright.
And then there’s that caffeine in the eye cream we talked about……
If it really gets you down, a cosmetic physician or plastic surgeon can help. There are surgical procedures, including a blepharoplasty (or eyelid lift) and filler into the tear trough deformity.
How to combat dark circles
This isn’t an ageing issue. In an Indian study published in 2014, it was found that the most common age to report dark circles was in the 16 to 25 year age group!
This study confirmed that women are affected by dark circles more than men.
Nor do you get dark circles from lack of sleep. A 2021 study of 100 people with dark circles monitored them before and after a bad night’s sleep.
The results?
While people who got fewer hours of sleep felt their eyes had darker circles, there was no difference with objective measurement.
Here’s what we do know; mostly the discolouration is pigmentation.
To a certain extent, it is genetic, but it can be made worse by rubbing or scratching the skin around the eyes and by the build-up of fluid due to allergies.
But all the same methods of combatting pigmentation still apply to the skin around your eyes.
We are talking tyrosinase inhibitors to reduce the production of pigment in the skin.
Don’t forget 4-n-butylresorcinol is available in your skincare and is at least as (if not more) effective at shutting down melanin production altogether than other tyrosinase inhibitors.
Enlighten is specifically designed to help reduce the appearance of pigmentation. This lightweight cream helps to gently create a more even skin tone and hydrate and improve the barrier function of the skin. While rarely used, 4-n-butylresorcinol (4nB) has some of the best evidence in this arena. Enlighten combines 4nB and Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) to create a rare combination of gentle yet effective ingredients. Enlighten helps tackle a mottled or uneven skin tone and is suitable for long term daily use
Enlighten
Featuring:
But depigmentation is best when done using a combination of a number of different ingredients such as L-Ascorbic acid, Retinal and Niacinamide.