Younger Eyes

With aging skin loses elasticity. The skin around our eyes is the most noticeable area of aging. Upper eyelids 'droop' causing an older and tired look. Many of us need extra help in the fragile and delicate eye area as we age. Eyelid surgery is costly with potential complications. What are the options?

The key to eye creams is consistency--morning and night. Also time. Eye creams take time to work, usually weeks or a month. Some are very expensive and some irritate the eyes. Products results vary for different people.

I like the Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum as it does not sting and moisturizes without being heavy. I immediately noticed diminishing of fine lines. Over time I also noticed a tightening of the area around the eye lids. It is gentle enough to use on your eyelids without fumes that would make your eyes water.

With each application not much of the product is used as you use tiny amounts each time. Some come in a pump (more convenient and sanitary), sometimes the pump does not work good when the bottle is about 1/4 used.

Another winner is L'Oreal Paris Advanced RevitaLift Eye Day/Night Cream, it moisturizes, is fragrance free, and safe for contact users. This cream is applied in small dots around the eye area. It has a nice feel, absorbs quickly, and can be worn under makeup. This product works wonderfully as an anti-wrinkle cream and after using a few weeks the skin around the eye is firmer. The moisturizing lasts a long time.

Facial exercises might be effective with months of dedication. Many of your facial muscles are attached to the skin not like the muscles in your body that are attached to bones via tendons. As with any exercise program discuss this with your physician or dentist before starting.

I have noticed with these exercise programs that they say exercise, diet, and moisturizer. The areas of our face with the most movements seem to have the most wrinkles--smile lines, laugh lines. I think I will stick with the diet and moisturizer as facial exercise could cause more wrinkles.

Dr. Oz and Dr. Michael F. Roizen in their book "You: Being Beautiful" state: “Exercising the facial muscles is a sure way to increase wrinkles. The facial muscles pull on the skin to give you facial expressions. And the repetitive movements of the skin, over the years, combined with the normal thinning of the collagen and elastin of the dermis, will eventually crack the skin, causing wrinkles. Botox is the reverse of exercise; it paralyzes muscles and lessens wrinkles.”

There are products that support the drooping skin above the eye. Eye Magic Instant Eye Lift uses lightweight transparent strips place on the upper eyelid. A gel is applied to the strip that helps the strip adhere to the skin. The strip is not fully transparent but slightly visible especially when you blink. Instant Face and Neck Lift Tapes are an easy non-surgical alternative to take years off your appearance. It eliminates wrinkles from your face, neck, jaw, and eye area. These products give a more youthful eyes look in seconds.

• Eat right-lots of fruits, veggies, grains, correct types of oils.
• Drink lots of water.
• Exercise-give your face a rosy glow.
• Wash your face gently.
• Use sunscreen.
• Avoid indoor tanning devices.

• Squinting your eyes.
• Sipping beverages from straws--sipping from straws can contribute to wrinkles.
• Repeated facial expressions-frown lines, crow's feet, fine lines around the mouth are some of the wrinkles caused by repeated facial expression. Wear sunglasses, no smoking, avoid consistent puckering of the mouth.
• Sleeping with your hand between your face and the pillow.
• Sleeping on your side.
• Friction between your face and the pillow forms lines on your chin and cheeks as you sleep. Sleep on your back.

Apply pencil eyeliner to the lid in an upward sloping style.
The pencil line slopes upward at the outer corner of the eye.
The pencil line goes from the inner eye just before the pupil to the outer corner of the eye sloping upward.

On the upper part of eyelid apply light-tone eyeshadow from innermost corner to the eye center.

On the eyelid apply dark eyeshadow to the eyelid. Begin at the center of the eyelid and extend outward.

Apply highlighting eyeshadow right under the inner edge of the brow.