For many years, eye cream has been considered a separate step in our skincare routine. And maybe many of us take it as a given and never stop to question why.
It's a question we get asked a lot as a brand, so we thought we would delve a little deeper as the answer isn't quite as a straightforward as a simple yes or no.
What makes the skin around our eyes different?
The skin around our eyes is different from the rest of our face. That much is true.
In fact it's amongst the thinnest on the body. It's delicate with fewer oil glands than the rest of the face, so can be more prone to dryness and sensitivity. It's an area that's constantly moving - every blink, smile, laugh and frown creates movement to the eye area.
It's also an area where we often notice the first visible signs of change as we age. Fine lines may become more apparent, while dark circles and puffiness are common concerns too, and depending on the reason for them skincare may or may not help.
What does an eye cream do?
A good eye cream can hydrate and nourish the skin, help it feel more comfortable and support the appearance of smoother, healthier-looking skin. Depending on its formulation, it may also include ingredients chosen to help with particular concerns such as fine lines, pigmentation or puffiness.
But many of those things are not exclusive to a product called an eye cream.
A serum or moisturiser can also hydrate, nourish and support the skin around the eye area, providing it has been specifically created to be used there.
And that distinction is very important.
There is no question that the eye area requires specialist consideration. But specialist consideration and a specialist product are not necessarily the same thing.
Can I use my face cream or moisturiser around my eyes?
Yes, but only if it has been formulated for use around the eye area.
Not every face cream or moisturiser has been formulated in this way, which is why it's very important to read the label and check for warnings.
If the directions tell you to avoid the eye area, you should do so. There may be ingredients within the formula that aren't suitable for use around the eyes. This could be due to the specific ingredients used, the concentrations of them or even the fragrance.
But if a moisturiser has been specifically formulated and safety assessed for the eye area as well as the face, there is no reason that caring for both areas with one product should mean compromising on either.
And a moisturiser can offer much more than hydration. It can support the skin barrier and help with the appearance of fine lines, texture, radiance and uneven skin tone. These aren't benefits that become exclusive to a product because eye cream is written on the jar.
Why don't we make a separate eye cream at Anara?
When we began developing Anara, the eye area was at the heart of every decision as our founder has sensitive eyes and the constant avoidance of the eye area was something she wanted to overcome with the Anara range.
Every product in our capsule range was specifically formulated for the eye area, face and neck. Our Radiance Moisturiser took four years and over 70 iterations to perfect.
We wanted the performance we expected from a high-performing moisturiser, including hydration, skin barrier support and improvement to the appearance of fine lines, uneven skin tome and radiance.
We wanted carefully selected natural-origin ingredients and the beautiful texture and sensory experience we believe should come with luxury skincare.
And we wanted that formula to work wonderfully for the eye area as well as for the face and neck.
Today, our award-winning Radiance Moisturiser is our customer favourite and we often receive delightful feedback on how our customers have replaced several skincare products with just this one jar.
So, when it comes to this much-debated question, Anara has a very specific answer.
