Eye creams: Why do we need them?

There are some of us who suffer from having those unattractive dark circles around our eyes often caused by hyper-pigmentation or the dreaded puffiness underneath our eyes. Many of us do not realize this, but the skin which surrounds our eyes is quite sensitive and prone to wrinkling very easily. Crows feet, also known as "laugh lines" can age you. Men if you think that this post doesn't apply to you? Think again. I see many of you who have already developed crows feet. But, do not be disheartened, I am here for you. For the ladies and gents who have been fortunate to avoid this skin issue, kudos to you! Whether you want to reduce the appearance of the wrinkles, dark circles or puffiness or prevent these things from happening to you, I highly recommend that you read on.

For years I suffered from hyperpigmentation, what I call discolouration. I had discolouration around my lips and my eyes. Through trial and error, I have found two things which have helped me immensely. Raw african shea butter and coconut oil have given me life!!! I alternate between the two and I also use them at night after having washed my face. I must admit that I have a slight preference for the shea butter. The appearance of the dark circles has diminished significantly. I can honestly say that shea butter is always in my cosmetic drawer and bag.

The root cause of puffiness is caused by under eye water retention. Genetics, not getting enough sleep and allergens are also culprits. My top recommendations for treating eye puffiness are shea butter, aloe vera gel, witch hazel and rose water. Try to reduce the salt in your diet. Salt unfortunately contributes to water retention/water weight in our bodies and our faces are not excluded. Drink plenty of water to flush your system. Our pillows, though useful for sleeping comfortably, can contribute to trapping dust particles which can cause eye redness and itching. Keep antihistamines in your medicine cabinets to aid with this and wash your pillow cases often.

A quick fix for under eye puffiness which has worked for me is wrapping ice cubes in a rag and resting this on the swollen area for ten (10) second intervals. Long gone are the days when we can just wash our faces and slather on some lotion... any lotion for moisture. If you're still doing that, please stop! Stop tugging at the skin around your eyes when applying mascara or eyeliner to your inner lids ladies. Be gentle. Pulling at the skin can further increase the likelihood of developing wrinkles (crows feet). Remember, you are stuck with that face for the rest of your life!