Eye Creams and Serums

I’m regularly asked about eye creams and serums by my friends. The eyes are the first place to show the signs of ageing. The skin there is more delicate, so you really do need to use a separate cream for the eye area.

So, here are five eye creams and serums I’ve been using recently – these are at the higher end of the market, most of them. If you are going to splash out anywhere, do it around the eye area, and remember to use them night and day!

1. Kiehl’s Multi-Corrective Eye-Opening Serum, £36, kiehls.co.uk

Launched last month in the UK, this is Kiehl’s answetr to anti-ageing in the eye area. A ‘super-smart’ five in one product, it claims to visibly smooth, visibly lift, visibly firm and restore youthful shape to your eyes.

Kiehl’s suggest the 360 degree solution – that means right around the eye, or orbital, area. So, you have to apply it all around the eye.

I like this idea, because I do worry about those sagging eyelids!

Use this under your eye cream, night and day.

It has lots of powerful ingredients – Botanically-derived Rhamnose and Sodium Hyaluronate for firming and smoothing, and skin illuminating minerals to add instant luminosity.

These are really apparent in this serum, it does instantly lift the eye area.

2. Origins Plantscription Anti-aging Power Eye Cream, £38, origins.co.uk

This is a sneaky peek –  this one isn’t out until next year, nationwide, but is available exclusively at John Lewis from December 26 until January 31, 2015. Specially formulated to help visibly correct and repair the most advanced signs of ageing around the eye. I loved this eye cream from the very first application, it just sinks into your skin. Y ou don’t feel it sitting there at all, it isn’t remotely sticky, and makeup application afterwards is immediate and easy. Ultra-hydrating ingredients like golden chamomile and algae ascophyllum nodosum (phew!) work with pea extract, bamboo and Anogeissus- the Plantscription range powerhouse ingredient, all work to help with the common eye issues. In an easy to use pump, it’s really a lovely cream.

3. Sisley Sisleya Eye and Lip Contour Cream, £1198, sisley-paris.com

I’ve been using this for a few weeks, and it does feel odd using it on the eye and lip area. I’ve actually stopped using it around my lip area, as I feel it works better as an eye cream. It is very thick. I don’t mind that in the evening, but in the morning, I find it a bit too thick.

It’s full of plant extracts and vitamins to help hydrate, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and help with those dark circles and bags. I think it does the latter very well.

4. SK-II Essential Power Eye Cream, £78, harrods.com

It’s been a long time since I’ve used an SK-II product. Sadly, the Japanese brand is no longer stocked up here, only avaialble at Harrods, and on harrods.com. This cream is really pleasant to use – not too thick, not too creamy, just a lovely texture which sinks in well. It addresses three key areas of the eye area – the under-eye area, the eyelid  and the corner of the eye. So, you need to get this cream on all three. It contains SK-II’s new Stem-Acanax Eye Complex, which is made up of Stempower Trio Active, a combination of concentrated Pitera, Stem Acanax and Artichoke Extract, PAL-VB Complex, and Lupine-Alfalfa Extract, for plumping, enhancing skins elasticity, and firming, respectively. Use once a day, in the morning.

5. Emma Hardie Amazing Face Age Support Eye Cream, £39, emmahardie.com

Contsins natural oils of Moringa, Evening Primrose and Rose Hip to nourish, moisturise and soothe, with Vitamin E protecting against toxins. Also contains a dual action moisturiser with Hyaluronic Acid and Hyaluronic Acid Filling Spheres; active peptides of Matrixyl 3000 stimulate faster collagen production in the skin, and Natural Polymatrix Algae Film Extract helps to lift. They all combine to improve circulation around the eye, reducing puffiness and dark circles. It’s a lovely, light cream, with a subtle fragrance, and it glides on and sinks in easily. Emma Hardie products are lovely – if you’ve never tried, seek them out!

Oh, and my Foxy eye mask was made by me from a kit in October’s box from The Lucky Dip Club – if you like kitsch, cute things, check it out!