Increasing numbers of people turn to cosmetic surgery to get rid of the visual signs of ageing around the eyes, but there are ways to get an eye lift without surgery. Swapping a few bad habits for good ones can really help you brighten the eye area and keep the years from leaving more of a mark than they have to.
Tips to try to get an eye lift without surgery
Getting Rid of Puffiness
The first step to fresher-looking eyes is reducing puffiness. Try placing something cold on the eyes for five minutes or so, such as cold water-soaked teabags, cucumber slices, or a chilled eye compress. The coolness constricts blood vessels, reducing the swelling that gives the eyes that puffy appearance.
There are many eye creams on the market, but look for one containing caffeine if puffiness is a particular concern – the ingredient has a slight tightening effect. Gently press on the bones around the eye as you apply your cream to help stimulate circulation.
Banishing Dark Circles
Dark, bluish circles around the eyes can have an ageing effect on the appearance, so reducing them will help give you the youthful lift you’d like to achieve. Unfortunately, dark circles typically become more common with age as the skin becomes a little more translucent, but there are ways to tackle them.
Most eye creams will help reduce their appearance, thanks to their high concentration of emollients which plump the skin, making blood vessels less visible. If your dark circles are more brown than blue, try an eye cream with botanical skin lighteners, such as kojic acid.
There are certain habits that can exacerbate dark circles so try to steer clear of them. Try to make sure you regularly get enough sleep, limit sun exposure and avoid rubbing your eyes too much.
Minimising Lines and Wrinkles
As with dark circles, slightly adjusting some habits will help you reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Lines around the eyes will inevitably appear, because declining collagen levels in the skin causes it to crease over time, but you can prevent unnecessary extra wrinkles forming by trying not to squint too much.
If something is causing you to squint excessively, take note of it. For example, many people squint a lot when their eyesight is deteriorating. If you’re having this problem, make sure you get the glasses or contact lenses you need.
There are some ingredients to look out for in skincare products which are particularly affective at giving the skin a smoother, more youthful appearance. Retinol, a vitamin A derivative, smooths out lines by stimulating collagen growth, and vitamin C helps your skin to retain collagen. If you have particularly sensitive skin, swap retinols for peptides, which are less potent but can have a similar effect.
To read our earlier article about how facial exercises can help reduce wrinkles, click on this link.
Tackling Sagging Lids to Assist Eye Lift
Drooping eyelids are the result of the diminished collagen and elastin levels that come with age. While genetics determine the extent to which your eyelids will sag, you can avoid factors which speed up the process. Too much sun exposure will hasten the sagging effect, so when you are outdoors, make sure you’re wearing an SPF around the eyes, as you would on the rest of your exposed skin.
Unfortunately, no eye cream is powerful enough to reverse the process of sagging eyelids. However, clever use of make-up can do a lot to disguise drooping lids. The trick is to neutralise the lid with a nude-coloured eyeshadow, and define the upper lash line with a dark, smoky colour, applied close to the base of the lashes. This will have the effect of opening up the eyes a little, making sagging less noticeable.
While the effects of ageing will inevitably cause changes around the eyes, remember that taking good care of the eye area will take a few years off its appearance. Stick with a good eye-care routine over time and you can achieve a brighter, tighter look giving your face the appearance of an eye lift without surgery
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