The unique and highly delicate composition of our eye area means products used around our eyes must be crafted with the care of the customer, as well as the science of the skin to back up each ingredient selected. Unfortunately, eye creams are one of the most understudied skincare products to date, creating a breeding ground for myths and fallacies – so today we’re going to address the most common eye cream myths, and delve a little deeper into the truth.

1. Our Eye Area Is The Same As the Rest of Our Skin
This is without a doubt not true.
The truth is, the skin around our eyes is significantly thinner and therefore more sensitive than the rest of our body, with our eye lids being the thinnest area on our entire body. On average our epidermis (the outer most layer of the skin) is around 0.1 millimetres thick, whilst the soles of our feet and palms of our hands are around 1.5 millimetres, and the eye area is said to be around 0.05 millimetres. The fact that the skin around our eyes is around 10 times thinner than other areas, makes it particularly susceptible to damage from external factors such as UV rays, changing weathers and overly harsh skincare. This means we definitely do need to treat this area with a little extra care than we do the rest of our skin. Which can be in the form of an eye cream, designed with a thinner outer layer of skin in mind eye creams often don’t include harsh or strong ingredients that might be found in other skincare products to avoid irritating the skin.

2. The Eye Area Ages At The Same Speed As Our Face
A definite myth. The delicate nature of the eye area makes it more susceptible to the harsh impact of UV rays, so signs of aging show up significantly faster here than the rest of our skin. This is because prolonged exposure to the sun without adequate protection can contribute to the breakdown of collagen and elastin fibres, causing premature aging to become visible through hyperpigmentation, dryness, fine lines and wrinkles. As other areas of the skin are much thicker, they are more resilient to the impact of UV rays as the supportive structure of collagen and elastin do not break down as easily. On top of this, our eyes show a lot of our expression and are a particularly active part of the face, so whether we are squinting, smiling, or even just blinking, muscles are being contracted which over time diminishes the collagen and elastin fibres in our eye area more so than in other areas of the face which are likely to lose firm structure underneath the surface at a slower rate.

3. Eye Creams Are Just Glorified Moisturisers
This myth is one we have probably all heard at some point, and whilst at a glance it seems valid, once we dig a little deeper we can see the need for something a little more specific and tailored than just a moisturiser for our eye area. Not only is the skin thinner around the eyes, but it also has fewer oil glands, meaning it has a lower natural moisture retention capacity than the rest of the face – and therefore more likely to experience dryness and dehydration. Most eye creams will be full of hydrating ingredients to offer a more concentrated level of moisture, and those made with care will have a formula developed with enough hydration to nourish, but not so much that it can be overwhelming and therefore counterproductive to the skin. More so, many eye creams will target concerns that are specific and common for that area of the face, such as hyperpigmentation, dehydration and signs of aging, whereas the primary purpose of a moisturiser is in general to act more as an emollient to both moisturise and retain moisture already within the skin.

4. Eye Skin Care Is For Later in Life
The truth is, it’s never too late to care for your eye area, but equally it’s never too early to put in place some preventative measures. We’re often made to believe eye cream is for mature skin, but the reality is it is a lot easier to prevent and delay signs of aging from occuring than it is to treat them when they are already here. Including an eye cream in your twenties and thirties can make all the difference to help maintain the moisture and elasticity that this area is prone to lose with time. And the right eye cream can help fortify the skins natural defences against UV damage and environmental stressors.

An Eye Cream With A Difference
At Vemel we wanted to tackle one of the most common issues people come across when it comes to skincare; using irritating or sensitising ingredients without knowing. Perhaps the most popular sensitising ingredient found in skincare is fragrance – whether this is strong fragrant oils, synthetic fragrance or sensitising extracts, the impact they have can undermine our efforts to care for our skin. Dr Anne Steinnemann, an internationally recognised expert on pollutant exposure and associated health effects conducted a survey in America, the United Kingdom and Sweden which found that one third of people are fragrant sensitive. So it was ever ingrained in our ethos that strong, sensitising and synthetic fragrance have no place in our skincare. Instead we focus on purposeful, organic and kind to skin ingredients, so delicate areas like around our eyes can be nourished and without any irritation. Which is why our Intense Age Repair Eye & Lip Cream is made up of just nine, naturally derived, pure and potent ingredients from Award Winning Algae Extract, Organic Kiwi Seed Oil to Organic Amaranth and Organic Coconut Pulp Extract – a blend of nature’s finest ingredients to restore and preserve our youth and skin health. So when we were awarded silver for the ‘Best Organic Eye Product’ in the Global Green Beauty Awards 2023, we felt it perfectly represented a product that was a true labour of love and one that can continue to make a difference. Designed to boost collagen, elastin and lipid production to soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, this is the ultimate repair cream to prevent moisture loss and therefore reveal firm and toned skin – because this is more than just a moisturiser, it is a eye cream with a purpose.