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Essential Eye Care Tips for a Healthy Skincare Routine
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Essential Eye Care Tips for a Healthy Skincare Routine

17 April 2025


How To Apply Eye Creams and Serums




Applying eye cream consistently is a key part of a proper skin care regimen. As a dermatologist, I commonly advise patients to use an eye cream or serum twice a day – both morning and night – after cleansing. The delicate skin around our eyes is particularly prone to fine lines, wrinkles, dark circles, puffiness, and dryness. Using the correct technique to apply eye cream allows you to get the most out of your eye cream. Later in this post I will explain step-by-step how to properly apply eye cream or serum in both your morning and evening routines.



To find the best eye cream for you- visit this blog on how to choose an eye cream or take the skin type quiz and get a custom skin routine with many eye cream choices that are right for you.




How to Apply Eye Creams and SerumsHow much eye cream or serum to use



It important to use the correct amount of eye cream. We recommend 1/8th teaspoon of serum total for both eyes.




Correct Direction of Eye Cream Application



When applying eye products to the lower lid area, you want to rub towards the middle – towards the nose- so you are moving fluid towards the lymph nodes to speed lymph drainage.




When To Apply Eye Cream



When you apply your eye cream in your skincare routine is important because it will affect how well other products in your routine absorb into the skin around your eyes.




Apply Eye Cream Before or After Moisturizer?



Eye creams should be the second step in your daily skin care routine and applied before your moisturizer. Eye products, including serums, creams or gels, should be applied directly after cleansing.




3 reasons to apply your eye cream after cleansing:



The eye cream will be able to penetrate into the skin without having to pass through any other products




The eye cream will be able to fill in any creases in the skin to smooth away wrinkles.



Your eye cream will protect the delicate eye area from the third step in the skin care regimen.




Eye cream often have peptides, saccharides and other ingredients meant to fill in the spaces between skin cells and make the skin look smoother. They will not work as well if applied on top of other serums, gels and creams. The third step in a good skincare routine is often a treatment serum. These often contain ingredients that can irritate the delicate skin near your eyes. Applying your eye cream or serum before the treatment product can protect your eye from irritation from ingredients like retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, and hydroxyacids.



Apply Eye Cream in the Morning or Night?




Eye creams should be applied both in the daytime skin routine and at night before bed. It is most important to use an eye cream at night.



At night, your other skin care products often rub off onto your pillowcase and transfer to the eye area. These products can irritate delicate eye skin- especially retinoids and hydroxyacids. So -it is a good idea to use a protective eye cream under your eyes at night – especially if you are using retinoids like retinol. The eye cream – especially a barrier repair eye cream- will protect the eye area from any irritating skin care products or detergents on your sheets and pillowcases. This is very important for sensitive skin types.




Apply Eye Cream before or after Sunscreen?



Sunscreen is applied after eye cream, serums, and moisturizers. Sunscreen is the last skin product to apply to the skin before using makeup.




You can also choose an eye cream that has sunscreen i it such as one of these below.



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Eye Cream or Eye Serum First?



Never use an eye cream or an eye serum at the same time because you are wasting money and reducing the effectiveness of both products. However, you may choose to use 2 different eye creams or serums: one in the am and one in the pm.




When to Start Using Eye Cream?



My patients often ask me what age to start using eye cream- but when to start does not depend on your age- it depends on which Baumann Skin Type you are and what eye area concerns you have.




It is never too early to begin using an eye cream or eye serum- however they are not necessary unless you are having one of these issues:



Dry skin on the eye lids



Fine lines under the eyes

Crow’s feet wrinkles

Eye puffiness

Red or stinging eyes

Discoloration, dark circles or darkness under the eyes

There is one exception to this rule. If you are a W Baumann Skin Type – this means you are wrinkle-prone and need to use an eye cream or serum to prevent wrinkles.

