How to choose natural Anti-Aging eye treatments

Shakespeare wrote, “The eyes are the windows to the soul,” but they are also usually the first area of the face to show signs of aging, in both men and women. How you will age around your eyes depends on both your particular constitution, and also your genes. Those with dryer skin (or who live or work in drier environments) will show crow’s feet earlier, while those with thinner skin may notice dark circles appearing more often than just when one is under the weather.

Eye-area skin is not only different from the skin on your legs or feet, it’s the one area of the face that’s not like any other, which is why most skin professionals caution against using creams and treatments meant for the face around the eyes too.

"You should be very careful about what you’re putting in the eye area, as the skin is much thinner there, and it absorbs substances 40-times more rapidly than elsewhere, “says New York City-based holistic dermatologist Dr. Alan Dattner.

If there is one all-natural treatment you should adopt as part of your beauty regimen, it should be the creams you use around your eyes. (Think about eye makeup too, especially if you wear it every day; many mascaras contain mercury, for example). You might be surprised what’s in your cosmetics and eye creams; check for potentially harmful ingredients on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database. The windows to your soul deserve it.

What to look for:

• Chamomile and Cucumber, both of which are well-known and long-tested eye area depuffers;
• Vitamin C, which aids in keeping skin supple;
• Vitamin E, which is soothing and protective against the elements; and
• companies that disclose ingredients lists.

What to avoid:

• Any ingredient you cant pronounce. Even popular (and effective) anti-aging creams may not be worth it, considering how absorbent this area is (40 times!).
• Sunscreens. Unless specially formulated for that use, sunscreens shouldn’t be applied around the eyes as they can irritate both the eye and the skin. Wear sunglasses to prevent sun damage (and squinting!).