Should you use retinol under your eyes? Yes, definitely. While it is true that retinol – a form of vitamin A – is a powerful ingredient and the skin under your eyes is delicate, there's no reason why you should miss out on the amazing benefits of retinol.
The Ordinary also have a Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalene or Emulsion formulas. These are more suitable for people with already sensitive or compromised skin and can also be used around the sensitive eye area, unlike the Retinol formulas.
Because the skin around the eyes is more sensitive, Dr. Kashlan recommends that her patients avoid the eye area altogether. For patients with sensitive skin, she suggests applying Vaseline to the eye area to protect the skin from irritation before using retinol or retinoids on the rest of the face.
Retinol, a popular derivative of vitamin A, is loved by many for its exceptional anti-aging properties that eliminate fine lines and wrinkles and renew the skin to make it plump and younger-looking. It also boosts collagen production, which will work wonders for thickening up your undereye skin.
Long-term usage of strong retinols can thin the already delicate skin around the eye, resulting in red, flaky rings around the eye that turn darker as they heal.
Retinoid creams
Retinoid creams, found in beauty stores, can also help promote collagen production and improve the appearance of dark eye circles. These vitamin A-derived creams also decrease the melanin content in the skin. Melanin is what gives skin its color.
First, the answer is yes, retinol can make wrinkles worse, especially when you first start using it. What is happening is a drying effect, and one can get epidermal sliding from separation from the dermis.
A number of side effects to retinoid treatment have been recorded; one group of such side effects relates to eyes and vision. Dry eye syndrome and blepharoconjunctivitis are the most common side effects, appearing in 20-50 % of patients treated with retinoids.
Peeling, redness, and irritation are common onset reactions for some people when they first start to use retinol. Some reactions get so bad that the common term used to describe the list of effects has been dubbed the “retinol uglies”. Note from a skincare expert: Many things in life get worse before they get better.
“One of the best ingredients to find in eye creams is vitamin C because it gets rid of free radicals and brightens the skin,” says Amiruddin. Vitamin C is also a potent collagen booster, and so the addition of vitamin C to your nightly regimen can help thicken the delicate under-eye area and conceal discoloration.
Retin-A and other retinyl derivatives
Retinoids and retinol in anti-aging facial lotions and under-eye creams can cause meibomian gland damage. Dr. Periman said she recommends that her dry eye patients stop using retinyl derivatives on the face altogether.
In one study published in the British Journal of Dermatology, researchers found that treatment with tretinoin produced “significant improvements” in fine wrinkling near the eyes, crease lines around the mouth and cheeks, skin discoloration and other signs of skin aging.
In general, retinol is one of the more gentle varieties of retinoids, however, “if you're going to experience shedding it will begin on day three to five of daily night time use, and this usually continues for about five to 10 days depending on your skin type and the percentage of retinol you've used,” adds Ejikeme.
“This will make your skin look older and accentuate wrinkles” — which is probably not what you're going for when you start using the stuff. And there's no question that retinol makes your skin more sensitive to the sun.
Ideally, a combination of a medical and natural treatment plan would be necessary to completely get rid of dark circles. The results are usually not permanent. Appropriate home care and follow-ups with the physician and lifestyle modifications would be required to maintain results.
More to love, it's easy to apply and absorbs quickly, leaving no residual tackiness. As advertised, this contains retinol. CeraVe doesn't reveal the amount included, but based on its positioning in the ingredient list, it's likely around 0.01%.
Retinol is best applied at night, since it can increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun. When you do go outside, be sure to use sunscreen to protect your face. Also, keep in mind that you don't need to use retinol on a daily basis for it to be effective at treating acne. Two to three times per week may be enough.
Hyaluronic acid hydrates and plumps up skin, giving you a youthful and radiant glow. By brightening the skin, it can help mask darkness under the eyes.
The truth: You can use vitamin C with retinol and retinoids. Get them as separate products so you can tailor the concentration of each and use them at the right time of day. Although vitamin C can be used day or night, it is ideal for daytime use, while retinol and retinoids should be applied at night.
The Serum You Should Use Under Your Eye Cream or Gel
Many serums say right on the packaging that you can't use it under the eye area. That's not the case with our Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum. Not only will it help any eye cream or gel work better around the eye area, but it can also stimulate the production of collagen.
Generally, it takes a few weeks to see results, but some OTC options may require months of regular use. Most dermatologists said you'll need to use retinol for a few weeks before you see results, but you should see improvements by 12 weeks with most products.