EYE need a HERO

MAKE SURE YOU TAKE EXTRA CARE AROUND THE DELICATE EYE AREA

GENTLY DOES IT

Because there are very few oil glands around our eyes, using a regular facial cleanser to remove eye make-up can be too harsh and dehydrating.

Try an eye make-up remover or micellar water as a more gentle option. Soak a cotton pad with it and hold over your lid for a few seconds to dissolve make-up, then gently wipe away.

TRY: (1) Natio Rosewater Hydration Antioxidant Micellar Cleansing Water, $17.50.

LESS IS MORE

You only need a baby pea-sized amount of eye product for both eyes. To apply it, warm it across your fingertips, then starting at the arch of the brow, gently spread it along the orbital bone towards the temple. Repeat underneath the eye from the outside towards your nose.

DIAL H FOR HYDRATION

Dryness around your eyes can speed up the onset of lines, which eventually turn into wrinkles. Keeping the area hydrated with an eye cream will help skin stay more supple and resistant, with the added bonus of plumping out existing lines and wrinkles to lessen their appearance. TRY: (2) Weleda Evening Primrose Age Revitalising Eye & Lip Cream, $47.90.

BUMP THOSE BUMPS

It’s very common to develop tiny, milky-coloured bumps called milia. They are actually small balls of keratin trapped under the top layer of skin. If you suffer from them, avoid very heavy, rich creams and try a topical retinoid cream to encourage cell turnover. This will help bring them to the surface, where they will eventually work their way out. If they are particularly stubborn, a dermatologist can remove them for you.

TRY: (3) Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum, $159.

REFRESH PUFFY EYES

As you get older, the skin tissue and muscles around your eyes weaken, allowing fat and fluid cells to accumulate and create “bags” under the eyes. You can help minimise fluid retention by holding back on the salt and alcohol, and sleeping on your back with an extra pillow. Cooling eye gels will help to de-puff, especially when combined with a cooling massage tool to help improve circulation and encourage fluid to drain away.

TRY: (4) Estée Lauder Resilience Lift Cooling/Lifting Eye GelCreme, $135, and (5) Cryotherapy Instant Eye De-Puffing Wand, $95.

DEFEAT DARK CIRCLES

Whether they’re from lack of sleep, dehydration or genetics, dark areas under the eye can prove difficult to erase. Treatment-wise, seek creams that address pigmentation and poor microcirculation. To cover them, choose a targeted eye concealer that will provide enough pigment to conceal them and light-diffusing particles to create brightness. Blend it right into the corner of each eye, where we are often the darkest.

TRY: (6) Nivea Q10 Plus C Anti-Wrinkle + Energy Eye Treatment, $23.99, and (7) Revlon Youth FX Fill + Blur Concealer, $32.

STOP THE STRAIN

Reading in the dark, too much computer or television screen time, and lack of glasses are just some of the things that might cause our eyes to feel strained and tired. For a quick pick-me-up, try cupping your hands and holding them over your eyes for a minute to relax them. A refreshing gel-textured eye cream massaged over the eyes can provide instant relief too.

TRY: (8) Dermalogica Stress Positive Eye Lift, $115.