Eye Spy

The eye area: the bane of most women’s life, aside from muffin tops and cellulite….

Whether it’s crow’s feet or bags, dark circles or puffiness, once we get to thirty we all have one or more of these to contend with. I, for one, have suffered with puffiness and bags since I was a teenager, just one late night or sleeping in an over-heated room and I awake resembling a toad (or with "Ojos de Sapo" as my brother lovingly likes to say). It’s genetic, so short of never consuming wine or salt ever again (I don’t think so) I’m kind of stuck with it. I am lucky enough not to have wrinkles per se, a few fine lines under the eyes, which I find annoying more than anything as concealer gets stuck in them, so I can’t really complain, but, like every woman out there, I’m continuously searching for the Holy Grail of eye treatments.

There are zillions of products on the market promising to “rejuvenate” and “reduce the signs of ageing”, but is any of this possible? We all know wrinkles cannot be erased, but they can be “smoothed” somewhat. As with everything else, excluding mineral oil, silicones and parabens reduces my choice dramatically, but there are still plenty of fabulous products to choose from which are both natural and effective.

Here are some I've been using recently:

Inlight Organic Wrinkle Softener £52 for 30ml

Like their wonderful cleanser, this oil based balm smells amazing and is made with all organic Jojoba, Olive, Macadamia, Sunflower and Evening Primrose oils blended with Shea Butter and extracts of Lavender, Rose, Marigold, Rose Hip, Lemon and Carrot. It melts into an oil on contact with the skin and can be used on stretch marks and cracked nipples as well as the eye area, to soften lines and treat scars. This would suit those with dry to very dry skin, or as a night treatment. For more details click here

Oskia Eye Wonder Serum £58 for 15ml

For me, this is Oskia’s star product: as someone that suffers from severe bags I have tried endless products which never made a difference so can assure you that this actually does work; Applied in the morning, within a few minutes this definitely reduced my under-eye baggage! It’s a rosewater based serum, so is not at all greasy and can be used alone or prior to your eye cream. Like the face cream, this has a light, barely-there scent and contains Oskia’s trademark MSM (Methyl Sulphonyl Methane) to aid collagen production, Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate and a host of other ingredients to reduce puffiness, dark circles and pigmentation. Perfect for those mornings-after-the-night-before!  For more details click here

Stem Organics Intensive Eye Serum $69 for 15ml

Although it’s called a serum it has the texture of an eye cream: it's thick but light, with a very delicate scent of cucumber, and feels like the sort of product that is really going to nourish your skin. I've been using it both day and night, with and without a serum and it absorbs well without leaving any greasy residue, just the kind of eye cream I like! It's 84% organic and contains Ginseng and natural peptides to tighten and smooth the delicate eye area. It's made with a base of Aloe Vera, Glycerin and Rose Hip oil to moisturise along with vitamins E & C, and oils of Seabuckthorn, Raspberry Seed, Pomegranate and Evening Primrose. *SPECIAL OFFER: Stem Organics are offering all Yum etc readers 20% off any of their products until the 31st May, simply enter the promo code YUMeye when you checkout! Click here *

Luzern Laboratories Serum Absolute - Vanish $80 for 30ml

Vanish is formulated to break down the pigmented blood that causes dark circles to form, as well as target general puffiness. This could be classed as an “intense treatment” rather than an everyday eye product: the pack contains 2 x 15 ml vials, each of which you use morning and night for 6 weeks, the idea being that you would do a 1^st treatment, then go back to your usual eye product and perform a 2^nd treatment a few months later, or when required. It’s a colourless, unscented, water based serum which is liquid, you pump once into the palm of your hand then dab round the eye area before applying your usual eye cream (don’t try pumping on to your finger as it’s too runny). It contains a base of Aloe Vera and Glycerin with natural peptides, vitamins C and B5 and a long, long list of natural organic active extracts including algae, Camellia and Echinacea. It did reduce my dark circles but I can’t say they have gone completely, but what I did love about this is that it really hydrates the skin around the eyes. For more details click here

Teneave Macadamia & Lavender Eye Care £7 for 30ml

If you’re on a tight budget but want all the benefits of natural skincare then this is the one for you: a deceptively rich lotion which moisturises and softens the skin around the eyes, it contains Macadamia, Jojoba and Avocado oils blended with Ginseng, Shea Butter, Vitamin E and essential oils of Lavender and Neroli. I personally prefer water based eye products, so I would use this as a night cream rather than a day cream, but it would be a perfect day product for those with dry and very dry skins. For more details click here

With thanks to Loredana, Maria, Kate, Nathalie and Teresa