While fine lines and wrinkles are an inevitable part of life, serums and balms are the best eye care products to promote a more youthful, supple eye area.

The muscles and skin around our eyes move…. a lot! On average we blink about 15-20 times per minute which adds up to thousands of blinks per day. We also squint and make plenty of other facial movements without even realising.

All this movement, coupled with sun exposure, are the reasons the delicate skin around our eyes is the first part of the face to show signs of ageing.

We really need to show this area plenty of TLC! The best eye skin care combination to prevent skin ageing quickly and to tackle existing concerns is teaming an eye serum and eye balm.

What is eye serum & when should I use it?

Eye serums target specific under-eye concerns like wrinkles, dark circles, puffiness, loss of firmness by penetrating deep into the skin.

Eye serum is one of the best eye skin care products to act on specific skin concerns. They work by penetrating deeper into the layers of skin to target cells that haven’t moved through to the surface level.

Lightweight water-based formulations, eye serums are powered by active ingredients that work on targeting specific skin concerns within the cells. 

What are the best ingredients to look for in an eye serum?

Under-eye shadows, puffiness, fine lines, dehydration, and pigmentation are the usually the most common skin struggles to deal with around the eyes.

These are the best ingredients to combat them:

• Dehydration and dryness: Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide (Vitamin B3), aloe vera, and Vitamin E
• Dark shadows and pigmentation: Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
• Puffiness: Caffeine and peptides
• Fine lines and wrinkles: Peptides, retinol, and Vitamin C

Where an eye serum fits into your routine

After cleansing or exfoliating, and before moisturising, apply a grain of rice-sized amount (per eye) and massage to below the eye area and above on to the brow bone in an outwards motion.

Massage until the product has completely absorbed.

For the best eye treatment results apply eye serum in your morning and evening routine. 

What is eye balm & when should I use it?

Eye balms deliver intense moisturisation to improve texture and dryness on the skin surface.

An eye balm is a cream-based eye product that helps moisturise, soften, and protect the skin.

Balms have a thicker consistency than a serum and work on the surface of the skin, while the serum penetrates the deeper layers.

Eye balms are designed to moisturise, protect and plump the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles to help skin appear more taut.

Look for ingredients that promote moisture and suppleness.

• Macadamia nut oil - Contains high amounts of palmitoleic acid to promote suppleness alongside Vitamin A which protects against oxidative stress
• Peach Resin - Moisturising and helps firm the skin by improving elasticity
• Jojoba oil - Excellent softening, conditioning and moisturising properties. Gentle enough for all skin types!

Where an eye balm fits into your routine

Apply your eye balm after the serum step and then follow with a moisturising lotion or face oil. You can use an eye balm in your morning and evening routine.

It’s one of the best under eye products to use at night because it helps lock moisture into the skin. In turn, this works to minimise the amount of moisture that evaporates off the skin (transepidermal water loss) which is higher at night. 

Are eye products really worth it?

Absolutely! Eye serum and eye balm make a great preventative team for skin concerns.

While the serum works to target specific skin concerns (like pigmentation, puffiness, and fine lines) the balm offers all-round moisturisation benefits and helps seal the active ingredients of the serum.

View the esmi range of anti-ageing, hydrating, and brightening Eye Treatments.

You might also like to read:

• Eye Treatments for Puffy Eyes
• Our Guide to Creating a Basic Skincare Routine
• How to Get Rid of Wrinkles