If you a e not a W Baumann Skin type, you can start using eye products to prevent these issues, or you can use your facial moisturizer around your eyes until you develop one of these issues. In some cases, it is important to use an eye cream to prevent eye irritation from other products such as anti-aging or acne products.

Different Eye Products for Morning and Night?

These are the factors to consider when deciding which eye product to use in the am and which to use in the pm:

Do you wear makeup? If so, apply an eye cream before your concealer. You can also mix it with your concealer before you apply it. Think of your eye cream or eye serum as a primer for concealer. This is very helpful if you have flaking of the eye area from retinoids or dark circles under the eyes.

Are you using a retinoid at night? If yes- use an eye cream for night to protect the delicate eye area from retinoid side effects.

Are you having redness or irritation of your eye area? Apply a soothing eye cream in the am or pm that has anti-inflammatory ingredients.

Do you have eczema around the eyes or eyelid dermatitis? Use eye cream am and pm.

Do you have puffy eyes? Use the anti-puffiness eye product at night because puffiness is usually worse when you wake up in the am. This will help prevent fluid accumulation under the eyes at night.

Here are some of the best hydrating eye creams:

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Eye Cream on Upper Eyelids

If you want to put an eye product on your upper eyelids, an eye serum is usually better than an eye cream because it is less heavy and less likely to run into your eyes. Avoid eye serums with a lot of alcohol because this can burn your eyes.

Here is a list of short chain fatty alcohols that are eye irritants and should not be used on the upper eyelids:

Ethanol / Ethyl alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol

Sodium lauryl sulfate

Ammonium lauryl sulfate

Laureth-4

Ceteareth-20

Steareth-2

Cetyl alcohol

Stearyl alcohol

The skin around the eyes is extremely delicate and thin. Using products containing these short chain alcohols can lead to stinging, burning, itching or dryness when applied to the eye area.

Do not use eye creams with hydroxyacids on your upper eyelids.

Using Eye Cream on Your Face

Never use an eye cream on your entire face! Eye creams are designed specifically for the eye area. Using eye creams on the face can lead to clogged pores and black heads. The difference between eye cream and face cream is the underlying formulation- not the active ingredients. The eye cream is meant to make a thin primer layer on the skin that masks dark circles, reflects light, fills in creases under the eyes and allows makeup up to go on smoothly.

Eye creams sometimes contain comedogenic ingredients. Using eye creams all over the face can cause milia.

Using Face Moisturizer as an Eye Cream

Eye creams are often expensive- but are they worth the price? Could you use a face cream under the eyes instead? In some cases, you may want to lower your skin care costs by eliminating a product. In our opinion, the eye cream/ serum is the first skin care product to eliminate when you are on a budget. Or- maybe you are going on a trip and you need to free up space in your luggage- you can leave your eye cream at home. But- what to use instead of eye cream? Your facial moisturizer! As long as it does not have retinol, hydroxyacids or benzoyl peroxide or strong fragrances- you should be able to use a facial moisturizer as an eye cream.

I personally use Zerafite Wrinkle Defense Barrier Cream as an eye cream over Plated Serum. I mix it with my concealer and apply it over Plated serum under my eyes. I do not use the Zerafite only upper lids.

I apply Plated Intense Serum to my upper and lower eyelids. This serum has antiaging exosomes and layers well under a facial moisturizer.

(The Plated packaging says not to use in the eye area but I confirmed with the cosmetic chemist that there is no reason to not use it in the eye area.)

There is a lot to know about correctly using eye creams and serums. It is worth learning about because eye products are expensive. We would hate to see you wasting time and money on the wrong eye products, or by using them incorrectly.

Make sure you take the quiz to find out the best eye products for you and get a customized skin care routine. Then you can browse and see what eye products from many different brands and price points are right for you.

