For Men: How To Use Eye Cream For Younger-Looking Skin | 5 Easy Steps

If you’re new to the whole men’s eye cream game, you’ve probably done a deep dive into a few magazines or googled “eye bags” and seen some alarming things. Been there.

But it doesn’t take super expensive products or surgery to make your eyes look younger. It just takes some savvy and a small degree of skillful application to become a legit eye-cream pro. Take it from the folks at SiO, you can do it!

Let’s begin with some common misconceptions about eye cream. Yes, such a thing exists.

The Myths About Eye Cream For Men

MYTH: Using eye cream is basic.

Not actually the case. Despite it being only a small area of skin to contend with, the under-eye area needs some pretty specific attention. With specific steps.

Don’t worry, it’s just like the art of shaving or lifting or posting. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to do it with your eyes closed... Or you get the idea.

MYTH: Any eye cream will do.

When it comes to what kind of eye cream to choose, the safe bet is to start with a brand of skincare that your skin is already familiar with. Introducing harsh new ingredients or the new anti-aging craze of the week is not for the weary.

The key here is not to overdo it. You can work your way up to glycolic acid or difficult-to-pronounce Japanese botanicals when you’re ready. For now, just Do You.

MYTH: The more eye cream you use the better the result.

On the contrary. Here’s one of the few times that more is not actually good.

It’s more for your sensitive skin to try to absorb, more reasons for creating an imbalance within your skin, and more damage to your wallet as you see your jar or tube or bottle of cream disappearing.

MYTH: Your moisturizer can double for an eye cream.

It may seem subtle, but there is a major difference between eye cream and moisturizer. Eye creams differ from regular facial moisturizers in one distinct way.

The concentration of active ingredients such as retinol and glycolic appears in lower concentrations in order to be less irritating to the delicate eye skin. So, doubling down isn’t a skin-care hack you want to try.

What Kinds Of Eye Cream For Men Are Out There?

When it comes to eye creams, it seems like the choices are endless. That’s why it’s crucial to get to know the ingredients. Here’s a quick guide to what all the science means for your skin.

HYALURONIC ACID (HA)

HA can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water, making it a must-have ingredient in any good eye cream for men. It adds tons of moisture to your skin.

PEPTIDES

Peptides are chains of amino acids, which are the same molecules that link together to form proteins. When applied to your skin topically, peptides promote the production of collagen. If you’ve never heard of collagen, just know that it’s basically the best thing ever for your skin.

RETINOL

Retinol is a natural exfoliator that helps to remove dead skin cells and makes your skin appear smoother.

CERAMIDES

A group of waxy lipids, ceramides act as occlusives and create a protective seal on the surface of your skin, which retains moisture and helps plump your skin.

VITAMINS

Never underestimate how crucial vitamins are for your skin’s health! This is especially true for antioxidants, like vitamins A, C, and E, which improve the health of your skin by getting rid of harmful toxins called free radicals.

If you can find an eye cream with all of the ingredients above, then you’ve got a winner on your hands!

However, not all quality eye creams will have each of these ingredients. Why not? Because some eye creams are formulated to help with specific skin issues.

For instance, a cream that focuses on wrinkle reduction might not have retinol. On the other hand, an eye cream formulated to help with dark bags under your eyes might not have ceramides. You get the idea — just be sure to find an eye cream with the ingredients that meet your skin’s unique needs.

What Damages Under-Eye Skin?

Before we get to the good part — where you learn how to transform the puffy, wrinkled, or dehydrated skin around your eyes into the fresher, younger-looking version of you — let’s dive headfirst into some of the major culprits that cause damage to the “Windows to your Soul” area.

It’s nothing you haven’t heard before, but it’s all worth mentioning.

Stress, Sleeplessness, And Sun Damage

This is the trifecta of damage to the gentlest of gentlemanly areas around your baby blues. Or browns. Or whatever hue you’ve been genetically blessed with.

This sensitive skin is where most tell-tale signs of aging and wrinkling occur. Sure, there are other things at play, like DNA, but let’s focus on the things we can actually combat. Gently.

STRESS

Research has shown the impact of stress can cause premature wrinkles, and constantly being stressed certainly doesn't help your motivation to begin a new anti-aging routine. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, has been known to break down the collagen in your skin, among other things.

That's right, a loss of elastin and collagen. This loosens skin and creates the perma-stressed look around your eyes. So, you may want to incorporate a few eye-saving-breaks into your next all-day-date with your computer screen.

SLEEPLESSNESS

It's not an urban legend. Falling short on your slumber — whether due to insomnia or simply a late night — can cause circles under your eyes to appear or become more prominent.

This happens because a lack of sleep tends to cause the blood vessels under the thin skin of your eyes to dilate, creating a dark tint. So, let’s just say you may want to call your Uber a bit earlier next happy hour.

SUN DAMAGE

For some people, sunscreen ingredients other than zinc oxide and titanium dioxide can cause irritation around the eyes, which can make dark circles worse. Always wear sunglasses outdoors.

Sun damage increases melanin production (the brown coloring cells in skin), and that will absolutely make dark circles worse. Certainly, no one is advocating a Hamptons-free lifestyle, but it may be wise to remember your new eye routine next summer.

OK, so now that you’ve heard the truth and learned the science, let’s jump into the sexy solution.

And the best part is that it’s quick enough to be done while your Nespresso is brewing, PDF is downloading, or during your next Netflix commercial break.

The Snap Guide To Getting Eye-Opening, Younger-Looking Skin

1) Begin with just a small drop of cream for each eye.

Resist the urge to use more; it won’t yield better results, as we’ve discussed earlier.

2) Apply the eye cream to the tip of your finger.

Hint: Use the smallest finger, usually the ring finger, as it will be softer, gentler, and easier on the sensitive skin around your eyes.

3) Using a dabbling tap, apply the cream in small dots around your eyes.

Remember to include the corners and the space just below your eyebrow. Be gentle. Especially avoid dabbing too close to your eyes because it can cause stinging, irritation, and redness.

4) Continue to gently pat the eye cream into your skin.

Keep patting until you feel the cream becoming almost fully absorbed into your skin.

Watch out: Rubbing too vigorously will disrupt the delicate skin around your eye, causing it to pull and stretch which will actually create wrinkles instead of helping them to disappear.

5) Remove excess cream.

Using a gentle, circular motion with the tip of your finger across each eye, remove any excess cream that hasn’t fully absorbed into your skin.

In just a few minutes, the cream should be fully absorbed into your skin and you have the green light to apply other products, like serums or sunscreen.

SiO: The Perfect Match For Your Eye Cream Routine

Genius, right? We’re on Team Eye Cream at SiO also!

And if you’re looking for a way to really amp up the skin-tightening benefits, apply SiO Eye & Smile patches on cleansed skin before applying your favorite eye cream to maximize skin rejuvenation.

But don’t just take our word for it. The science definitely speaks for itself. Our products are clinically proven to provide real results. If you want smooth, younger-looking skin, get with the SiO program and try our reusable skin patches now.

So, do you feel like an eye cream PRO now? Good.