Bright Eyes

b-venet-ss18b034square

Eyes 101

Lack of sleep, dehydration and stress (hallmarks of the festive season) can all heavily impact the eye area and wreak havoc, resulting in puffiness, dark circles and bags. “The skin around your eyes is very delicate and susceptible to your lifestyle”, notes Maria Hatzistefanis, founder of Rodial. As well as practical steps for treating your concerns – such as getting enough sleep and water – we reveal how best to get your bright eyes back…

Overnight Care

Prevention is easier and more effective than treatment, which is why night-time is crucial for your eyes. Along with having a long, good quality sleep, you should use this time to let products get to work. As you sleep skin begins to regenerate, so any formulas you apply beforehand will really help. A velvety, rich cream such as the Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado works well as a before-bed treatment. The avocado oil and vitamin A within the formula gently nourishe the sensitive skin to prevent fine lines and puffiness the next morning.

Aesop’s Parsley Seed Antioxidant Eye Cream is a wonderfully rich option and contains hydrating ingredients like sweet almond oil, aloe vera and shea butter. If you prefer lighter formulas, opt for an overnight serum such as the Supermood Beauty Sleep Youth Restoring Eye Serum. This silky serum contains a luxurious concoction of natural oils – including coconut oil and argan kernel oil – which works to repair skin cells as you sleep.

Morning wake up

With a few overnight prevention techniques, your dark circles should improve. If you do happen to awake to puffy, shady bags there are ways to treat the problem, including both skincare and makeup. After your morning skincare routine, put some eye drops in to ease any redness within the eye itself, and then opt for a light eye cream or serum that comes with a metal rollerball; the coolness of the metal will instantly de-puff and soothe sore eyes.

We like the Chantecaille Nano Gold Energising Eye Serum, (which features a golden rollerball) along with a luxe blend of 24K gold and silk – both of which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. If a two-step approach appeals, try the Aurelia Probiotic Skincare’s Eye Revitalising Duo. The Revitalise and Brighten Eye Dew provides a burst of nourishment to wake you up in the morning, while the Illuminate and Smooth Puff Reduction Eye Cream, as its name suggests, targets troublesome bags.

When it comes to makeup, Anna Priadka, Global Artist at NARS, suggests colour correcting before even picking up your concealer: “Colour correction will counteract dark circles, so when your concealer goes on it brightens and lifts to the max”. The Becca Backlight Targeted Colour Correctors are perfect for this  – try the peach shade for under the eyes. Now apply a layer of the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, tapping lightly with your ring finger rather than aggressively rubbing it in. Anna advises keeping two shades handy, one lighter and one darker: “The first to get rid of any dark dull tones, and the second to brighten. I also use plenty on the lid to get rid of any bluish tones”, she says.

Next, focus on brightening and opening up the eyes by lengthening lashes and highlighting. Prep lashes by using an eyelash curler, before applying a length-enhancing mascara and a bright eyeshadow, such as the Sisley Phyto-Ombre Glow in Pearl. If you prefer a cream formula, try the RMS Beauty Eye Polish in Utopia, a gorgeous reflective champagne shade. Focus on the inner corners of your eyes as it can really brighten up your whole face.

Added Tools & extras

Sometimes a little extra TLC is needed, and luckily there are a plethora of special products and tools designed to target problematic areas around the eyes. Maria suggests using cool eye masks: “Putting eye masks in the fridge overnight so they are cold when applied to the eye area will soothe away any puffiness”, she explains.

Under-eye masks work brilliantly to reduce puffiness beneath the eye; try Rodial’s Dragon’s Blood Eye Masks, which contain hyaluronic acid to plump skin and promote smoothness. For eyes that really suffer, invest in a techy tool for best results; the Foreo Iris Illuminating Eye Massager eases fatigue with its gentle vibrating movements, while Dr Dennis Gross’ Spectralite uses LED to penetrate deep within the dermis of your skin to stimulate collagen production.