What’s the deal with … EYE RETINOL?

Retinol, the wrinkle-slaying A vitamin, is SO back, it’s even appearing in eye creams. But isn’t it famously irritating? Oh, yes. You should see the welts on my face if I go anywhere near it. Those with dry, thin, pale or delicate skin will have more trouble with retinol than those who have none of the above. Why risk it? Because it renews skin from deep within and is properly proven to fade lines and spots. Best of all, new formulas promise results without the red-eye. Such as? Olay Eyes Pro-Retinol Eye Treatment doesn’t just have some decent proof that its gentle retinoid, retinyl propionate, is almost as good as retinol, it also has impressive doses of niacinamide, panthenol and peptides, which crow’s feet won’t like. And Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum has an ingenious retinol delivery system designed to mitigate itchy, flaky side effects; possibly still too much for me, but it should nuke normal people’s lines. What else? Medik8 has launched an eye treatment that I’m très excited about. It features retinyl retinoate, a retinoid that doesn’t irritate – but works: I’ve used the face-cream version for years. The serum combines with ‘micro-channel’ eye patches that punch tiny holes into your skin to help the actives penetrate. The little ‘needles’ are made of hyaluronic acid and dissolve after a bit, adding extra hydration. Now that’s the kind of multipronged (sorry) approach to wrinkly eyes I have faith in.