3 secrets to ageless eyes

The skin around the eyes is about 75% thinner than anywhere else on the body, making the delicate area more prone to the visual effects of aging, says dermatologist David Bank, M.D. Here, the breakthrough treatments to flawless in a blink!

Dark circles? Opt for this plant

One of the key causes of undereye shadows? When blue/purple veins show through the area’s thin, transparent skin. Bakuchiol to the rescue! The plant derivative is study-proven to be as effective as gold-standard retinol in stimulating collagen and elastin production to thicken skin. “But it’s gentler on the sensitive eye area than the irritating alternative,” says Dr. Bank. Simply tap on a bakuchiol-infused eye cream (like Burt’s Bees Renewal Firming Eye Cream) under eyes for an end to dark circles in three months.

Crow’s-feet? Choose peptides

Repeated muscle contractions from smiling or squinting can be to blame for fine lines around the eyes. And the thinner skin is, the quicker they appear. But argireline peptides can help. “Similar to how Botox works, these peptides limit the proteins responsible for muscle movements, helping to smooth and prevent deep lines,” says Dr. Bank. To reap the benefits, apply a pea-size amount of an argirelineinfused serum (like The Ordinary Argireline Solution, Ulta.com) onto lines twice a day for results in 30 days.

Undereye hollows? Try hyaluronic acid

As we age, skin becomes even thinner and loses elasticity. This combo causes fat pads beneath the eyes to migrate south. The result? That sunken, hollowed-out undereye look. Even more surprising, when the body retains fluid, it can gather inside the hollowedout area, creating puffy undereye bags! The good news: Both problems are easily reversible fast, says Dr. Bank.

To “fill in” hollows, apply a topical hyaluronic acid gel (we like Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream Eye). The molecule can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, delivering all that skin-plumping moisture directly to the deflated area for a more youthful look in an instant. And to keep the area from getting puffy, try a gentle pressure massage: Sweep your middle finger from the inner corner of the eye, across the undereye and up and out to the orbital bone 10 times. This redistributes fluids so they don’t accumulate under the eyes.