DQH Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? It’s easy to create a skincare routine, but knowing how to use it is another thing entirely. In most cases, if you’re not getting the desired skin results, it could be due to the layering of conflicting ingredients. So, is it possible that salicylic acid and vitamin C are such ingredients? Or are these active ingredients the duo that’s been missing from your skincare routine? If you want answers, stick around because today we are going to explain the benefits of salicylic acid and vitamin C and how they can be used in your daily life. What are the benefits of salicylic acid for skin? Salicylic acid is one of the most commonly used beta hydroxy acids and is favored by many people with oily, acne-prone skin. This acid is derived from willow bark, and unlike its water-soluble relatives (called alpha-hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble, which means it can penetrate deeper into the lower layers of the skin. Once it reaches the lower layers, it can help unclog pores of excess sebum, dirt, bacteria, debris, and impurities. This results in clearer skin tones and greater definition. Not only does salicylic acid benefit the underlying layers, but the outer surface of the skin benefits as well. When applied to the skin, salicylic acid removes the buildup of dead skin cells. This is accomplished by breaking the bonds that hold dead cells to the surface. Over time, this can cause the complexion to look dull and prone to acne, blackheads, and other blemishes. If you’d like to learn more about salicylic acid and how it can improve your skin, check out this dedicated blog post from a beauty insider. What are the benefits of vitamin C for skin? Vitamin C is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants, which means it is very effective at fighting free radicals and preventing them from causing further skin damage. Examples of free radicals include pollution, central heating, UV rays and harsh climate. They attack proteins, fats and cell membranes as soon as they come into contact with the skin, causing signs of premature aging such as fine lines and wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation, flaky patches of skin and loss of elasticity. Many people usually prefer to use vitamin C in their morning routine as this ingredient gives the complexion a radiant glow. You’ll also find that vitamin C can target areas of hyperpigmentation, plumping the skin and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The thing about vitamin C is that there are a lot of outdated studies going back to the 1950s that describe vitamin C as an unstable skin component. Thanks to improvements in modern technology, this is no longer the case as all products now contain a stable form of vitamin C. Visit The Beauty Insider to learn more about vitamin C. So please check out our blog post. Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? Yes, you absolutely can. In fact, it’s thought that using salicylic acid before using vitamin C ensures it penetrates faster and works faster. This is an efficient way to utilize two power sources, and the reason has to do with pH. For example, the skin’s natural pH is about 4.7, making it slightly acidic. Salicylic acid and vitamin C are also both acidic, and you’ll find that vitamin C is absorbed quickly into the skin. Therefore, using salicylic acid beforehand can increase the acidity of the skin and allow vitamin C to penetrate into the skin faster. While this is considered an effective way to combine two powerful ingredients, you need to be aware of your skin type and how it reacts to certain active ingredients. Even people with perfect, normal skin can experience skin sensitivity and irritation. Therefore, always consult a doctor or dermatologist before using any new products on your skin. It’s also important to follow skin application rules. In this case, you need to use the product correctly to ensure you get the best results for your skin. If you’re not sure what I mean, the basic rule for skin is to start with the thinnest consistency and work your way up to the thickest consistency. This prevents a barrier from forming on the surface, preventing other active ingredients from penetrating the skin. Can I use salicylic acid at night and vitamin C in the morning? Yes, absolutely, this is considered the most effective way to get returns without any adverse side effects. This is because there is enough time between applications to ensure that the skin’s pH levels return to balance. You’ll also find that Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants and is perfect for use in the morning to ensure your skin is protected and looking its healthiest. Due to the small size of salicylic acid molecules, it is an acid that is able to reach the deepest parts of the skin. While this is effective at keeping skin clear, it also increases the risk of irritation and photosensitivity. Therefore, many people prefer to use powerful BHAs in their evening routine without exposure to UV rays, pollution, or harsh weather. Warning: If you avoid using sunscreen every day, none of these ingredients will do what your skin needs. The combination of chemical peels and powerful ingredients increases the risk of further damage to the skin’s surface. Use SPF 50 every day to keep your skin protected and your lipid barrier healthy, even on cloudy days, keeping your skin in top condition.
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