Over the next few weeks, I thought it would be beneficial to write a series on different skin care necessities and tricks going through each decade as you age. As I’m sure you’ve heard before (probably from your mother), your 20’s are the time to start a solid beauty routine because the more you do now, the less you’ll have to do down the road. Prevent, protect, enhance – that’s the key!
Today, I’d like to focus on the eyes of the 20 something’s. A little known (not so) secret for the younger generation is eye cream. This very well could be the most important product to use for prevention of aging around the eyes. We want to use eye cream because our under eye skin contains little to no oil glands causing them to dry out quickly and therefore, they show the first signs of aging on the face. Look for eye cream products that contain vitamin K, peptides, caffeine, or hyaluronic acid. These basic and gentle ingredients target moisture restoration, dark circles, and puffiness. Beauty doesn’t have to break the bank, especially if you start now on a budget to prevent the possibility of having to over do it in the future. One of our favorite low budget eye creams is Bliss Baggage Handler Under Eye Gel; it runs for a little over $20 for a .5oz bottle. No matter the price, eye cream is always worth it. To apply, use your ring finger and gently pat a small amount of product, about the size of a grain of rice, under both eyes.
Why take the time to prevent if you’re not willing to protect? As always, SPF and protection from harmful UV rays is extremely important in fighting the anti-aging process as well as protecting against skin cancer. Other factors include maintenance of a regular sleep schedule and staying hydrated. As obvious as they may seem, they are both large factors in keeping your eyes fresh and bright. It’s no secret that 20 something’s stay up late nights and fall asleep in full club makeup. Don’t worry – we’ve all been there. No one is perfect and it would be unrealistic to think every girl is washing her face before bed. A good remedy to at least try to alleviate some of the overnight dirt build up is a gentle cleansing cloth to remove the heaviest parts of that winged eyeliner.
Speaking of winged eyeliner… here comes the fun part. It’s time to tackle those dark circles and under eye puffiness with some makeup. Everyone has their favorite concealer based on skin tone and necessary pigment for dark circles. Sometimes, a thicker cream concealer can get peel-y and cracked throughout the day (if only there was a hydration solution cough cough eye cream) and a powder just doesn’t give you the coverage you need. One of the best, best, best solutions is Smashbox Photofinish Hydrating Under Eye Primer. The versatility of this product is why we love it. It contains vitamin K, caffeine, and cucumber extract which all work together to brighten and awaken those not quite Chanel bags you’ve got going on. This product is perfect to use on its own because it contains optical diffusers, which give an almost reflective glare that distracts from the darkness, but it works wonders under concealer as well. Applied in the same fashion as an eye cream, this $29 beauty secret will show its worth with every penny.
If you’re completely over the hassle of false eyelashes, Latisse is everything you’ve been dreaming of. Latisse increases the length, fullness, and darkness of your lashes truly taking them to staggering heights. This product is not sold over the counter, but it can be found at dermatology offices or medical spas, such as Grace Medical Aesthetics. It does drive a hard bargain for the 20 something’s bank account at $159 for a 5ml bottle, but it can last between 7-10 months and honestly, what price is too high to never have to touch eyelash glue again?
As always, skin care is not a cookie-cutter and shouldn’t be treated as such; everyone’s skin type is different. Working closely with a dermatologist or a medical aesthetician on your beauty routine can make a significant difference in the way you age. Different areas of the face have different requirements for every decade, and I hope to show the solutions to these preventable problems that could arise with each generation.
