The skin area around the eye is very delicate and devoid of oil-producing glands, so it is often the first place that the signs of aging start to appear.

Now, before you start reaching for the botox, there are some great eye creams out there that can help prevent and reduce those crows feet, but with so many on the market, how  does one know which to choose? Here are some tips as to what ingredients to look for.

When you are looking for an eyecream, look for an eyecream that contains peptides. Peptides are especially great for ladies with sensitive skin that can’t use creams containing retinol. Peptides stimulate the production of collagen and elastin just like retinol does, but are not as harsh on the skin. Elastin is the protein that allows your skin to bounce back from the wrinkles and expression lines caused by repetitive smiling, laughing and frowning. Crows feet are a good example of this. Our crows feet become more pronounced as we get older from repetitive squinting ( don’t forget those sunnies, ladies!). If you use an eye cream containing peptides, elasticity and skin resilience will be improved. Perricone MD Neuropeptide Eye Contour is an excellent product containing neuropeptides, but doesn’t come cheap ( around R3000,00).

If your skin can tolerate retinol, then look for an eye cream with that ingredient, as retinol is fabulous at increasing collagen production and boosting cellular turnover. Newer, brighter , smoother skin will be brought to the surface and nasties such as age spots and blemishes will be reduced in appearance. L’Oreal’s Revitalift Double Lifting Eye ( R229,90) contains Pro-Retinol A and caffeine.  Make sure you use any eye cream containing retinol at night as it may increase the skin’s sensitivity to the sun. Also make sure that any eye cream containing retinol is packaged in an opaque container to avoid the product coming into contact with light and air that could diminish its effectiveness.

Look for products containing  ingredients such as caffeine and alpha hydroxy acids, which will help to firm up the area around the eyes and gets rid of puffiness and fine lines. Dermatologica total eye care with SPF 15 ( R595,00) contains plant extracts and alpha hydroxy acids to refine the skin around the eye and reduce puffiness and dark circles.

A good eye cream should also aim at preventing and reversing damage from the sun and pollution like sun spots and dark marks.  Look for an eye cream with an SPF and one that contains anti-oxidants like Vitamin C.

Another great ingredient to look for in an eye cream is niacinamide or Vitamin B3 which helps to improve the skin’s moisture barrier which allows the skin to produce more collagen and also encourages cellular turnover. Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum ( R229,95) contains niacinamide.

So next time you are out shopping for a new eye cream, have a look at the list of ingredients and pick one with some or all of the above ingredients. Then you will know that those crows feet  will soon be a thing of the past!

Article written by: Maryanne Young