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The skin around our eyes is incredibly delicate and requires special care and attention to keep it looking and feeling healthy. Dry skin in this area can be caused by a variety of factors, including skincare habits, medical conditions, and even what the climate is like where you live. Let's talk about dry skin around the eyes, the most effective ingredients that can help, a few preventive measures, and what to do if the dryness has also caused wrinkles.
What Causes Dry Skin Around the Eyes?
While dry skin can look a little different depending on what's causing it, it will typically present as flaky skin that can also sometimes feel a little itchy or tight. Also depending on the cause, that dryness may or may not be relieved with a moisturizer or eye cream.
The skin around the eyes is particularly delicate and thin, making it more susceptible to dryness and irritation. On top of that, dryness can be caused by environmental conditions, lifestyle choices, skincare habits, or a medical condition such as eczema, psoriasis, or contact dermatitis.
- Environmental Conditions: Exposure to harsh weather conditions, such as wind, cold, and low humidity, can strip moisture from the skin around the eyes, especially since during these weather conditions, most people tend to wrap a scarf or face covering to protect the face while only using goggles or glasses to protect their eyes. Prolonged exposure to the sun without adequate protection can also lead to dryness and damage.
- Lifestyle Choices: Lack of sleep can reduce the skin's ability to repair itself, leading to dryness and dullness. Additionally, excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeine as well as smoking can all dehydrate the skin, with smoking also contributing to the early formation of wrinkles.
- Skincare Habits: Using harsh cleansers or products with alcohol and fragrances can strip the skin of its natural oils, resulting in dry skin. It's also possible to have a sensitive skin type or dry skin type without realizing it, in which case “normal” skin products may be too harsh and cause irritation and dryness.
- Contact Dermatitis: This condition occurs when the skin around the eyes reacts to allergens or irritants picked up from their environment; this can include coming from makeup, skincare products, or even certain fabrics. Symptoms typically include redness, itching, and even swelling, which can lead to dry, flaky skin.
- Atopic Dermatitis: Also known as eczema, this chronic condition causes the skin to become dry, itchy and inflamed. When it affects the eye area, it can lead to persistent dryness and discomfort, often requiring targeted treatments to manage symptoms.
- Psoriasis: This autoimmune disorder results in the rapid buildup of skin cells, forming red, scaly patches that can appear around the eyes, as well as the rest of the face, scalp, lower back, nails, elbows, knees, palms, and feet. The affected skin can become dry, cracked, and prone to bleeding.
- Blepharitis: This describes inflammation of the eyelids, often caused by bacterial infections or skin conditions like rosacea, which leads to dryness, redness, and irritation. The condition can cause the eyelid margins to become crusty and flaky, further contributing to dryness.
As you can see, the second half of the list includes symptoms beyond just dry skin. If you experience persistent dryness or irritation around your eyes, especially if accompanied by additional symptoms like pain, discomfort, or discharge, seek advice from a medical professional to determine the underlying cause and appropriate treatment.
How To Treat Dry Skin Around the Eyes
If the dry skin around your eyes isn't caused by an underlying medical condition, you can usually restore hydration and moisture to the area by being intentional with your choice of skincare products, specifically looking for gentle but nourishing ingredients.
Use Hydrating Skincare Products
The first step to effectively treating dry skin around the eyes is incorporating hydrating skincare products into your routine.
Start with a gentle, hydrating cleanser. It's important to avoid harsh soaps, especially those made with alcohol or strong fragrances, as they can contribute heavily to dryness and irritation.
Our Hydrating Gel Cleanser is made with a coconut-based cleanser that helps remove dirt, oil, and impurities without stripping your skin of its natural beneficial oils. It also includes Sparassis Crispa Extract as well as Pro-Vitamin B5 to ensure your skin stays hydrated.
Next, focus on moisturizing eye creams that contain hydrating ingredients. Here are the best ingredients to look for that can help nourish dry skin around the eyes:
- Hyaluronic Acid: This powerful humectant attracts and retains moisture, helping to keep the skin around the eyes plump and hydrated.
- Ceramides: These lipids help restore the skin's natural barrier, locking in moisture and protecting against environmental stressors.
- Glycerin: This is a highly effective moisturizer that draws water into the skin, providing long-lasting hydration and smoothness.
- Peptides: These amino acids can help support collagen production, improving skin elasticity and reducing the appearance of fine lines.
- Vitamin E: This vitamin is an antioxidant that helps protect the skin from free radical damage while providing deep hydration and nourishment.
- Niacinamide: Also known as Vitamin B3, this ingredient helps improve skin elasticity, enhance the barrier function, and even out skin tone.
- Squalane: This is a lightweight, non-greasy oil that mimics the skin's natural oils, providing intense hydration and softness.
- Shea Butter: This is a rich, emollient ingredient that deeply softens, moisturizes, and soothes dry, irritated skin.
These ingredients are known for their powerful hydrating properties and can help keep the delicate skin around your eyes supple and healthy. When applying eye cream, use your ring finger to gently pat the product around the eyes. This ensures a delicate touch without sacrificing thorough application and absorption.
Vaseline is another versatile product that can be beneficial for the skin around your eyes. Known for its strong occlusive properties, vaseline helps to lock in moisture, creating a barrier that prevents dryness. Applying a thin layer at night can help to keep the skin around your eyes hydrated and minimize the appearance of fine lines. That said, it's not recommended to mix it with other products, so consider alternating the use of Vaseline with the use of other night creams.
Stay Hydrated and Eat a Skin-Healthy Diet
Making a few lifestyle adjustments can help improve your general skin health, which can ultimately help the skin around your eyes, too.
Staying hydrated is the most impactful change you can make. Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water daily to keep your skin well-moisturized from the inside out. Additionally, incorporating hydrating foods like watermelon and cucumber into your diet can provide an extra boost of hydration.
A balanced diet rich in vitamins and antioxidants can also help promote healthy skin. Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, and nuts can supply your body with the nutrients it needs to maintain skin health. Focus on foods high in Vitamin E and Omega-3 fatty acids, such as almonds, spinach, and fatty fish to help nourish and protect your skin.
Can Dry Skin Around the Eyes Cause Wrinkles?
Dry skin around the eyes can in fact contribute to the appearance of wrinkles. When the skin lacks adequate moisture, it becomes less elastic and more prone to fine lines and creases. The delicate skin around the eyes is particularly susceptible to this because it's thinner and more fragile than other areas of the face. Without sufficient hydration, the skin can appear dull and aged, with wrinkles becoming more pronounced, especially over time and with skin aging.
Targeting Eye Wrinkles With Light Therapy
For those looking to target wrinkles around the eyes caused by dry skin, Light Therapy offers professional-grade results from the comfort of home.
Our Light Therapy Eye Mask, the Eye Recovery Pro, uses Red Light, Near-Infrared Light, Amber Light, and Deep Red Light Therapy to target early signs of aging in the delicate eye area, including fine lines, wrinkles, crow’s feet, 11s, dark circles, eye bags, eyelid drooping, uneven tone, and more.
By non-invasively penetrating the skin with four different wavelengths of light and just 3 minutes per treatment, it's easy to add Light Therapy into your regular skincare routine after cleansing and before applying your other products.
Conclusion
Dry skin around the eyes can be traced to a wide variety of causes, from using too harsh of a cleanser, to being a symptom of a skin condition. For simpler causes, gentle cleansers and eye creams with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and peptides can provide much-needed moisture and relief. Additionally, making lifestyle changes such as staying hydrated and maintaining a balanced diet rich in vitamins and antioxidants can support overall skin health, ultimately also helping to renourish the skin around the eyes.
As always, if you suspect that the skin around your eyes may be caused by an underlying medical condition, seek professional advice from your healthcare provider or dermatologist.
Want to learn more about taking care of your skin? Explore our blog here for more tips, guides, and expert info to help keep your skin looking and feeling its best.
Sources:
- The effect of environmental humidity and temperature on skin barrier function and dermatitis
- CLEANSERS AND THEIR ROLE IN VARIOUS DERMATOLOGICAL DISORDERS - PMC
- Contact Dermatitis - Mayo Clinic
- Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis): Causes and Treatment
- Psoriasis - Cleveland Clinic
- Blepharitis - Symptoms and Causes
